Rules varied on the handling of dead units and I have no idea what
was required on the Q. I do find it slightly odd it was part of the
consist but apparently they had to do so.
Since the unit was shipped from SSW with a known "terminal illness"
which would preclude its use as power, one might expect it to be set
up dead, or as Bob says, as a boxcar. The difference, for those
wondering, was that when set up dead, the brakes would function when
the automatic brake was used, but not when the independent
(locomotive) brakes were used. This would, among other things,
allow it to be other than at the front of the train. (here too rules
varied, dead units were often restricted to within the first 5 or 10
cars or so but not necessarily on the head pin).
By setting the unit up for trail, though, it would have to be taken
to the engine house along with the train's power, or else mechanical
department guys would have to come out to re-connect it - again
depending on local operations and union rules. Physically it was
not a big deal but naturally a fireman would not do it if it was
considered mechanic's work at that location. Obviously the same
power did not pull the train from the SSW shop all the way to and
across the Q so the way it was being handled would have involved
extra work and PITA along the way.
As a side note and non-CBQ, I was once involved with the purchase of
a GP-9 which had been stored for some time. The unit had no
traction motors nor batteries and was strictly non-functional. It
moved over 3 railroads to get to its destination. That unit, too,
must have been set up as part of the consist at some point, because
when it arrived we found the fuel gauge reading full. When whatever
was pulling it went to the engine facility for fuel, they must have
gone right down the line and fueled up the previously empty Geep, at
no charge to us!
DRB
Tom -
In the
comments below each photo, Ed Cooper got it
correct - the train is eastbound, departing
off the "Running Track" at the east end of the
East Yard, Eola, heading for Clyde. I suspect
the F7 went all the way in to Clyde RH due to
the elimination of firemen in freight service
as a result of Board Award 282 in 1964. If
the head brakeman broke the MU connections
properly between the 982 and the SSW 969 at
Congress Park, he would be entitled to a day's
pay for assuming "fireman's" work. The Congo
would have brought the F7 back to Congress
Park later that day (maybe).
Chuck
Zeiler got the direction wrong in his caption
and his second photo clearly shows the stack
for Reber Packing Company which was on the
north side of the mains and just west of Eola
Road. In both photos, the track in the
foreground is the EJ&E transfer where the
"J" would pick-up transfers from the "Q".
Judging by
all the oil on the carbody, fuel tank and L2
brake cylinder (which are Federal defects),
I'm reasonably certain the 969's prime mover
is no longer functioning, even though the air
has been MU'ed with the rest of the consist
(perfectly normal-no need to "boxcar" the F7).
My two cents worth.
Bob
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Posted by: Don Brown <dbrown02@rochester.rr.com>
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