Nostalgia & History > So: RS11 on the point--good or bad?

So, here's the dilemma: Are you happy that the RS11 is on the point, or pissed off that it spoils a pure set of F-units behind it? The outbound crew on this grain empty grabs a sack lunch at the Lunch Room at Wishram, Wa, in 1978.

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That's an easy one for me. Nice to see something that unusual, but nothing should be in front of an F-unit.

danf Wrote:
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> That's an easy one for me. Nice to see something
> that unusual, but nothing should be in front of
> an F-unit.

Agreed, but powered solely by high nose RS-11 power we would go cukoo for cocopuffs over it.

Fine by me. I've seen lots o' pix of F units on the point of trains. An RS11 added to the point is what distinguishes this picture from the norm. It might not have made me happy if that particular train were an "only" opportunity to shoot solid F's on a train, but I don't know that to be the case for the photographer in question.

danf Wrote:
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> That's an easy one for me. Nice to see something
> that unusual, but nothing should be in front of
> an F-unit.


...except another F unit. Right Dan?

JE

Nice image Dan...good B&W work!

Mike
Henderson, NV

It's just fine as is...

A great shot.... either way, you'll never see this again..... thanks for sharing.

What was the guy at the Power Desk thinking?

>>What was the guy at the Power Desk thinking?<<

Perhaps he was thinking about locomotive boarding. Certainly easier and safer with stairs and running walkways...

Ted in Davis

You can imagine my frustration here...


Steamjocky Wrote:
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> danf Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > That's an easy one for me. Nice to see something
> > that unusual, but nothing should be in front
> > of an F-unit.

> ...except another F unit. Right Dan?

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In the 1970s, I was always excited to see Alcos and would have been very happy to take that photograph. I pretty much enjoyed everything I saw in those days, particularly if they were first generation diesels.

Dave

TCnR Wrote:
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> What was the guy at the Power Desk thinking?

Yeah, amazing he was squandering what looks like 3 A units on this train!!! Seriously, the most-common lashup I'd see in the gorge would be an Alco hood unit, an F9B and another hood unit. Usually RS11-F9B-RS11 or RS11-F9B-RS3. You'd get the random C424/5-F9B-RS11 set in there as well. These were ofen found on the Hoquaim-Pasco freights or the Albany-Pasco trains. Alcos were "nearly always" flipped back west at Pasco.

> -----
> > What was the guy at the Power Desk thinking?
>
> Yeah, amazing he was squandering what looks like 3
> A units on this train!!! Seriously, the
> most-common lashup I'd see in the gorge would be
> an Alco hood unit, an F9B and another hood unit.
> Usually RS11-F9B-RS11 or RS11-F9B-RS3. You'd get
> the random C424/5-F9B-RS11 set in there as well.
> These were ofen found on the Hoquaim-Pasco
> freights or the Albany-Pasco trains. Alcos were
> "nearly always" flipped back west at Pasco.
>


Excuse my sarcasm, the guy that was at the Power Desk is a TO subscriber.

Curiously enough, the guy at the "powerdesk" might have been a TO member. In the 70s until I left in 83, the 3rd trick assistant chief dispatcher lined up virtually all the power assigned to the Portland Division. The power folks in St. Paul had little if anything to do with the local train consists - only the pool power.

Here's a shot of the last time that three RS3s pulled a train on their own - set up by a current TO member working that ACD job the day this was shot.

Oh, and by the way, I love the RS11 on the point!!

Don Hall
Yreka, CA

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odub Wrote:
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>
> Here's a shot of the last time that three RS3s
> pulled a train on their own -


Too bad that considering it was on the SP&S line it wasn't running SP&S style, i.e. long hood forward. It appears that had the consist simply been turned that it would have been accomplished. Keith's picture on the other thread clearly shows the NP unit leading two SP&S units. At least the picture caught another piece of local history, the Broughton lumber flume. I always appreciated the SP&S's choice of long hood forward set-up of roadswitchers for the extra safety if afforded me when encountering rock slides or log trucks.