OK…Western Maryland rounds out the railroads that i wish to be able to represent, mostly because they ran so many types of early diesels…but were their GP7s and GP9s high or low hoods, or were they high and converted to low at some point? I found pics of them with high noses and low noses…what gives? If they were converted, what year(s) were those conversions done? I plan to show their diesel fleet circa 1956 or so. Thanks, Tim
They were delivered with the standard HH arrangement. WM did an unusual ‘chop’ of their own on the units. IIRC, the only GP7/9’s delivered by EMD were SP phase III GP9’s & Phleps Dodge units with the EMD ‘kit’ nose like on the SD24, SD18, and GP20. All the rest were aftermarket ‘chops’…
Jim
If you are modeling '56, high-hoods are the correct arrangement.
High hood is the correct arraingement for a 1956 era WM.
In addition, some were still in “fireball” and some were already repainted in “Speedlettering” in '56.
Speedlettering was started in '54, there are photos of speed F units helping steam on the Connellsville line, and there are plenty of speedlettered cars being pulled by steam.
Thanks for the responses! I thought that was around the time the lettering change occured, it will be nice to have some variety to my lettering scheme. I do like early diesels, and they sure had a varied roster. I ordered the book “Western Maryland Diesel Locomotives” which i imagine would have answered that question…but didnt wanna wait!
Thanks, Tim
You may want to give a look at The WESTERN MARYLAND RAILWAY Fireballs & Black Diamonds (Cook/Zimmermann).
Ditto on the Western Maryland, Fireballs and Black Diamonds![tup]
Another that is hard to find, but very well worth it, is Western Maryland Diesels by Jahn and Johnson. Much of the later WM book is based on the info from this book.