The Dillworth Story

An excellent book. 

If you liked that book, then I would recommend One Man's Locomotives by Vernon L. Smith.

Thanks. 

On Time  is a short history of the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors Corporation, written by the same author, Franklin M. Reck,  and is sort of "companion book" to The Dilworth Story,  in my railroad library. Both books are copyrighted by EMD/GM. On Time is copyrighted 1948 and gives an abbreviated history of EMC/EMD through its first 25 years 1922-1947 and some of the people involved in EMC/EMD diesel locomotive development, including Dilworth, Hamilton, Osborn, Kettering, Blomberg and others. The Dilworth Story  is copyrighted by EMD/GM  six years later in 1954. Both are indispensable reference books to "armchair historians" like myself, and are full of great stories and first hand accounts, along with other historical information. They are simple, easy reads.

C.J.

Thanks for the tip. My Michigan E Public Library System has 16 copies. I ordered a copy today.

Gary

Re: Dilworth book...

Haven't read the book, but if Dilworth is credited for the "road switcher" concept (hood unit w/short and long hoods capable of road work), I think that credit more accurately falls to the designers at Alco: The RS-1 in March of '41, followed up by the RS-2 in Oct of '46. As most of us know, the RS-2 was three years ahead of the GP7.

No biggie if Dilworth gets the credit, but I do like to give Alco credit where credit is due.

I will readily admit that the GP7 definitely popularized the "road switcher" concept far more effectively than Alco's offerings.

Andre

laming posted:

Re: Dilworth book...

Haven't read the book, but if Dilworth is credited for the "road switcher" concept (hood unit w/short and long hoods capable of road work), I think that credit more accurately falls to the designers at Alco: The RS-1 in March of '41, followed up by the RS-2 in Oct of '46. As most of us know, the RS-2 was three years ahead of the GP7.

No biggie if Dilworth gets the credit, but I do like to give Alco credit where credit is due.

I will readily admit that the GP7 definitely popularized the "road switcher" concept far more effectively than Alco's offerings.

Andre

To my memory Mr. Dillworth was NOT given credit for the "road switcher" concept. However, after the manufacturing problems with the BL1/BL2, Mr. Dillworth was asked to return from retirement, and subsequently designed the GP7. The rest is history. 

Hi Hot:

I think I've read in past histories that he was mentioned as fathering the road switcher concept. So, just wonderin'.

Ah, the BL's. Love 'em or hate 'em, everyone pretty much agrees: They were definitely "unique"!!

I think the BL ended up being somewhat a "black sheep" of the EMD family. Can't bat 1000 all the time.

Andre

laming posted:

Hi Hot:

I think I've read in past histories that he was mentioned as fathering the road switcher concept. So, just wonderin'.

Ah, the BL's. Love 'em or hate 'em, everyone pretty much agrees: They were definitely "unique"!!

I think the BL ended up being somewhat a "black sheep" of the EMD family. Can't bat 1000 all the time.

Well, not really. Contrary to popular Railfan beliefs, many railroads did indeed want to purchase BL2 models, especially with MU controls. The real "down-fall" of the BL2 model was in the "Big Bay" of the Locomotive Dept. in manufacturing. Because of the design of the underframe and carbody, once the whole assembly was placed in a spot for assembly, it could NOT be moved by the big overhead crane, until the thing was virtually completed, i.e. complete engine & generator, equipment rack, electrical cabinet, and all remaining carbody components installed. Thus, the Manufacturing Engineers complained long and loud to the main Design Engineering Dept, at which point Mr. Dillworth was recalled from retirement. Unlike the BL2, the GP7, with it's "bridge structure" type of underframe, could "progress up the assembly line" without affecting the camber of the underframe assembly (the underframe was first placed up-side-down, for all piping & cabling, prior to being flipped right-side-up).     

Andre

Rob Leese posted:

If you liked that book, then I would recommend One Man's Locomotives by Vernon L. Smith.

Rob, it's odd that you should post that recommendation, right after Hot Water's endorsement of the Dilworth book, because . . . 

Hot Water and I once had a very interesting conversation about Vernon Smith while trudging to Union Station through downtown Chicago winter gloom, after having consumed a hearty German lunch.  

Mr. Smith was an interesting man who really knew locomotive design and function.  He had four distinct phases of his career: Fireman on Minnesota's Iron Range; Mechanical Engineering on Santa Fe; locomotive component supply (Franklin) Field Engineer; and Chief Mechanical Officer on the Belt Railway of Chicago.

The book, Locomotives In My Life, is excellent.  I second your recommendation.  It's so well written that, even if readers don't know what a feed water heater or a hydraulic governor does, they can understand the text.

Is the line, FORM FOLLOWS FUNTION, a quote from Dillworth?

Dominic Mazoch posted:

Is the line, FORM FOLLOWS FUNTION, a quote from Dillworth?

Nope.  Architect Louis Sullivan in 1896.  A little before Dick Dillworth's time.

Rusty

THANKS, HW, for the "straight scoop" on the BL2!  ☺