December 03, 2006 08:59PM
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Thanks for the information on the trio of 2-foot gauge locomotives built by GE for the Massachusetts firm. It's good to know that all three of these locomotives survived. However, I will dispute your characterization of Plymouth as a "major" locomotive builder. Despite the fact that Plymouth built a significant number of units, their production was marketed primarily to industrial users - steel mills, quarries, power plants, etc. While the company did sell some locomotives to shortlines like the Bath & Hammondsport and the Winona RR, those sales represented a small fraction of the company's overall production. Most of us reserve the term "major builder" for EMD, ALCO, Baldwin, Lima or GE -- firms that designed and built power for Class 1's and other common-carriers. Pinkepank's "Diesel Spotter's Guide" classifies Plymouth (along with Davenport, Whitcomb, H.K. Porter, Vulcan and Atlas) as "Miscellaneous Builders."
The Class 91 diesel-electrics on the SAR weren't critters or "industrial" power. Despite their narrow gauge, they were designed for a railroad that had many of the aspects of a mainline operation. In the late 1970's and 1980's the Avontuur-Port Elizabeth line had significant traffic density. In the fruit shipping season, trains ran round-the-clock. The track was superbly-maintained and there were significant engineering works like Van Staden's Bridge, supposedly the world's highest narrow-gauge bridge, and the impressive span over the Gamtoos River. As I mentioned, trains were often quite heavy - especially the limestone moves out of Lourie. The little GE's ran MU'ed in three, and occasionally, 4-unit sets. With the modern steel rolling stock and the U6B's, this railroad represents the apex of two-foot gauge technology.
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Ted Miles |
November 17, 2006 09:55AM |
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Dan Robirds |
November 17, 2006 10:17AM |
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Douglas vV |
November 17, 2006 11:15AM |
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November 17, 2006 10:31AM |
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johnny graybeal |
November 17, 2006 10:31AM |
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Steve Singer |
November 17, 2006 11:08AM |
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Michael Allen |
November 17, 2006 09:52PM |
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Greg Scholl |
November 17, 2006 02:58PM |
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Steve Zuiderveen |
November 17, 2006 03:10PM |
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November 17, 2006 03:41PM |
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Greg Scholl |
November 17, 2006 06:39PM |
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G. W. Laepple |
November 17, 2006 07:24PM |
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Greg Scholl |
November 18, 2006 06:53AM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
November 18, 2006 12:38PM |
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Steve Zuiderveen |
November 18, 2006 07:05PM |
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Ted Miles |
November 20, 2006 10:08AM |
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The Josh |
November 17, 2006 05:28PM |
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Bill Pratt |
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gary danielson |
November 18, 2006 02:21PM |
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Jim Burrill |
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Hank Porter |
November 20, 2006 01:31PM |
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Rodger Polley |
November 18, 2006 07:37PM |
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PRSL |
November 19, 2006 07:38AM |
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Rodger Polley |
November 19, 2006 08:07AM |
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South Park |
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John Bush |
November 19, 2006 05:04PM |
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Sam Bass |
November 19, 2006 05:08PM |
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Steve Singer |
November 20, 2006 04:52PM |
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Hobosteve |
November 21, 2006 03:02AM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
November 21, 2006 09:21AM |
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Eugene H. Blabey |
December 02, 2006 09:40PM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 03, 2006 11:43AM |
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December 03, 2006 07:28PM |
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Eugene H. Blabey |
December 03, 2006 08:59PM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 04, 2006 08:12AM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 04, 2006 08:24AM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 04, 2006 08:25AM |
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December 04, 2006 12:25PM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 05, 2006 06:35AM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 05, 2006 12:07PM |
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December 05, 2006 01:25PM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 05, 2006 03:15PM |
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James Hefner |
December 11, 2006 10:51AM |
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Eugene H. Blabey |
December 11, 2006 01:12PM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 11, 2006 01:48PM |
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Eugene H. Blabey |
December 11, 2006 03:46PM |
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James Hefner |
December 11, 2006 05:44PM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 11, 2006 09:34PM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 11, 2006 09:35PM |
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Eugene H. Blabey |
December 11, 2006 10:47PM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 12, 2006 01:04AM |
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December 12, 2006 09:35AM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 12, 2006 03:00PM |
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Trevor Hartford |
December 09, 2006 04:43PM |
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December 09, 2006 05:55PM |
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Eugene H. Blabey |
December 09, 2006 09:56PM |
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Glenn Christensen |
December 10, 2006 07:37AM |
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Eugene H. Blabey |
December 10, 2006 11:26AM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 10, 2006 11:29AM |
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James Hefner |
December 11, 2006 10:56AM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 11, 2006 01:50PM |
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James Hefner |
December 11, 2006 02:59PM |
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Gavin Hamilton |
December 11, 2006 09:01PM |
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Barry R Munro |
December 06, 2006 05:07AM |
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Eugene H. Blabey |
December 06, 2006 09:44AM |
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December 06, 2006 12:59PM |
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John Cole |
December 06, 2006 02:28PM |
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Ernie |
December 06, 2006 11:39PM |
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Ed Stabler |
December 07, 2006 05:53AM |
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Craig LeVay |
December 07, 2006 11:05AM |
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SZuiderveen |
December 07, 2006 01:11PM |
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Ed Stabler |
December 07, 2006 02:18PM |
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Hobosteve |
December 08, 2006 05:32AM |
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