Nostalgia & History > Mighty mites Part 1. Railroading when service was provided.

It is getting lost in today's so called PSR,  Precision Scheduled Rairoading, or better know as CRAP, Customers Really Are Pests. It is called customer service, and railroads once took that mantle to heart. To be sure, today's railroading is bulk based, and container driven, so customer sidings and local yards are being sent to the dust bin of history, but, those small roads seem to make it work don't they?? Going the way of the Mastadon are switchers on Class 1 roads. At one time these fleas were the unsung heroes of the fleet, as they plied the rails , squeezing their work in between the road freights, passenger trains, and commuter operations. Often ignored, they went about the business of customer service, gathering cars for the long haul guys to take to some far off point. Then, on the other end of the run, more of these little problem solvers would get the goods to the customer. This is a two part salute to CARE...Customers Are Really Employers!

top...SW1 at Allentown Pa, 1973

middle...Riverside engine terminal Baltimore, FM H10-44. 1965

bottom... SCL Baldwin working in Savannah Ga. 1972

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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top...Croxton NJ. 1976

middle...Allentown Pa. 1974

bottom...Potomac Yard SW1500 and slug.1977 HIt and run shot just ahead of the beloved RF&P police dept!
 

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/19 08:53 by Roadjob.

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top...BAR SW9s. 1982

middle.. Canton Railroad Baltimore, 1971

bottom... VO100 Baltimore 1970

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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top...Chicago, SW9, 1976

middle...New Orleans, 1978, MP15s
bottom... MP15s, Milwaukee, 1976

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/19 09:17 by Roadjob.

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top, T6 Cleveland 1975

middle...Camden NJ, Baldwins, 1973

bottom...smallest of the small... street running tractors used for customers on Baltimore's once busy customer base, 1978

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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top...UP S2 or 4, Denver Co. 1968

middle...Lorton Va. 1973 S2.

bottom...Joliet Ill. 1976 NW2

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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top...SW1000, Best guess on unit and location is outside of Omaha. If anybody recognizes this spot, help me out. 1983

middle..one more look at my favorite in my back yard. Baltimore Belt Line 1966

bottom...Huey P Long bridge La. 1978. MP15s

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/19 09:24 by Roadjob.

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CRAP and CARE. Those are absolutely fantastic acronyms Bill !  They pretty much sum it all up. Nice tribute to the little guys that did all the grunt work and got very little of the glory. That dimensional load you shot at Camden between those two Baldwins is interesting. Looks like the sign taped to the side says that it is a product of Alliance Machine Co. That is one big chunk of metal.  Thanks again Bill.  Your posts always make my day !

Great post.  Thank you for sharing them.

Your best yet. My favorite from this set is the BAR SW9's.
Bob

What a set! I too do not recall photos of BAR SW's, excellent bunch.
JB

cjvrr Wrote:
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> Great post.  Thank you for sharing them.

I always agree 100% Bill as I do appreciate all your photos but especially anything B&O and Western Maryland.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Careful, Bill. The truth of your written intro almost overpowers your photos. Almost.
/Ted

My education continues, thanks to new knowledge: CRAP indeed!
By the way the SP engines at East Bridge Jct. (at the east end of the Huey Long Bridge) are MP-15s, similar to the MILW units in the following photo.

you are correct sir. Correction made.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

Bill - thanks, you keep hitting home runs with your photos and commentary.  I have truly enjoyed your posts and glad you took photos of switchers.  There were many times in that era that I said "its just a switcher" and moved on.  I especially liked your shot at the old Canton Railroad enginehouse, soon to be dispaced by construction of the I-95 Harbor Tunnel.  Also liked the PC rubber tired locomotives at Jackson's Wharf.  It was amazing how much rail business used to be handled in that area.    

Photo #3 shows hump retarder in lower right at Allentown yard.  A later photo in this great series shows Canton Baldwin switcher in Baltimore of ex Bethlehem Steel - most likely Patapsco & Back Rivers from Sparrows Point plant.

Roadjob Wrote:
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> top...BAR SW9s. 1982
>
Any idea where? The semaphores are intriguing.

Savannah shot is at Central Junction going north to the Georgia Ports .
I wish I could blow it up and identify the swichman on the front of the engine. I know I  probably worked with him.

Sam


 

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