Caught this picture on Friday, Denver's North Yard. Is this loco being repainted as a yard switcher (the Y number)?
Painted oevr windows + no fuel tank = Slug unit. It is mated to another unit to provide more tractive effort without using a second engine.
Oops Saturday night, what can I tell you? Pat, looks like you called it! It just looks so weird to me to have a bigger unit being slugged around by a humble little SW1500!!
That's definitely not an attractive unit! Just a thought here- I've seen locos on other railroads equipped with those multiple rotary beacons. And that has been an indicator of them being an RCO unit. I see the SW also has dual beacons. Makes me wonder...... Boxcab E50
With the cab windows blanked out like that and a lack of fuel I'm guessing it's what they call a shoving platform. If it were a slug I'd guess they'd keep the fuel tank in and fill it with ballast for traction and keep the unit's controls operatable as well. As it is though, I'm guessing it's a unit used to keep the crews from riding freight car stirrup steps during long shoving movements in switching.
Brian, I think you've got something there...also maybe why it has the UP shield on the nose, yet is painted soild grey, the all grey suggesting this isn't an active locomotive. Ed
william that is a remote control slave unit. just like the montana rail link is doing with old cabooes, they are putting the remote junk in these things and coupling them to other units, that way they can use what they want for power as long as it is coupled to this. probably keeping the traction motors intact and using also as a slug for added tractive effort. unfortunate to see an ex-mopac unit end up like this.
Yes you are right.It is a remote unit.Many railroads are going to this and they have now figured out that trying to keep units around that are remote ready is more difficult than they thought.When one breaks down they are left hoping that they have another remote engine on hand that works.So what the UP has done is made a dummy engine the remote brains and then you can have whatever engine you want do the pulling when the two are MU'ed together.Looks like less worry about finding a remote unit when you can hook anything up to it. This is a very dangerous technology and all railroaders wish it would go away.But until something really bad happens with remote units they will be around.
Both MP and SP bought four-axle GE Dash7s as power. The deduction that this is an ex-MP may derive from the details on the unit, as well as the number. Looking at this, I now know what I can do with that clapped-out Bachmann Dash-7 I have in the deadline.............
Those are remotes, and the ex-SP units fell to the castration process first. There maybe some MP units in the fold now though. The use of these does keep the remote control equipment in the area while locomotives can come and go for inspections. Also if they decide that remotes aren't the savior they hope they are, they don't have to remove the equipment off the working locomotive. Those do not have traction motors so they are in no way capable of pulling. They do have all the brakes so they can be used for dragging trains and cars to a stop. Not all switching is done with air so the extra stopping power is needed and they provide that. I'm not sure if they have the control stands in them or not. I've been told both ways so some might and some not. IIRC CSX uses those and left the control stands in theirs. Greg
UPY 120 started life as SSW 7794 as a B30-7. Was renumbered to UP 7794 22 June 2002. Retired 11 Sept. 2003. Reinstated on the same day as a CCRCL (Control Car Remote Control Locomotive)
Any of you guys remember laughing at me several years ago when I told you I worked on the experimental design and development of these things? Some of you said "DCC" was just for models and "Remote Control" would NEVER be used in real life? That MU operation was as far as it would ever go? That there would ALWAYS HAVE TO be a human engineer on board? Freight was to be first, then passengers. They have to educate the public to accept riding with no one driving, is safer than paying an engineer, pilot, or bus driver! You watch, I also told you the thing yet to come, is the "train" full of people zipping across country, computer controlled with no one in the engines! Beginning to eat your words now, huh?
jim thsanks for saving grace as could've swore that was a mp unit, thank goodness at least they still are running around.
Well, Watash, I wasn't around when you prophesied but at several airports we have trains running without operators... FWIW
Watash, I never doubted you for a minute. I've watched these things in Canada for almost 14 years. It did have a bearing on whether or not I went into engine service. I went anyway, but it wasn't a surprise. In fact I've wondered why it took them so long to do what they are doing with those worn out GE's. I fully expect to end my railroad career sitting in a dark room running trains via satellite and a joy stick. Probably more than one. Another thing to watch. They are installing horns at grade crossings that automatically blow when the train comes. Supposedly they are aimed at the traffic and less intrusive to the surrounding neighborhoods. Also they are automated, and the crews aren't supposed to blow the horn on the train for the test crossings. Hmm sounds like one more argument for manned trains slipping away. Greg
