Nostalgia & History > Thirty Thursday: Almost the Dolly Sisters

At one time, the Soo Line had a couple of Alco RS27s that usually worked together and were dubbed the "Dolly Sisters".  Well, here is a pair of Soo's GP30s that could almost be called the same.  Soo 706 and 710 were both built in 1963 and both rode on "trade in" Alco trucks.  Both were retired by the Soo in 1987 and both went to Wisconsin Central retaining their Soo Paint.  Both were retired off the WC in 1995 and both were scrapped.   Joined at the hip, one might say.

Soo Shoreham Yard
Minneapolis, MN
August 14, 1983

Thanks for looking.

Bob Helling
PRose

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Those clean and bright red faces look fantastic. Great catch.
Brian Stevens

The red looks especially good because of the curved cab roof.  Note, the horns are different as are the pin-pulling handles.

Marty Bernard

Nice catch, one of those cool mid size roads. Speaking of the "Dolly Sisters", for those interested, hope you don't mind Bob, same place thirteen years earlier.
JB



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/15 10:21 by 3rdswitch.

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Don't mind at all, JB.  It's good to see the original "Dolly Sisters".  Thanks for posting this shot.

Bob H.
Prose
 

Great photos.

Ronda Thomas

The "Dolly Sisters" nickname came from the DL-640 designations for the RS-27s.  I think the DL-seris were Alco's specification
numbers.

When I worked for the Soo Line in the Power Board we were responsible for working with roundhouses and dispatchers to set up and monitor power consists,
unit trains(the concept was new), high wide loads, special movements and aid in obtaining and disburusing derailment information for upper management.
We used a big magnetic board with a schematic of the railroad along with small magnents signifying all locomotives and cabooses to keep track of everything.

All of that to say that, from day one, a new officer beginning work on the power board was continouiosly reminded to NOT TO RUN THE "DOLLY SISTERS" ANYWHERE OTHER THAN THE ST.PAUL TRANSFER so the mechanical department could babysit/repair them when they broke down(and they did regularly). These units were not liked by crews or just about anyone else on the SOO. There were no tears shed they departed Shoreham for Chicago and Pilet Brothers to be scrapped. I can only recall seeing them one time operating back to back and as usual one was shut down because it couldn't stay running.

Ah, the life of an un-wanted locomotive type much like the IC Alco 636s which I came to dislike as a brakeman because of their straight, high, steps which caused many painful, bruises to my shins getting on and off the beasts... but that's a tale for another time..

exprail  

 Bob, thanks for posting those sharp 30's.  Nice and clean!