Alco RS-11's on Abingdon Branch?

[NW Mailing List]

Gary - I had never heard of a place where an RS-11 couldn't go where a GP9 could.  That quarry is the first one.  The Abingdon Branch wouldn't have been unsuitable for the RS-11.

The crews preferred the EMDs because the Blomberg trucks rode better than the AAR type B trucks of the Alcos.  The Geeps were also more convenient to handle; the Alco throttle was longer and on the earlier ones equipped with 24RL brakes, the automatic brake handle was a long way from the throttle handle.  The later ones with the 26L brake were more convenient than the older ones, but neither was in a class with the GPs, except maybe the first ones with the old control stand.  But ask any engineer - they'd take the EMD every time.  A lesser consideration was the sound; the 567 engine talked it up better than the turbocharged Alco engine.

EdKing
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Mailing List 
  To: 'NW Mailing List' 
  Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 4:46 PM
  Subject: RE: Alco RS-11's on Abingdon Branch?


  One thing to consider about the RS-11.  This type of locomotive was selected to dieselize the Cincinnati District.  But, the RS-11 didn't handle the curves correctly on the Roca Spur up into Waller Brothers quarry near McDermott, Ohio across the Scioto River from Portsmouth.  So for a short while this type was banned from the line until the spur track was modified to accept the swing of the trucks on the RS-11.  This spur was a steep one with a switch back in it to get up into the quarry up on the ridge line.

   

  I don't have the details about what happened between the RS-11 and the track nor what the solution was.  I just know that the RS-11's were banned for the short while in 1956.  

   

  Was the Abingdon Branch suitable for the RS-11?   It was a very curving piece of track.

   

  Maybe some of the older fellows know what the considerations were for this line.

   

  Gary Rolih

  Cincinnati 

   

   


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  From: nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
  Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 2:55 PM
  To: NW Mailing List
  Subject: Re: Alco RS-11's on Abingdon Branch?

   

  I don't know that a T-6 was ever used on the Abingdon Branch.  There isn't any reason why an RS-11 couldn't have been used if there was one in Bristol at the time the train was called.  However, if the crew had anything to do with it, they would have talked the enginehouse folks out of it if there was a GP9 available.  But I never heard that they sent a T-6 to Bristol for use on the Branch.  I doubt it.  There was a need for more horsepower than that available with the T-6. 

   

  EdKing 

    ----- Original Message ----- 

    From: NW Mailing List 

    To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 

    Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 1:59 PM

    Subject: Alco RS-11's on Abingdon Branch?

     

    Hello, I know that EMD 4-axles were primarily used on the Abingdon Branch, and supposedly Alco T-6 switchers briefly. Was wondering if RS-11's were ever seen on the Abingdon Branch; if not, then why? Many thanks! Dave G


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ________________________________________
    NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
    To change your subscription go to
    http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
    Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
    http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/



------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  ________________________________________
  NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
  To change your subscription go to
  http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
  Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
  http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20080206/a045f325/attachment.html>