Nostalgia & History > C&O #7457 SD40 on Turntable & Why 1971

Continuing my Instamatic X35 series, on July 11, 1971, I went by the PC Preston Street Roundhouse. After the PC merger, this ex NYC Yard and Roundhouse were used only to handle the daily C&O Manifest from Lexington. I saw a C&O SD40 #7457 on the turntable being given a spin. I thought this was unusual and stopped to take photos and understand why the unit was being turned.
Photo 1- C&O #7457 on the turntable
Photo 2- Hostler in Turntable Shanty operating controls, Asst Hostler sitting in #7457
Photo 3- #7457 backing off Turntable
After coupling #7457 up with the other units, I talked with the Hostler. He said they unit was turned so the crew would have the same lead unit on their return trip.
I never saw another unit turned again at that facility.
ALLEN



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/22 23:59 by krm152.

That's what turntables are for - not limited to steam...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Although you personally may not have seen other units "spun" I can guarantee it was a regular occurrence at most turntables into the diesel age. I spun a lot of units at Eugene when I'd get called as a hostler/hostler helper.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/16 21:11 by Railbaron.

That roundhouse was, in my opinion, the most photogenic one in Louisville. It was also where I had one of my first cab rides. I was just a little kid but one night my dad took me down there and the hostler let us climb into the cab of one of the L&JB&RR 0-8-0's as he moved it out to the ready track. I can't tell you the engine number but I still remember being very impressed when he stepped on the treadle to open the fire door. 

Like Alan says, about the only diesels I ever saw on that turntable were the SW8's that replaced the 0-8-0's. The C&O trains were pulled by A-B-B-A sets of F units before they switched to Geeps.
Of course, in steam years, that truntable turned many C&O steam locos. C&O ran Pacifics and Mountains on passenger trains and mostly 2-8-2's on freights although at least one Kanawha type did run into Louisville on a special in the early '50's. And, the 490 streamlined Hudson also visited Louisville at least once.  

Jack Fravert shot a fair amount of action around the Big Four roundhouse in the early to mid-'50's. His photos are in one of the books "Trackside around Louisville" and his C&O movies are in the DVD "Reflections of the C&O Vol. 1". That turntable is an 85 footer and is at the Kentucky Railway Museum now, I'm told. However, they havent installed it yet.
-JH