On Southern power what do the letters after the units number mean? I have seen like 4444 t ( example only) I have sen other letters as well. I know hte lettering under the number denotes whose power it was(CoG AWW atc) but the single letter behind the number baffles me.
I asked a Southern Railway employee about those letters, years ago. Now I cannot recall what he told me. I do remember that part about subsidiary company initials. Hope someone has your answer, which will also refresh my memory! Boxcab E50
Southern used to put a letter associated with the assigned maintenance shop or region where it worked.
Uh, no. If I remember correrctly these were called "computer check codes." When introduced, the Southern Railway System had quite a chaotic numbering system. Engines from component lines of the System, were used system-wide. Thus, you could have a #10 (Carolina & Northwestern RS-3) leading one train, while an AGS #6000 lead another, while a Central of Georgia #118 lead yet another train - all on the same line, all RS-3's. It wasn't until 1971-72, that Southern renumbered all of its units into coherent number blocks. Meanwhile, while the renumbering went on, Southern introduced the computer check codes. This, management felt, would help eliminate mistakes in engines numbers and other items connected with train orders and associated paper work. This, is as was explained to me by a Southern retiree with about 50 years service. Later, in the 1070-80's, there was a short article in "Trains" magazine that explained the check letters as they related to engine numbers. My wee, small part of the Southern has an RS-11, numbered 11, Central of Georgia RS-3's #117 (I think) and #142 - again I think. Also there are Southern RS-3's numbered 2200 and 2200 something else - all in the tuxedo scheme, all RS-3's, just lettered for their different components of the Southern Railway System.
This is confusing. I have never seen those letter designators used on a Southern RY System train order. Boxcab E50
Nor have I. Also in all the photos I've seen of SOU units, the letter check is also left off. There is no way I'm going to try and find that "Trains" item 'cause my magazine search is possibly unique in that it don't exist. However, because I have the photos, I know that Southern used all the letters from "A" to "X" - I cannot find any sub-lettered "Y" or "Z". But "A" thru "X" is 24 letters, I can assure you that Southern did not have 24 maintenance centers. Subject to correction by a real Southern fan, I recall 5 or 6; Ivy City (DC), Spenser, N.C., Pegram (Atlanta), Chatanooga, and possibly one or two others which I do not recall. And, sometime prior to merger with the N&W, Southern had (as I recall) 9 or 10 operating divisions - again, subject to correction by someone with better knowledge. I think I'll stick with what my Southern friend told me and that article in "Trains."
While perusing the railpics.net site there was a photo with the computer check code thing you mention in the caption. Yes another unsolved mystery!
Just for fun, I browsed through a few hundred keepers from my many thousands of SRS train orders. None show that letter. Boxcab E50
I seem to remember that letter having something to do with groups of locomotives and tests Southern was conducting, such as oil additives. "A" might get one additive, "X" might get another, and "S" might get none. I had a pair of Atlas SD35's with those subletters.
I found this on one of the Southern Railway fan sites a couple of years ago, just don't remember which one. c/p, thanks to hosam: Southern Check Digits 08/23/98 SEMRA list Not sure if I can make this simple but here goes: Southern used A, F, H, J, K, L, R, T, W & X on their engines. let us assign numbers to the above digits A=0, F=1, H=2, J=3, K=4, L=5, R=6,T=7, W=8 AND X=9. Take the engine number say 3971 which is an X. add first number to 2 times the second number plus the third number plus 2 times the fourth number. 3+(2*9)+7+(2*1)= now this wont work if the formula is applied straight away. If any result such as (2*9) which is 18 then you use the two digits in 18 as 1+8. Now the formula becomes 3+(1+8)+7+2=21. WE are not there yet. you subtract the answer from the next larger even number in units of 10. In this example this would be 30-21=9 OR X. Another example might be engine 701 which is a J. Since there are only 3 digits simply put a zero in front. This will give 0+(2*7)+0+(2*1)= 0+(1+4)+0+(2)=7 10-7=3 which is J. This is for all who don't have internet access or a large library..... hosam I don't know if this helps because it is still confusing, but this is the formula that was used to designate what letter was used after the number.
The letters behind the road number on the locomotives were check codes, used for accounting and maintenance functions. I don't think you will see these on the day to day records and paperwork. The common railroad worker wouldn't even give the letter a second thought. I can give you an example of this by using the airline industry: the registration number and the tail number can somethings be two different numbers. But, the workers on the ground only use the tail number (found on the tail and the nose). The registration number is location on the fuselage toward the tail, this number shows the registered aircraft number and ownership, but they are not used for identify the aircraft. Aircraft 732 is as "tail# 732, not "N732DL".
