Combos of FM C-Liners, EMD F units, and Alco FAs/FBs

Would railroads have used combinations of these locomotives back in the day? Was it even possible? For example, a lash-up of a Soo Line Fairbanks Morse C-Line A unit with two EMD F7-Bs? Or did these B units only work with their respective A units?

FM,ALCO,EMD had standard MU(27 point)and air line hookups,they all lashup the same way but,
they all respond a little differently to throttle comands from the lead engine.
EMD and ALCO played well together most of the time,not so sure about FM units.

Soo line never owned any C-liners..
the only FM locos they owned were H12-44 switchers.

But other railroad did own C-liners, and yes, they could, and did, MU with other makes and models:

C-liners with an EMD F-units:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc5006ads.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc5012as.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc5015ads.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And here is a C-liner B-unit mixed in with EMD's:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc5103wka.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

although, looking through New York Central photos, it looks like most of the time NYC
preferred to keep FM's with other FM's..probably easier that way..
they *could* MU with other makes, if necessary, but it looks like most of the time they preferred to
keep FM's together..

And yes, B-units could also mix-and match..B-units could mix with any locomotives that an A-unit could..
you could have an EMD or FM A-unit with an Alco FB for example..or vice-versa..
the fact that a loco was a "B-unit" was basically irrelevant, when it comes to MU capability..
typically, a B-unit could mate with any loco that an A-unit could..

Scot

Cool, thanks for the info. I kinda figured they'd work together but you never know. I had just randomly picked SOO out of thin air as an example, although I do have an AHM ho scale C-liner... Which means I HAVE BEEN LIED TO!!!! Heh.... AHM did seem to take some liberties with locomotive rosters. I saw an AHM Alco C-628 lettered & painted for the Susquehanna, which I *know* ScottyChaos knows is a fallacy. I guess it may have been a custom paint job, but if it was, it was REALLY well done. I believe it was using the road # of one of their real C-424s if I remember correctly.

I almost bought it anyway... I may be a nerd, but even my nerdiness has limits.

Great photos too - thanks again.

Its not only AHM!
pretty much every model locomotive ever built, in any scale, by any manufacturer, (especially diesels)
has been painted in prototypically incorrect schemes!
Its not about accuracy, its only about what will sell..
this is as old as the hobby itself..

Scot

Pre Walters era,Lifelike"trainset" quality did the same thing with a F-40ph in UP yellow,
they "shot" the shell in yellow plastic to boot!

Good heavens! It's enough to cause one to lose faith in humanity.

Next thing you know, someone will be telling us the old Con-Cor N scale GN PA's weren't real either.

Les

AHM (or perhaps Tyco) offerings from the 1970's







and sometimes more than just the paintscheme isnt quite right..
check out the trucks on this "GG1"



If you are familiar with the Lehigh Valley, you will find this one amusing:

or perhaps disturbing!

the examples are endless..

Scot

Well... I'm hardly a stickler for details on that level... some things will get me but I can pretty much live with something like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/360712219905?ss ... 1426.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But Conrail steam locos is where even I draw the line.

...and that quasi-GG1 is just dumb.

Back to the original question, MU-ing locos of different makes and models was far from universal during the early years of dieselization. Alco used one kind of electric MU, EMD another. Baldwin MU was done with air rather than electric connections. I have read that many early FM units also had air MU. There were also issues if engines with compatible MU had different air brake setups or traction motor gearing.

By the mid 1950s, FM and Alco had switched to AAR 27-pin (EMD-compatible) MU for new orders. Also, larger railroads found it worthwhile to re-plumb, re-wire and re-gear older, incompatible units so they could be operated together. The NYC and PRR were noted for this kind of rebuilding; I don't know much about the CN or CPR. The New Haven was MU-ing C-Liners and PAs; I don't know if they ordered them with compatible MU or changed the equipment during an overhaul. The B&M and MEC did some reconfiguration, but mostly segregated their incompatible locomotives in different areas and types of service until the old engines were scrapped or traded in. B&M employee timetables of that era list allowable MU combinations, including which locos could lead.