Re: 42106 & Northern Rivers Railroad

[John Cleverdon <sdmb.tlrmkt@ogdc.vic.gov.au>]

Bob wrote:

> David Johnson wrote:
>
> > Matthew Geier wrote:
> >
> > >  The only useful parts left would be the traction motors
> >
> > I'm sure it was 42106 that was sitting at Goulburn with no traction
> motors under
> > it.
> >
> > > The unit is really only good for painting up and turning into a
> static
> > > museum exhibit.
> >
> > Why not paint it up and haul it around dead.  It wouldn't do
> anything, but it
> > would look fantastic.
>
> A locomotive with no engine would sit too high because of the lack of
> weight on the
> springs. The transfer of it in such a state would be subject to a
> speed restriction.
> Then again they could fill it with concrete to compensate for the
> engines weight.
> Bob

That's similar to what happened with AN and the 600 - BU class. Four of
the 600 class locos had their engines and generators replaced with
concrete, and their exisitng traction motors replaced with EMD ones (off
the old ALs/CLs). In the process, they lost about 15 tons, and a couple
of hundred HP. They were renumbered BU1-4, with the idea to use them as
"tractive effort booster units" between ALFs on Broken Hill ore and
Leigh Creek coal trains. I don't know what the speed of these new locos
was.
However, this idea doesn't seem to have worked well, because all four
are now rusting away at Dry Creek, no doubt awaiting scrapping. I doubt
that NRR would have any luck doing the same to an even older loco.

John

--
John Cleverdon: Locomotive & Deep-Sky Nut | Essendon-1998 AFL premiers
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