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Re: GGRM: The UP is cutting them no slack
Author: OPRRMS
Date: 06-21-2019 - 21:19
Hot Water Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Except, all the younger folks in the current
> Mechanical Departments have totally forgotten
> about the use of coupler stops, installed in the
> coupler pocket, which limit the swing of the
> coupler on non-alignment control draft gear
> locomotives. EMD shipped many switchers with
> bolted-in coupler stops, which were then removed
> upon pre-service and acceptance of the switcher at
> the final destination. None on the class 1
> railroads seem to have ever heard of "coupler
> stops" and thus will not allow them.
>
After a derailment involving entrained SW1500s, SP did two things: Switchers begining with 2680 were build with alignment control, and SW1500s 2450 to 2679 were retrofitted with drawbar limiting blocks. The instructions were that the blocks were to be in position when the units were used as road units, and not in position when in switching service.
There were two types of blocks. The most common type were removable and hung on hooks welded onto the wind sheets when not in use. There others were permanently attached, and were swung in or out of position.
If you zoom in on this photo, you'll be able to see a block in place in the drawbar pocket.
[espee.railfan.net]
It was never exactly clear what UP wanted us to do after the merger.
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Except, all the younger folks in the current
> Mechanical Departments have totally forgotten
> about the use of coupler stops, installed in the
> coupler pocket, which limit the swing of the
> coupler on non-alignment control draft gear
> locomotives. EMD shipped many switchers with
> bolted-in coupler stops, which were then removed
> upon pre-service and acceptance of the switcher at
> the final destination. None on the class 1
> railroads seem to have ever heard of "coupler
> stops" and thus will not allow them.
>
After a derailment involving entrained SW1500s, SP did two things: Switchers begining with 2680 were build with alignment control, and SW1500s 2450 to 2679 were retrofitted with drawbar limiting blocks. The instructions were that the blocks were to be in position when the units were used as road units, and not in position when in switching service.
There were two types of blocks. The most common type were removable and hung on hooks welded onto the wind sheets when not in use. There others were permanently attached, and were swung in or out of position.
If you zoom in on this photo, you'll be able to see a block in place in the drawbar pocket.
[espee.railfan.net]
It was never exactly clear what UP wanted us to do after the merger.
