Double-Heading a Six-Car Local?

Well, in the real world of railroading, that local freight could very well have been taking that switcher to an out-lying town for its 28 day assignment. Remember, those switchers must be inspected/serviced every 30 days (just like main line road units), by Federal Law, so your switcher is simply being returned to its out-lying point, after receiving its Monthly Federal Inspection.

Thanks for the Education, Hot Water, but that kind of spikes my attempt at comedy though..... 

bad order

The Norfolk Southern Local does it all the time in Roanoke.

Oh well, I always thought that you 2-Rail SCALE modelers were not into "comedy", but serious model railroading. Sorry.

HEY RIDGE RUNNER,

Yep, I can see a pair of big back-to-back engines pulling a 6-car consist!  Are they GP-60's?

bad order

They look like SD40-2 units to me, plus I don't thing the NS had, or has, any GP60 models.

Near me at northern Jersey I often see 4-8 car freights with an NS loco on each end. Not quite the same idea, I assume its to enable switching spurs without having to run around the train.

Scotie

You would be wrong!

There's a prototype for just about everything. BNSF used to run a local out along the east remnant of the Pasadena Subdivision to a warehouse in Pomona. On a couple of occasions I'd see three geeps pulling three or four box cars. Go figure.

SD40-2 engines seem to be the regular local power from what I've seen there.

NS GP60 road numbers go 7100-7150 serving from 1991 to present according to nslocos.com

Having worked for NS the reason they have an engine on each end is sometimes they just don't know if they're coming or going.

Rick

The New York & Atlantic, Long Island's freight railroad which operates over L I R R trackage, uses two locomotives, sometimes double-headed, and at other times, one at each end of a train. In that case, I suppose technically, they are not double-headed.

They do that so that a loco doesn't get itself trapped in a single-ended siding when switching. Since a lot of Long Island's freight sidings got torn out or abandoned, there are places where a freight train can't cut off a car and spot it, and then run around the rest of the train to get going again. So, they use a loco at each end to be able to spot cars in both directions.  One loco idles, and the other one pulls, when they are going along the main line.

Hal, it's your railroad, so do whatever you want to.

Martin, that's a hoot!

Dave G.

Once a week there is a P&LE that brings two covered hoppers of flour to the wonder bread bakery in Martins Ferry Oh.  Total 4 cars, 2 locomotives. So it does happen.

The Pennsylvania Railroad had local passenger service between Baltimore and Parkton, MD - a distance of about 30 miles. The trains' consist  was frequently 2 - P70 coaches and/or a Gas-Electric and one coach. The non gas electric powered trains were pulled by whatever power was available which occasionally meant back to back Baldwin Centipede diesels which were between their regular long distance assignments.

The two diesels were longer than the train they pulled.

HEY LLK Jr,

Did you say MARTINS FERRY?

Why, that's the town across the Ohio River from Wheeling Island where I lived from 1936 to 1944, before coming to California!  My Dad was born in Martins Ferry!

BAD ORDER

Hang around the tracks long enough and you might see almost anything. I remember spending one Sunday at Turner, Mo in the early 1980's...and hearing a westbound train. 4 engines, a Frisco GP35, 2 BN SW1500 switchers, and a BN fP45 pulling a 40 car freight.

Probably the switchers were going to the Springfield diesel shop for maintenance.

Jeff C

I guess they don't do on the fly switching any more, thus an engine on both ends.

Yes, that is Martins Ferry Ohio!

You could be leaving with a few car but returning with full tonnage.

I think 2-railers have a great sense of humor.  Wait until we see another MTH (DCS) vs Lionel (legacy) argument in a 3-rail forum.  They're lots of fun to read and sometimes reply to.

Oh,oh,oh.  And don't miss the upcoming York rules arguments and Eastern Division dues arguments.  Best sport in the hobby.