Ping thefoxaroo

[lionkingcmsl]

I got your gift today. :=3

Thank you. :=3

They tried to deliver it on the 28th, but I had to sign for it. When I saw on the notice what type of package it was I knew what it was.

BTW, the 4001 on the rear cover of the calendar, if you change the cab and use U.S. style handrails it would be a classic ALCO RSD4 : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALCO_RSD-4 and http://paintshop.railfan.net/images/belanger/rsd-4.html

And if you ever get your tail over to the east coast of the U.S. I'll give you a tour of some U.S. rail facilities. :=3

Comments

[thefoxaroo.livejournal.com]

Hi LK! :)

That's a relief. DHLawrence hasn't received his yet. :(

Yes, I recall last year when I sent you all the images for the New South Wales locos that you noticed similarity between the Alco RSD4 and the NSWGR 40 class.

I wish I fully understood the codes for wheel arrangements. The NSWGR40 had an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement (which apparently gave trouble after the driving wheels wore down). Am I correct in interpreting the "A" as the driving wheels or is it the "1"? I've just now read the wikipedia link you've provided above and the RSD4's wheel arrangement has a C-C code, but I know not what that means.

Wikipedia has identified 4001 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_40_class_locomotive) as the only ALCO RSC-3 in operational order. I might have mentioned previously how I'm somewhat ambivalent about 4001 having been restored to a running state, as they canibalised an engine part out of a 44 class - my favorite Alco locomotive (my "Happy Birthday" video came from the cab of 4490).

Reading the RSD-4 I've learned a new term; "road switcher." I like that description. :) The equivalent term here would be "Local Freight Engine." Many of our mainline locos ended up doing shunting work from time to time, and the 48 class was ideal for this. However I don't think there was ever a NSW diesel locomotive built especially for road switching (of course I'm willing to be proved wrong). We only had a few classes of dedicated shunter, most commonly the 73 class (they were cute), but it's top speed was only 64 km/h (40 mph). We also had the X100 & X200 class shunting tractors, but they were slower still.

[lowen-kind.livejournal.com]

In determining diesel wheel arrangements:
A number indicates un-powered axle(s)
Letters indicate number of powered axles in a truck (bogey) assembly
"A" = 1 powered axle: Used mostly in the A1A-A1A configuration.
"B" = 2 powered axles: Was very popular in the U.S. on the low to mid horsepower engines.
"C" = 3 powered axles: These are common to give more powered axles per unit of horsepower and to spread the weight of the engine
"D" = 4 powered axles: Note these are very rare and in the U.S. were only used on the DD35s and DD40AXs.

An A1A truck has one powered axle, one un-powered axle, and another powered axle in one truck. The A1A wheel arrangement was very common on the U.S. high speed passenger engines, such as EMD's E series and Alco's PAs.

The GG-1 was/is classified as a 2-C+C-2. The "+" meaning it had an articulated frame. BTW, the class name "GG-1" came from Pennsy's steam classification for articulateds as they saw it as two G class (4-6-0) engines coupled back to back.

Road switchers can hold down any job from local freight work to long distance hauling. The Alco RS series name is derived, as you can guess, from that term. EMD's GP and SD series are classified as road switchers, as are GE "U-Boats", Dash 7 series and etc.