Why remove the center-axle from a dead loco?

Hey i have been wonderin why GRS removes the center axle on the 6axle units on the deadline?
is it to move them round easier or am i wrong?

i have been here i just havent just signed up

I'm just guessing, but if you were going to swipe a traction motor to keep another unit running, for reasons of balance and weight distribution, you would probably want to take the middle one.

What Truman said.

Traction motors are always in demand, so when a six axle unit goes to the deadline, the center TMs are the first choice for removal.

They could always take out all of the axles. Put on some dummy axles (sans traction motor), and junk it.

As far as why the center, it would track pretty lousy with one end having nothing to guide it - but I think the reason they leave the center axles out is simply a matter of not putting it back in after the traction motor is pulled. Even if for some reason they should choose later to repair the unit for service, it would have to come back out just the same.

Some years ago, a Southern Pacific freight had its lead engine an SD-45 break an axle, a center one. The other engines were used to cut off the lead engine, and push her into a siding. The train then left without the crippled engine. A truck arrived after a while, and with its crane lifted the truck with the broken axle, removed the center axle and its traction motor, and the engine was driven with two axles, lead truck, and three axles, rear truck to get repaired. A small truck pulled up afterwards to repair the broken wires on the track for signals etc. A somewhat unusual fix for the engine, but effective.