Re: (erielack) Helper Engines at Campbell Hall, NY (a little clarification)

[Ken <"erie910_@_jboxford.com">]

Just to add my few ¢ worth:

The museum for which I volunteer just acquired a GP-9 with a high short
hood.
Visibility is not great, and the hood is pretty much empty except for
storage
and a "necessary" facility.  It would not be a good idea to run it short end
forward with only 1 person in the cab because of the lack of visibility.


Ken B.

Christopher Thurner wrote:

> Alan Samostie wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> Both the Norfolk & Western and Southern Railroad had a preference for
> high-nose Geeps, long after most other railroads had switched to low-nose
> units and chopped the noses on their remaining high-nose units.  This
> practice seems to have continued on the merged Norfolk Southern.
>
> True as to the N&W and SOU.  To the best of my knowledge, NS has purchased
> low nose units exclusively.  They have retained the high hoods on those
> units so equipped at the time of the merger.  I do not know of any
examples
> of high hoods being 'chopped' by NS (but I'm sure there are a few
> exceptions, (open invitation to be 'Flamed')).
>
> <snip>
>
> N&W high-nose Geeps usually operated long-hood forward, don't know about
the
> SR ones.  I just recently discovered that EL high-nose Geeps had the "F"
> painted on the long hood end, perhaps as a result of N&W / Dereco control
of
> the EL... although, come to think about it, the DL&W high-nose Geeps also
> had the "F" on the long hood end.  Not sure about Erie units.
>
> This practice was widespread on most RR in the early diesel years,
probably
> as a result of a holdover from the steam era, almost all early Geeps (7's
&
> 9's) along with the corresponding SD units were designated at long hood
> forward and had the 'F' placed on the long hood end.  How this came about
is
> not clear.  Some roads were accustomed to it from steam; some said it
> provided more protection from an accident at the front (e.g., grade
> crossing).
>
> Also, as I think of it now, maybe it was left that way to help the
operating
> personnel (i.e. engineers / fireman) become more accustomed to the new
> diesel units, as there were some objections to the new locos from them
(and
> in some cases from the unions).  Some steam era personnel refused to
operate
> the diesels and either retired or went on to other occupations.
>
> How it was changed to short-hood and chopped nose, etc. is equally not
> clear;  some state it was improved visibility (e.g. long hood forward
> prevents engineer from seeing anything on the fireman's side, etc.)
>
> Look at pics from the late 40's, early / mid 50's on a number of roads
(e.g.
> PRR, B&O, etc.) and you will see most, if not all, from that period with
'F'
> on the long hood.
>
> I hope this information added to your understanding of this matter.
>
> Regards,
>
> Chris Thurner
>
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