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  • Self-Sufficient Railroads

  • This forum is for discussion of "Fallen Flag" roads not otherwise provided with a specific forum. Fallen Flags are roads that no longer operate, went bankrupt, or were acquired or merged out of existence.
This forum is for discussion of "Fallen Flag" roads not otherwise provided with a specific forum. Fallen Flags are roads that no longer operate, went bankrupt, or were acquired or merged out of existence.

Moderator: Nicolai3985

 #1543057  by Pensyfan19
 
I would consider the PRR a self-sufficient railroad as their own Altoona works produced a number of locomotives for their system. Such examples include the GG1, A5, E6, M1s and K4s, all of which were built at Altoona works. Are there any other railroads who rostered locomotives built from their own shops?

Also, could it be possible for other railroads to do this today? I think Norfolk Southern does this with their Altoona works-built switchers.
 #1543088  by urr304
 
IIRC: N&W, B&O, IC, SP for locomotives and rolling stock original construction. Many others for rolling stock alone such as NYC, Erie.

Rebuilding locomotives almost as much as original construction many railroads did, except maybe frame casting [which does define the locomotive]. In diesels, Santa Fe I know rebuilt locomotives such as FT,F3 and F7s into CF-7's; I believe they rebuilt steamers too.
 #1543191  by eolesen
 
With all the EPA and OSHA regulations in place today, who would want to?
 #1543201  by Pensyfan19
 
eolesen wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 3:24 am With all the EPA and OSHA regulations in place today, who would want to?
In that case, would you happen to know of any railroads who produced their own locomotives and rolling stock? In this case, fallen flags such as the PRR since doing so nowadays (even though NS kind of did with the Altoona Works BP4) seems unlikely.
 #1544508  by Pensyfan19
 
Norfolk and Western would also qualify for this topic since their Roanoke shops built a good number of locomotives for their own railroad, such as the N&W J class. What were other major shops which produced locomotives for their own railroads other than Altoona and Roanoke? Did the Chattanooga shops produce locomotives for the Southern Railway?
 #1549215  by urr304
 
Several railroads other than PRR have been listed for you. There were more.

Many who did original contruction quit because of taxes, and continued rebuilding only.
 #1559528  by R&DB
 
Central RR of NJ did a few locos and a lot of rolling stock. Southern built many of their locos and much rolling stock before diesel. The earliest railroads mostly built everything themselves or would buy one loco from a steam engine designer and copy it many times. The Camden and Amboy (NJ's first railroad 1831) purchased a loco in England and had it shipped in parts. They put it together, added a front truck and cow catcher, then named it John Bull. It now resides in the Smithsonian Museum. The C&A copied it about 4 times.