Why did the CNW rebuild the cabs on some locos… and when?
Were they a success and are any still about?
THANKS[:D]
They didn’t “rebuild” the cabs, they built them. Crandall cab E units were built out of former UP E booster units for commuter service. I think there were 6 or 7 but I have nothing at my finger tips to back that up right now. None are still around.
Presumably they got a great deal on the B units – at a time when due to Amtrak, EMD E units were probably pretty cheap anyway.
C&NW = Cheap & Nothing Wasted.
Dave Nelson
They were rebuilt with the cab late spring/ early summer 1973 , retire from CNW Dec.31,1977, retire from RTA spring of 1983, scraped 1985.They were 6 units 501 to 506
I believe that Crandall was the name of the motive power supervisor who designed and supervised the rebuild. Crandall died of a heart attack while trying to restart a failed locomotive during a winter storm. One of the Crandal cab locomotives, while still in C&NW yellow and green had a handlettered panel to Mr. Crandall’s memory. I remember seeing the engine pulling commuter trains on the Northwest Line during the late 1970s - early 1980s.
I thought a few went back to UP’s historical collection when UP merged the C&NW.
THe 1973 period would make them surplus from any passenger trains C&NW may have been running on the eve of Amtrak. THe surplus units were needed for suburban commuter operations. Many CB&Q or RI inits were rebuilt in the same period with new paint. Conversion of the car fleet to HEP came a bit later. I suspect the new Metra service standardized service with 6 car highlevel trains, retiring any shorter F unit scoots.
I believe that the Crandall cabs were rebuilt from UP passenger B-units acquired by the C&NW.
Thanks for all the info!
It leaves the question…
What was in the space taken up by the cabs when the locos were B units?
Is that end of a B unit pretty much empty?
I thought that steam heat or HEP went in the space?
They look to me to be the inspiration for the modern wide cabs on locomotives.
E-units with cabs had space for a steam boiler for car heating. If I am not mistaken, the B-units were also had equipped with boilers.
B-units also had a control stand so that a hosteler could move a B-unit independently of a cab unit. I tend to think that in a B-unit, the area where the cab would have been was empty. It’s also possible that during the rebuilding of the E8-Bs, that space was made for the cab, if it was not already there.
By the time the Crandall cabs were built, all C&NW commuter equipment had been converted for HEP. The HEP unit would have been placed where the former steam boiler would have went.
Not exactly. Before the Crandall cabs, a few railroads had received locomotives fitted with what were called “comfort cabs”. There were much like the cabs on modern high-horsepower diesels, but I think they were designed to accomodate a full train crew. (Cabooses began to disappear at this time.)
During the late 1960s - early 1970s, several railroads had ordered “cowl units”. These were essentially road switcher frames with the walkways covered with sheet metal. These also typically had cabs similar to modern diesels.
The original EMD and Alco cab units were built as carbodies - basically a passenger car equipped with power trucks and and a cab. The sides of the body contributed to the structural integrity of the locomotive. If you took away the sides, you would have to strengthen the frame to support the prime mover.
Road switchers OTOH, were built like bridges spanning the power trucks. The locomotive’s structure was supported by the frame. A cowl unit would start out like
The inspiration for the EMD widecabs came from the DDA40X, FP45/F45, SDP40Fs and F40PH’s of the 60’s and 70’s. Although the new SD70ACe cabs don’t really look a thing like the older widecabs.