Re: [CBQ] Re: Locomotives as Units

[Leo <qutlx1@aol.com>]

Doug your memory pretty much matches mine. Units seemed to be most frequent term for power but I also heard engine sometimes and even a rare reference to a locomotive. The term motors had been so prevalent that I recall some type of admonishment going out by mgmt stating not to use the term any longer. I recall old YDM Charlie at Savanna still referring to "motors" well into the late 70s.

I also routinely heard the maintenance dept small motorized vehicles called everything from track cars,motor cars,speeders,put puts,etc,etc. everyone understood all the terms as they were used interchangeably and always in context as part of a conversation so those involved understood what was being referenced.

Leo Phillipp

Sent from my iPad

On Jan 13, 2014, at 2:52 PM, dhartman@mchsi.com wrote:

 

Thanks Bill. By the time I got there (early 70's) it was always "units." Leo?

Doug

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

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From: William Barber <clipperw@gmail.com>

Sender: CBQ@yahoogroups.com

Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2014 14:33:55 -0600

To: <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>

ReplyTo: CBQ@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [CBQ] Re: Locomotives as Units

 

Doug,

I am pretty certain that the units term came from the manufacturers, but not necessarily in terms of a locomotive. In the early days of Es, Fs. FAs, PAs, etc., locomotives were made up of multiple sections or components called units. An FT freight motor might be made up of four units comprising one locomotive, particularly when drawbars were used instead of couplers. Then, we MU (multiple unit) them together with an MU cables connected to the MU receptacles to make it one locomotive. It was not uncommon in diesel shops or roundhouses to hear references to units available or even little or big units with reference to horsepower. A few older books even referred to steam locomotives as units, but the more common terms were locomotive or engines. I think the best way to think of the term is as units of power, but in most cases, each diesel unit is capable of being a locomotive if it has a full cab with appropriate controls. Over time, the terms l ocomotive, unit or engine have become interchangeable. An engineer might say that I have three locomotives today, or he might say I have three units or three engines. Everybody that needed to, would know what he is talking about.  

Bill Barber

Gravois Mills, MO

On Jan 13, 2014, at 11:41 AM, CBQ@yahoogroups.com wrote:

Re: Digest Number 5767

Mon Jan 13, 2014 8:45 am (PST) . Posted by:

douglas_p_hartman

And how about locomotives being called "units"? 

Doug 

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