(erielack) GP35, U25B, and Alcos

[BurtWD_@_aol.com]

I watched a lot of mainline traffic at CB Junction 1969-1973, and remember 
the following:

1.)  In 1969, I still commonly saw four and five-unit lashups of F's and 
GP7s/9s.  7500 HP or so with five units.

2.)  In 1969, 3-unit lashups of GP35, U25B, and/or C424/5 were still common, 
in any combination.  By the way, this was a change from the 1963-66 period, 
when these units tended to operate in matched sets.  (I know this only from 
the photos I have seen, including Mike Schleigh's photos taken around Cuba.)

3.)  After 1969, 2-unit SD45 consists became much more common.  The five unit 
lashups of F's and GP's became rare, and the 3-unit lashups of four-axle 2500 
HP units became less common.  This process accelerated after the SD45-2s 
arrived.
 
4.)  After about 1970 the C424 became rare on the through trains.  When an 
Alco was spotted, it was usually a C425.  I presume that this had something 
to do with assignment of the C424s to drag or local service.

5.)  After EL's bankruptcy, United Parcel Service reportedly increased its 
monitoring of power assignments on the trains it used.  Also, 1973 and early 
1974 were all-time record years for EL piggyback volume.  So it became common 
to see a 2500 four-axle unit tucked in behind two SD45s on CSX-99.  If I had 
to guess at percentages, I'd say that 50% of the time this was a GP35, 35% of 
the time it was a U25B, and 15% it was a C425.

As UPS became more insistent and these trains grew larger with the piggyback 
boom, the third unit often became an SD45.  

6.)  Power assigned to through freights I saw in 1975 was completely 
unpredictable.  By this time, the service was in a death spiral.

Query:  Urban legend has it that the C424 with its undersized generator is a 
weak sister compared to the C425.  This may even be true.  Why, then, did EL 
leave the C424s in ore drag service and in other tough grade territory like 
Scranton and the B&P?

WDB

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