Nostalgia & History > Pennsy geeps in 8th notch

It's june of 1964. My brother,Ken,and myself were on our first big railfan trip. The PRR
main lines in PA were a magnet for us. Here I am shooting a very underpowered coal drag.
Train is going a a walking pace, so I was able to shoot KII,using my cheap 300mm lens, with
a light rain falling. I had my jacket over my head and camera, bracing the lens between
my knees while sitting on the hillside. As the geeps came round the curve they hit three
torpedos, and never slowed a bit, as they wouldn't have got going again if they stopped.
Do railroads still issue torpedos to track gangs?
PS
Per Mr Slides later comment, yes it was KII, as K25 hadn't been invented in '64.

Keith A

---

Not much of a PRR fan but WOW, that is a great photo.
Thanks for posting!
Nathan Z.

Torpedos are still used Aslong as there are dark areas.

Torpedos have been gone from engines for at least the last couple of years. They were considered no longer needed by the carriers.

Nice shot Keith! Just one problem--Kodachrome 25???? LOL!!!

JCB
http://www.bensonrailphotos.com

Pardon me "Ben", it was K II. How quickly I forget the best film ever.

Keith A

That is a terrific shot, though I felt it had a little too much of a green cast. Ran it through PSP 9.0, and ended up with this (hopefully) pleasing result, with a tad more contrast now too. Hope you don't mind.

---

CSX still issues torpedos to local crews along with fusees.

Gonut

And they are just 1500 hp GP-7's (ef15"s? and not 1750 hp GP-9's.

FRA initially ordered topredoes barred from use in early 1997. Final order issued sometime around 2000. All rule books now specifically omit torpedo use, and head end flagging kits are not required to contain them. Rear end flagging kits for passenger service are no longer required except on one short stretch of Metra and the Alaska Railroad.

4merroad4man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FRA initially ordered topredoes barred from use in
> early 1997. Final order issued sometime around
> 2000. All rule books now specifically omit
> torpedo use, and head end flagging kits are not
> required to contain them. ...

Actually, this is not entirely correct. While flagging kits as a general rule do not require torpedoes any longer, exept perhaps under special local conditions, the rule requirement covering torpedoes still exists. It is Rule 5.7 in the GCOR (Fifth Edition to be precise). So while the requirements to use torpedoes generally don't exist, employees are still responsible for responding properly to them if they encounter them. Go figure!

Great action shot! If only I we could hear those 567s in the 8th notch!