Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS GP59E and Slug

On the way home today in Fort Wayne, Indiana, I saw a GP59E and mate, an RPM4P slug. The paint was no longer shiny, but that still made a great pair of locos for the old Grand Rapids & Indiana, which is now a stub.  Anyone like the looks of these two locos? That slug reminded me of a GP15. It sure beats the looks of F units with their windshields blanked off or first generation locos cut down onto a frame. Were these home rebuilds? If so, they did a great job. And I certainly like the fact that NS uses more white on their locos. I noticed one of the units had a safey slogan on it. Sorry, I didn't get the numbers. I doubt the train needed the extra power. I suppose it was convenient after the train ran around itself, headed home if the slug can be used as a cab unit?

Victor A. Baird
http;//www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 7 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/21 20:25 by wabash2800.

The 12 GP59E's were NS's first rebuilds of it's EMD GP59 units.

NS GP59E Roster

The GP59E's are mated with NS's RP-M4C Slugs, which are equipped with cabs and can lead.

NS RP-M4C Slug Roster


Chris Toth
NSDash9.com

My takes on the mother and slug working the GR&I.
1)   Southbound at State Street, Fort Wayne, 4/9/19.
2) Working the cement distributor in Interstate Industrial Park, Fort Wayne 9/23/20.  This is about 1/4" mile from the end of the line.  The only other current customer past here is Stonhard, which is served off a switch and spur that is just behind where I was standing.

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Thanks for the info and photos JunctionTower. I was told there is an outfit that accepts plastic pellets in covered hoppers on the north end. Was this ever the case, and if so, is it no longer served by rail?

I'd love to see the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society get this trackage as part of Kelly Lynch's proposed railroad theme park. I suppose it's too late with residential development south of Huntertown to extend the track north to near the Allen County Fairgrounds. Near the fairgrounds would have been a great place, in my opinion, for a roundhouse, turntable, yard and museum. It would have been ideal near the fairgrounds for exposure and security. Yes, I know, the clearance would have to be adjusted over Washington Center Road, not to mention the installation of a new bridge. But that could have been accomplished without the problem of residential development north of there. The south side of I69 just before the RR goes under the freeway would be cool too for visibility, but it appears that there is too much industrial development. No matter where this ends up, there will have to be a rail connection to the outside world to bring in equipment and get the 765 or other locos and passenger cars out on the high iron. It would ideally also be used for limited excusions or shuttles.  But I trust Kelly has researched all this, and despite obstacles, will continue to push forward to success. 

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/21 15:07 by wabash2800.

Victor, I'm not aware of anyone getting plastic pellets out there, but maybe I have just never seen it.  The active customers I know of are:

1) Tri-State Warehousing on State Street, inbound covered hoppers of salt. (biggest customer)
2) Foundation Building Supply on Goshen Road. Occasional center beams of building materials.
3) Buzzi Unicem on Investment Drive.  Inbound covered hoppers of cement. (2ND biggest customer)
4) Stonhard on Dividend Road.  Occasional inbound covered hoppers of aggregate product used for floor coatings.

There are some other buildings that COULD have rail service, but none that I know of. I see the locals come and go along Old Maumee Road several days a week, and it's 99% salt and cement hoppers.

As a very young teenager in the early 70s, I didn't get to Fort Wayne, but it would have been fun to check out this line and also get down to the Winter Street Yards and roundhouse. GR6 and GR7 would run with a brace of FP7s btw Grand Rapids and Cincinnati (sometimes in ABA formation). GP9s were common as dirt, so I'd suspect they or GP38s would have been common on a local at Fort Wayne if not with an EMD switcher. GR1 and GR2 btw Fort Wayne and Sturgis, Michigan would rate a pair of FP7s back to back to switch industries btw those two points. A photo of a brace of "covered wagons" crossing over Goshen Road on the plate girder bridge would have been interesting.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/21 09:38 by wabash2800.

Victor, I can't give FP7s or GP9s over Goshen Road, but I can give a slug set over Butler Road!

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Thanks.

Victor Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com