P.C.C.M. 53 Auto Parts and other mixed freight.

Greetings and welcome to P.C.C.M. 53. This virtual ops covers the large auto industry traffic and business that uses rail transport. Unfortunately my side of the virtual ops is limited in scope for the auto industry. To be a good sport, I have a couple of cars for the Ford Plant located on the N.Y.C.T.L. The remainder of my train will have mixed freight and items headed to the other participating railroads. We find our train rolling across the countryside in Northwest Ohio. It has departed Elkhart, Indiana and is headed to Selkirk, New York.

 Leading our train is Penn Central F7A #1878. It's a former Rio Grande unit that the Penn Central acquired in a trade. It's one of a few dual headlight units that served on the Penn Central.

Backing up #1878 is Penn Central F7A #1707. One of the few units to receive the red P logo.

Penn Central 40ft Hi Cube Boxcar with hoses and belts from Gates Rubber Company in Denver for the Ford Plant in Bedford Park, New York.

A Celanese tank car from the Globeville section of Denver. Also headed to Bedford Park, New York.
 

A couple of 40ft. boxcars with products from the Chicagoland area, headed to Selkirk, New York.

A Hoschton Railway 40ft boxcar loaded with Candy Canes from Hammond Candies in Denver. It's headed to Hoschton, Georgia for the good boys and girls on Santa's list that live there.

 

Some more 40ft boxcars loaded with goods for Eastern markets. Including this WAG car to be dropped off at the PC/WAG interchange. WAG still used these old boxcars well into the 1970's.

Returning empty from Arvada GERN, is this covered hopper returning to GERN in West Mill, NY.

An empty Pennsy boxcar heading home to be reloaded and sent out West again.

A Empire Belt boxcar loaded full of Tivoli Beer, headed to Ralph's Grocery in Empire City NY.
 

Headed to the Tropicana Plant on the A.P.R.R., is a boxcar loaded full of aluminum juice containers from Ball Container in Golden, Colorado.

 This Penn Central Covered Hopper is headed to AGWAY Feeds in Bloomberg, New York.

A Rio Grande boxcar loaded with mining parts for mining and aggregate companies.

A pair of Santa Fe reefers for C&P restaurant supply on the A.P.R.R. Lots of fresh produce for the folks in Rock Ridge.

Bringing up the rear is a classic Northeast style caboose. Thanks for Reading!!!

Rio Grande 5401 finds a new home.

Greetings and welcome to the story of Rio Grande SD40T-2 #5401. A little background story might help explain the unique design and history of the Tunnel Motor style locomotive. Which starts three decades and a continent away before the time of 5401's arrival in Colorado.

 

In the late 1950's , Southern Pacific approached the Rio Grande to partner in purchasing a new type of Diesel-Hydraulic locomotive made by Krass-Maffei in West Germany. The new locomotives were supposed to equal the equivalent of two and a half EMD GP9's in pulling power. Unfortunately they never lived up to their claims. Another issue discovered with the Krass-Maffei locomotives was the issue of overheating in the numerous tunnels and snow sheds they had to go through. The ultimate fix was to install vents and duct the cooler air from the lower sides of the locomotives. 

Moving forward into the middle of the 1960's, The Rio Grande and Southern Pacific discovered the overheating issue wasn't confined to the Krauss-Maffei locomotives. Their new EMD Second Generation locomotives were having the same issues. The SD45 with its unique radiator set up was one of the locomotives susceptible to overheating in the tunnels. EMD and Southern Pacific tried this unique "Elephant Ears" arrangement to help pull cool air from the lower part of the tunnels.

Finally in 1972, EMD delivered the "Tunnel Motor" to the SP and Cotton Belt in the form of the SD45T-2. Basically a SD45-2 with a new radiator and vent arrangement. In 1974, EMD delivered the first SD40T-2 to the Southern Pacific. Again basically a SD40-2 with a new radiator and vent arrangement. The Rio Grande joined in and became the second customer for the SD40T-2.

The first SD40T-2's arrived on the Rio Grande in 1974. The Rio Grande opted to go with the tried and true 16 cylinder 645 prime mover. Already having a large fleet of SD45's, the fuel economy and reliability of the SD40-2 was attractive to the Rio Grande. 5401 was part of the last order of SD40T-2's delivered in 1980. The SD40T-2's became the signature locomotive for the Rio Grande.

The Colorado Railroad Museum was able to bring #5401 home in the Fall of 2018. The UP removed the nose mounted "Mars" light when they owned it. The Museum has already restored it on #5401.

Here we see the Fireman's side of #5401. Still sporting the Union Pacific applied number patch.

The trustee and owner information on the Engineer side of the locomotive.

A close up of the unique air intake grill for the radiators. The cooler air was pulled through here.

Looking again from the Engineer's side of the locomotive. #5401 is quite the sight!

Looking up at the Engineer's side of the locomotive. Best seat for the trip through the Rockies.

Taking care of the personal business in railroading.

Another view of the Engineer's side of the nose and cab.

Looking up at the Dynamic Brake blister and the Fireman's side of the long hood.

A close up view of the front pilot and associated hardware mounted on the front of the locomotive.

Another view of the air intake system for the radiators. EMD really did a good job solving the overheating issues with this arrangement. Several secondary railroads are still using the SD40T-2.

Another view of the front pilot and hardware. The snowplow is well worn from years of use.

Looking at the signature Nathan three chime horn. The Rio Grande originally had it on the cab.

A close up view of the truck side frame. The EMD logo and casting number stamped into the side.

Looking at the back of the long hood. Another unique feature on the Tunnel Motors was the flat, non-beveled ends. The rear walkway also stuck out to make a small porch on the rear of the locomotive.

I'm very happy the Colorado Railroad Museum was able to save this unique locomotive and preserve it for future generations. I'll have to go back and see the progress they are making on it's restoration.

Thanks for reading!!!

Intermodal Virtual Ops 1G

Greetings and welcome to Intermodal Virtual Ops 1G. In our continuing series of Intermodal segments, featuring different layouts and eras. We find a Union Pacific Intermodal train rolling west out of Omaha, Nebraska sometime in the late 1980's. It's carrying several containers and trailers of recycle material for the West Coast.

Leading our consist is Dash 8-40-C #9217. It was added to the train in Omaha after receiving the block of cars from the Chicago North Western. The CNW picked up the train from Conrail in Chicago. The CNW in those days was the eastern connection for the UP to Chicago.

Next up is SD-40-2 #3275. It has the longer "snoot" nose that was used to house the radio control equipment for the remote helper sets from the 1970's.

GP50 #53 is a recently repainted Missouri Pacific unit from the 1982 merger. The Mopac had opted for the non-dynamic brake option for their GP50's. The Union Pacific soon found this to be an issue for its trains working on the western end of the system. Ideal for "hotshot" intermodal trains, this GP50 and it's respective fleet will soon be banished to the flat terrain of the Great Plains and eastern part of the UP system.

Various TOFC cars working their way west with "recycled" products.

A set of trailers on a linked set of spine cars, headed to West Coast recycle dealers.

 Some unique TOFC cars made by Front Range Products during the 1980's.

Bringing up the rear is a set of spine cars set up for COFC service. This train is running with one of the new "FRED" devices to allow for caboose less operations. A sign of the times, recycle products for cargo and caboose less trains. Lots of transitions happening in the closing years of the 1980's. Thanks for reading!