Tioga Central RR for Sale (Wellsboro, PA)

Who is this gentleman that is the new operator? Has a press release been issued?

Brooks

Matt Langworthy wrote: Actually, light freight runs are mainline RRing for many shortlines. OMID runs trains with its S-4 on a regular basis. Again, I'm asking you to check out a Kalmbach shortline guide. You'd be surprised at how many shortlines still use Alco (or EMD) switchers for mainline RRing. I think that's part of the problem in our friendly debate: our respective mental pictures of what defines a shortline operation differ greatly. Apples vs. oranges applies here.

I've never seen them use the S4. Now I don't live there or go up on that regular a basis, but I used to go to a junkyard right next to the tracks every few weeks and they always came by to go to Motts or somewhere towards Webster, usually with about three cars, always with one of the big engines. Didn't matter if it was December, or June, you could count on them to appear westbound around 11:00 am or so.

RS-3 wrote:Given the choice between a RS-1 and a SW8, I’d take the RS-1. Again I’m sure someone would take the SW8. EMD didn’t really field a SW on road trucks. (In the USA anyway.)
RS

Perhaps my memory is getting old, but wasn't the MP15-1 a Multi-Purpose EMD switcher (basically a refined SW1500) with road trucks ? .... Used in large numbers by multiple class I railroads. However, these were post 1972 production, meaning most were kept by the class I's, unlike the first generation SW7, SW8, SW9, SW900 which were either sold off to various shortlines or scrapped.

Just my 2 cents, before they are flattened.

You are correct FW, though by that time only the big roads had them, and they mostly in stayed yard engines as light road switcher duties tended to be handled by older geeps, etc. If I were a shortline today I'd think they would be great shortline engines if you could lay your hands on them. I was thinking more along the lines of what was available secondhand, "compatible" type units (including price).

RS

EMD (in the US) did field a few SWs on road trucks. They built SW-1200s on Flexicoil trucks for the New Haven, and I'm sure a few others. (I see an ex-NH unit every week-) There was also the RS-1325 on Flexicoils, the only two of which were built for the C&IM in 1960, and at least one SW-1000 on Flexicoils.

Long before those models there was the NW-4 of 1939 (on swing bolster trucks, only two built), the seven NW-3s of 1939 to 1942 (Blombergs) and the 13 postwar NW-5s on Blombergs. There was also the cow and calf TR-1, which had a pair of 16-567s (2700 HP total) in each set, riding on Blombergs. Only two sets were sold to the IC in 1941

Agreed, not many, but EMD did build a few. Alco really "invented" the true road-switcher with the RS-1 in 1941. The later NW-5 looked like an EMD copy-

(A few quick moments with DSG, helps me keep the dates straight-)

lvrr325 wrote:

Matt Langworthy wrote: Actually, light freight runs are mainline RRing for many shortlines. OMID runs trains with its S-4 on a regular basis. Again, I'm asking you to check out a Kalmbach shortline guide. You'd be surprised at how many shortlines still use Alco (or EMD) switchers for mainline RRing. I think that's part of the problem in our friendly debate: our respective mental pictures of what defines a shortline operation differ greatly. Apples vs. oranges applies here.

I've never seen them use the S4. Now I don't live there or go up on that regular a basis, but I used to go to a junkyard right next to the tracks every few weeks and they always came by to go to Motts or somewhere towards Webster, usually with about three cars, always with one of the big engines. Didn't matter if it was December, or June, you could count on them to appear westbound around 11:00 am or so.

One of the few times I saw OMID in action was with #3... but with my luck, I had no camera!

Thankfully, there are images of the little S-4 at work:
1. #3 switching in Sodus

2. #3 pulling a Rochester NRHS excursion

3. #3 at Sodus again

OMID has told me they still use the engine. Mind you, their RS-11 was down at Lakeville for servicing (can't remember how long ago), so #3 and the RS-36 constituted all the active power at Sodus for a while.

It would only make sense to use it occasionally after going through all the trouble to redo it, rather than just let it sit and turn to junk again.

lvrr325 wrote:It would only make sense to use it occasionally after going through all the trouble to redo it, rather than just let it sit and turn to junk again.

A 1000 HP 539 prime mover should be able to handle turns of 3-5 cars (common on OMID) with ease.

Matt, that's an understatement. In the 1960's, NYC used 2 RS-1's on the First Belt, and regularly brought 60 or more cars UP the hill from Charlotte to Goodman Street. As the units grew more tired they added to the consist, in Penn Central's early days they used 4 of them. But given reasonable condition, that type of loco can drag quite a load, 3 to 5 cars would not make it work hard enough to get up to operating temperature.

BR&P wrote:Matt, that's an understatement. In the 1960's, NYC used 2 RS-1's on the First Belt, and regularly brought 60 or more cars UP the hill from Charlotte to Goodman Street. As the units grew more tired they added to the consist, in Penn Central's early days they used 4 of them. But given reasonable condition, that type of loco can drag quite a load, 3 to 5 cars would not make it work hard enough to get up to operating temperature.

Thanks. That's what I figured because Tioga Central's #62 (the root of the debate) handled a train with ease when I caught up with her back in September, as you can see here. She has been pulling passenger cars several times per week for years, so I don't think it would be very hard for this RS-1 to handle shorter freight trains on a shortline.

I handled a few cuts of 50, 60, possibly 70 cars with an RS-1 back in 1981, re-organizing a storage yard at a chemical plant. The locomotive was ex G&W 43 (C&WI 256). Admittedly we didn't go very fast; didn't dare, track conditions, but a ten car train over most shortlines should be well within the capabilities of a 1000 HP Alco.

When we were up at G&W picking out the 43, we saw two of the other RS-1, with MU, take a 40-some car train out of Retsof. By the time the last car came past, the two units had the train up to 25 or 30. Pretty decent little units, unfortunately, they were much younger then.

EDM5970 wrote:I handled a few cuts of 50, 60, possibly 70 cars with an RS-1 back in 1981, re-organizing a storage yard at a chemical plant. The locomotive was ex G&W 43 (C&WI 256). Admittedly we didn't go very fast; didn't dare, track conditions, but a ten car train over most shortlines should be well within the capabilities of a 1000 HP Alco.

When we were up at G&W picking out the 43, we saw two of the other RS-1, with MU, take a 40-some car train out of Retsof. By the time the last car came past, the two units had the train up to 25 or 30. Pretty decent little units, unfortunately, they were much younger then.

And here is C&WI 256 today:



Preserved at the Rochester and Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Rush, NY. And yes folks, she does run and she runs very well.

Any word on the sale of the Tioga Central?

Luther,

I forget the G&W number she held, but EK#9 is C&WI #260 so I am not sure who is right here.

In 1981, EK9 was already owned by Kodak for 10 years having been sold to Kodak by the G&W in 1971. It was donated to the R&GVRRM in 1997.

Regards,
Chris

G&W told us she was the 256, but I also looked up her lineage when we got her, and was able to confirm it. X2200-