GE 110-ton Switcher History

[Otto Vondrak]

I'm trying to piece together a history of our 110-ton switcher, former General Electric #8.

http://rgvrrm.org/about/railroad/rge8/index.htm

General Electric 110-ton
Built: October 1967
Builder's Number: 36324
General Electric #8 (Pittsfield, MA)
Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum #8 (1988)
Rochester Gas & Electric #8 (1991)
Donated to R&GVRRM 2008

I would also like to find more information about the product line in general. How many 110-ton switchers were produced? How long were they in production? Where did they fit into GE's line of switchers? All we know about our unit is that it was built as a demonstrator unit and later served at the GE plant in Pittsfield, MA until it was sold to Berkshire Scenic Railway in 1988. It was then sold to Rochester Gas & Electric in 1991. It was then donated to the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in 2008.

Any additional information would be appreciated.

-otto-

[CMO-Tom]

Otto,
First, No. 8 was donated to BSRM in 1988 along with Alco S-1 #6 (ex-MEC 954) when they closed the Pittsfield Transformer operation.
Second, A look at my "Critters, Dinkeys & Centercabs" book by Jay Reed reveals that GE started producing the "narrow-hood" or Phase-IV switchers with the phase IV-A in October 1958. Prodcution lasted until April 1962. No. 8, being built in 1967 is a Phase IV-B1, built between May 1962 and September 1969. The only differences appear to be hood door louvers and latches. I haven't been able to find production numbers, but GE built the Phase-IV in 65, 80, 100 and 110 variants until August 1974. From Novemeber 1974 until sometime in the 1980's they built the Phase-V, which has wider hoods and angled sides on the cab.

Hope this info helps!

[Otto Vondrak]

Thanks to Tom for helping to piece together the history of No. 8

http://www.rgvrrm.org/about/railroad/rge8/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-otto-

[Pneudyne]

A quick count (probably not accurate to better than ±3) of the entries in the 1983 GE Switchers list came up with 125 units of the “110 tons” type for the period at interest, late 1950s onwards. Of these, 44 were for domestic users and 81 were exported. So it was not produced in large numbers. Of course, that list might include different models that happened to weigh in at 110 tons, as GE listed by weight only.


Cheers,

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