SOU Doodlebug research...

mr.dean Jun 13, 2013

  1. mr.dean

    mr.dean TrainBoard Member

    221
    4
    7
    Doing some research on Doodlebugs being used with Southern RR. I have spoken to a couple of people that have/remember riding on them, so they existed. But that's all I seem to be able to find out. Would like to see a picture of a real doodlebug with the Southern road name. Also, what color were they? Olive drab or the Green and White that Southern so often ran? And, were they usually single units or did most of the ones for Southern pull a trailer (I guess that could be an "as needed" application)? It appears to me that the trailer car is just a heavy weight coach with 4 wheel trucks on it from pics I have seen of other rail lines. Is that correct?

    Thanks in advance!

    Dean
     
  2. Dave Jones

    Dave Jones TrainBoard Supporter

    1,037
    4
    24
    Dean - On your computer enter "FM OP800." That will give you a couple of pages on what I think were Southern's only "doodlebugs".
     
  3. mr.dean

    mr.dean TrainBoard Member

    221
    4
    7
    Thanks so much Dave! I will check it out.
     
  4. mr.dean

    mr.dean TrainBoard Member

    221
    4
    7
    OP800? I would have never found them under that designation. Only 6 built in 1939 and all scrapped by 1955. Such a shame. And they don't look anything like a traditional Doodlebug. Wonder if anyone has a pic of the real thing during the 40s? Here is the link if anyone else is interested... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FM_OP800

    The reason I asked this is because I just purchased a Bachmann Spectrum Doodlebug in Southern's green and white colors. I was trying to verify authenticity just for fun. Looks like they were way off. No wonder I couldn't find anything under Doodlebug with Southern! :(

    Dean
     
  5. Dave Jones

    Dave Jones TrainBoard Supporter

    1,037
    4
    24
    I left out the fact that I've never been able to find a photo of these units on the Southern. Got no idea of their original color scheme.
     
  6. mr.dean

    mr.dean TrainBoard Member

    221
    4
    7
    The picture of the one from the Georgia Northern on the link page was, at one time, a Southern unit. Georgia Northern, according to Wikipedia, only had two, and both came from Southern. From what I have heard, they were an olive drab type color... but I can't verify that. Was hoping they were in the Southern green and white but I am beginning to doubt that.

    Dean
     
  7. Dave Jones

    Dave Jones TrainBoard Supporter

    1,037
    4
    24
    The only color photos of them I saw was Georgia Northern's Red and cream (off-white?). EDIT: Have found photo of SOU Rwy. Vulcan. On your computer enter "Southern Railway Motor Train - train.com online community" It's that green & off-white from the 1940's but a different pattern than that of the E & F units.

    p.s. ACL had zero motors/ doodle bugs; Sou had 5, and SAL approx. 22.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 14, 2013
  8. mr.dean

    mr.dean TrainBoard Member

    221
    4
    7
    Yup, Dave, you found one! That's definately one of them. Vulcan was the name of one... they know at least 4 of the original 6 had names. It looks very different from the doodlebugs modeled by the manufacturers... and from the one I bought!

    Thanks for the pic.

    Southern Doodlebug.jpg

    Dean
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 14, 2013
  9. Dave Jones

    Dave Jones TrainBoard Supporter

    1,037
    4
    24
    Yes the Bachmann is close to some of the SAL doodle bugs in the 202X series. Can't access any of my SAL books but IIRC would have been just before #2027 and 2028.
     

Share This Page