So does anyone have photographic proof of a desperate crew using a B unit to move cars without benefit of an A unit. They say there is a prototype for anything you might want to model. This seems like a good test.
Model railroad magazine did a layout construction series "Building the Clinchfield RR". The article series was also sold as a stand alone magazine. One of the prototype pics was of B F-unit being used to switch a mine. Robert
Yes, a (slightly) rebuild ex CRR F7B, ex F3B: It was Haysi Railroad #1 http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/30733/Photo006_1.JPG http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/410/30014/october-1996-page-4 Stephan
I can't give you a picture, sorry. However, most if not all the FT-As and FT-Bs owned by the B&M had a hostler's control station inside the rear bulkhead with a small window, to the left (facing forward) of the center door and diaphragm. On one occasion I saw a hostler using a B unit to move a caboose from the rear of a just arrived train to the yard's caboose track. Have no clue where the train's other units were, or if this B unit was even off of that train, but there it was....kinda surprising, actually.
Of course this may not fit within the realm of your question but there are always examples of railroads using B units in conjunction with other brands/styles of locomotives. B&M even used B with Alco RS-3s on occasion, that makes for a very unattractive lash-up.
I know I've seen a picture, but where... ? OK, not in operation, but it is noted in the book "The Revolutionary Diesel: EMC's FT," Page 26 that the Atlantic Coast Line made modifications when it broke up its sets: "When the B units were separated from the control equipped A units, hostler controls were added and a fifth porthole was installed on the right side for added visibility." On Page 27 there's a shot of ACL 305-B and it's further noted that a headlight was added to the front of the unit.
I have heard about this happening, using hostlers controls. Wouldn't it be fabulous to find some old film footage?
Desperation...Ingenious...Unique...Crazy...by a Railroad...Whatever you call it... "I don't care who ya are, that's funny right there" !!!
As part of the Santa Fe's engineer's training program in the early 70's, we were taught the operation of solo "B" F-units, but the actual operation of the units were part of the hostlers job. We would only have done it in emergencies. Robert
I believe that Sante Fe (IIRC) converted a B-unit into and A (sorta), and used it in commuter service somewhere. I remember seeing a B&W photo of that configuration years back....maybe it was SP. OK, CRS.
The Rock Island AB6 units come somewhat close to being in the category. Even though factory built, weren't they actually converted from a B unit?
Rock Island had a passenger train that ran from somewhere east (Kansas City? St Louis?) in sections that split to Colorado Springs and Denver. The combined train was pulled by 2 units, one an A unit F, the other a B unit with a cab built in one squared-off end. When the train broke into two sections, the sort-of B unit took the shorter section and shorter run...
Another note about the Santa Fe B F-units, they only had a throttle and independent brake (engine brakes) so their use in switching would be very limited without train brakes. Robert
The more I think about it, that probably was the case with the B&M B unit that I saw 60-65 years ago. I was told that the rear controls were a "Hostler's" station. Hostlers were not licensed to go beyond yard limits so all they needed were throttle and independent brake controls.
The Rocky Mountain Rocket actually ran from Chicago to Denver through Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Lincoln, through to Limon, Colorado where it split off and went separate ways to Denver. And speaking of another company with hostler equipped B-units, the Rock had a few, if not all.
This was Rock Islands Premier train, the Rocky Mountain Rocket which ran from Chicago to Limon, CO then split, one half went to Denver and the other half to Colorado Springs, then north to Denver.
