VO Series

[paul]

BLW Switcher SLSF #204 Pulls a string of cars. Photo was taken somewhere in Kansas. Slide is dated June 1967.
Moderator Notes: The photo is of a Frisco transfer heading north out of Frisco's 19th St. Yard at Kansas City, MO.

[paul]

Baldwin VO1000 Switcher #214 in Orange and White paint.

Photo probably taken somewhere in Kansas?. Slide is dated
April 1971.

[paul]

A Baldwin Switcher stands by itself (I can't read the
number). Note the UP Geep on the adjacent track. Photo was probably taken somewhere in Kansas. The slide
is not dated.
Moderator Notes: The photo was taken at the north end of Rosedale Yard, Kansas City, KS. The UP engine is a transfer from Armourdale Yard.

Note from klrwhizkid: Chuck Hitchcock, famed model railroader spent a lot of time in his youth in Rosedale. He states that the Frisco kept a VO at the north end of Rosedale yard to place cabooses on outbound (south) trains when the train crews brought their power and caboose over from the engine facilities at 19th Street.

[patrick]

Baldwin VO-660 (One of 2 660hp units). Number 600. Blue and White lettered in Red? Frisco file photo from the Western Historical Manuscript Collection.

[chris]

VO-1000 #204, June 30, 1944, Lindenwood Yard, St. Louis. Published in the Frisco Museum's "All Aboard" magazine; posted with permission.




#223 c. 1960 at W. Springfield Diesel Shop. Published in the Frisco Museum's "All Aboard" magazine; posted with permission.

[chris]

Some paint scheme data on the VO-1000s from a Frisco Museum 'All Aboard" article.

The original VO-1000 scheme is dark ("Zephyr") blue with white-gray stripe; "FRISCO LINES" is in all-caps and in red lettering. The engine number is also in red.

Repaintings beginning around 1947 (according to Arthur Johnson photos); the repaintings show the same roman-style lettering, but in black and gold. Paints were Black Duco #254-2234 and Target Yellow Duco #249-3404. Steps, Grab irons and railings were in black. Diagonal stripes were 6" wide and spaced 6" apart. "FRISCO LINES" lettering and number were 12" high.

A 6-7-1948 Arthur Johnson Photo shows #206 in same B/G w/roman lettering as noted above, but with "FRISCO" lettering only, and with steps, grabs and railings now in Yellow. I find the change in handrail paint interesting; I believe Joe Pennington has advised that caboose handrails began to be painted in yellow as well around this same time.

Circa 1960 (see photo of #223), scheme was changed to block-style lettering; diagonal side stripes are now 12" apart, with front corner stripes reduced to three down from the top, and front railing panel with only 2 stripes.

[douglas]

Two of the reengined VO-1000's working Kansas Avenue in Springfield. Photo by a friend of Glenn Young's at one of the model convention tours years ago.

[Karl]

Usually 2 of the re-engined Baldwins handled coal trains to Springfield's James River Power Plant. For some unknown reason 204 found herself in sole charge of the Kissick turn. That should not have been a problem, but a sander malfunction on the front truck nearly trapped the locomotive on the south end of its train.

To serve the power plant, trains had to pull south of the turnout, and then shove into the plant. It was down grade(southbound) for about a half mile past the power plant lead. For two old Baldwins it was a piece of cake, but for a single unit with an ailing sander, it would be a challenge. After several failed attempts, the fine chat ballast was shoveled onto the rail, 204 regained her feet, and completed her chores.

[yardmaster]

Thanks for the photo, Karl; the situations that would arise but that are not covered in Rules of the Trans. Dept., Special Instructions, etc. amaze me. Talk about keeping a crew on its toes!

I've heard of modelers using "situation cards" in their operating sessions to jazz things up. Here's one more scenario I can add to my list of unexpected and unfortunate events.

[JamesT]

Regarding the Stewart HO scale VO-1000. Mine is numbered 224 and I need to get it done and into service! I do not yet have any Frisco "color" books so I am unsure of what exhaust stacks to use. I am modeling the 64-66 time period before what I have gathered here they were repowered. A good pointer or photo would do me a great service!
I did refer to Elwood's Fallen Flags website but did not really see an answer.

Thanks :D

James Taylor

[gna]

Regarding the Stewart HO scale VO-1000. Mine is numbered 224 and I need to get it done and into service! I do not yet have any Frisco "color" books so I am unsure of what exhaust stacks to use. I am modeling the 64-66 time period before what I have gathered here they were repowered. A good pointer or photo would do me a great service!
I did refer to Elwood's Fallen Flags website but did not really see an answer.

Thanks :D

James Taylor

I checked Frisco in Color, and there are no pictures of 224. 224 was not repowered by EMD; 200-206, 210, and 215 were. For what it's worth, 222 has a single stack, 228 has dual stacks, and 236 has four stacks. I'd guess 224 had a single stack, but I'll keep looking for a picture.

[meteor910]

SLSF 224, VO-1000, delivered by BLW to the Frisco in 3/45, was a four-stacker. It was never repowered by EMD, so it would appear it ran with the four stacks until it was retired and traded in to EMD in 4/72.

Use the low stacks supplied in the Stewart kit, not the tall ones.

SLSF had one, two and four-stack VO-1000's. Most were one-stackers, in particular the early units, bur several later units were four-stackers. The two-stackers were few in number, but they were there. SLSF 226 and SLSF 228 are pictured in the Marre book clearly showing the two stacks.

I have no doubt, however, that SLSF 224 was a four-stacker.

Ken |-|

[gna]

Hmmm...

I can't find a picture of 224. On Mike Condren's website, I found a picture of 225 (I think; could be 226) in Orange and White so bright it hurts my eyes:
http://www.cbu.edu/~mcondren/Frisco%20Catalog/BLW-switchers.htm
It's a two-stacker. As the closest number, I would guess that 224 was similar, but you never know. I'm puzzled that they would have two-stackers around 4-stackers.
Another Frisco mystery.

[meteor910]

There was no apparent logic to the number of stacks on the Frisco's VO-1000's. For example, SLSF 207 was a four-stacker, while the other early units were one-stackers. The two-stackers were mixed in with a bunch of four-stackers. Who knows why.

SLSF 224 carried four stacks.

Ken

[JamesT]

Thanks to both of you Gary & Ken!
Wow! I has no idea there was such a wide variety??? Of VO's on the roster. But looking at my own company's drilling rigs and the wide changes made to 3 identical models reminds me that all mechanic's are fickled. i am going with the 4 short stacks. Its appears by the photo's both at the website posted and the article in MR's planning issue that they were allowed to get fairly dirty, not grim covered and looking like SP's last 5 years of existence.
on another note I put an NCE decoder in the Stewert unit and its the first one that did not HUM so loud as to annoy. Ran quiet and smooth. its a big thng with me has i only use one engine at atime on my small layout. Now for a sound chip????

Thanks to both you again for time and effort. It means a lot to me.

James Taylor:cool:

[gna]

Glad it runs good for you. My VO-1000, #213, has a wobble at a certain low speed; my VO-660 runs flawlessly.

As far as sound, I have seen pictures of a sound install in a Stewart Baldwin, but it may require surgery--removal of some of the front weight:http://forum.atlasrr.com/discussion/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36022&SearchTerms=sound,baldwin Apparently Loksound makes a correct Baldwin sound decoder.

I'm curious if you or Ken can help me with the horn placement. 213's horn looks like it's offset from center, towards the engineer. That's where I put mine, but one of my friends thinks I got it in the wrong spot.

[meteor910]

Gary -

re: SLSF 213, VO-1000 horn mounting

Good observation, sharp eyes!

The pic of 213 in Marre/Sommers (p19) from 9/61, and the Mike Condren pic of 213 from 4/62, both show the horn mounted on the hood in front of the cab, somewhat offset to the right (engineer's side) from the hood centerline. In the Condren pic (see his SLSF Diesel switcher guide), the horn is clearly offset to the right. In this pic, the 213 has a cab roof-mounted firecracker antenna on the center-line, and the horn is clearly to the right of that.

There is a later Don Ross pic, 3/70, of 213, in o/w paint, showing the horn mounted on the cab roof. It's a smaller horn, likely a Nathan. It's hard to tell, but the horn looks like it is mounted along-side the antenna, so it could still be off the c/l to the engineer's side.

Interestingly, the 3/70 Ross pic shows 213 coupled to another switcher - looks to me like an ALCo S-2 from the cab appearance - that has the horn mounted on the roof, but canted at an angle pointing to the engineer's side. The Frisco always gives us these mysteries!

Now I have to change the horn on my Stewart SLSF 213! :(

By the way, the horn on 213 in the two earlier pics looks to be thicker than the Stewart horn, so I may change it to another detail part. Don't know what yet - I'll have to look through my horn detail parts "collection".

Thanks!

Ken

[gna]

Gary -

re: SLSF 213, VO-1000 horn mounting

Good observation, sharp eyes!

The pic of 213 in Marre/Sommers (p19) from 9/61, and the Mike Condren pic of 213 from 4/62, both show the horn mounted on the hood in front of the cab, somewhat offset to the right (engineer's side) from the hood centerline. In the Condren pic (see his SLSF Diesel switcher guide), the horn is clearly offset to the right. In this pic, the 213 has a cab roof-mounted firecracker antenna on the center-line, and the horn is clearly to the right of that.

There is a later Don Ross pic, 3/70, of 213, in o/w paint, showing the horn mounted on the cab roof. It's a smaller horn, likely a Nathan. It's hard to tell, but the horn looks like it is mounted along-side the antenna, so it could still be off the c/l to the engineer's side.

Interestingly, the 3/70 Ross pic shows 213 coupled to another switcher - looks to me like an ALCo S-2 from the cab appearance - that has the horn mounted on the roof, but canted at an angle pointing to the engineer's side. The Frisco always gives us these mysteries!

Now I have to change the horn on my Stewart SLSF 213! :(

By the way, the horn on 213 in the two earlier pics looks to be thicker than the Stewart horn, so I may change it to another detail part. Don't know what yet - I'll have to look through my horn detail parts "collection".

Thanks!

Ken

Thanks Ken.

I actually held the model up to the book, at a similar angle, and tried to figure out where to put the horn. After I finished the job, I showed it to my friend. My friend, who worked for a railroad, didn't think they would put the horn in front of the engineer and said he thought it was in the wrong spot. I've been trying to find more pictures since, but it's hard to tell. I may have gone too far in front of the window, but I'll probably call it good at this point--as pretty much every switcher seems to have roving horn mountings! Drives me crazy!

I'm a little weak on horns, so I didn't notice the Stewart one was wrong. I knew the stack had been shortened, but I just ran with the tall one. I may change mine so it looks more correct, and shorten the stack, too. BTW, you posted a pic of your 213 in a different thread. Where did you get the coonskin on the nose?

[meteor910]

I knew the stack had been shortened, but I just ran with the tall one. I may change mine so it looks more correct, and shorten the stack, too. BTW, you posted a pic of your 213 in a different thread. Where did you get the coonskin on the nose?

Gary -

I think the short "pipe" stack (not the short tapered one) supplied by Stewart for the VO's is fine for SLSF 213, at least that is what I used. Looks OK to me.

The "coonskin" on the nose is from a Precision Scale 31608 plastic steam locomotive headlight bracket. Remove the bracket from the back of the coonskin plate, sand the plate as thin as you can get it from the back side, paint black, outline the coonskin border in yellow, mount, and decal the numbers in.

I had no success finding numbers that small in the correct "Frisco diesel font", so I used ones from my decal scrap box that were reasonably close. I about went blind trying to get the numbers in that coonskin correctly, and get them to set in place!

One other little detail most modelers (including Stewart!) forget on the VO's - add a small round disc to the top of, and right behind, the headlight housing to represent the radiator cap. I add these to all of my BLW's - it adds a nice touch. See pics of BLW VO's or DS's to get the correct location. I mount these just behind the front edge of the radiator manifold that is on top of the hood, but on the headlight fairing.

BTW, all of my Stewart BLW's run really well - smooth and quiet. I have six of them - BLW's have always been my favorite type of switcher. I have the VO-1000, VO-660 & DS-4-4-1000 in SLSF (4) and TRRA (2). I also had two PRR's, a S-12 and a S-8, but sold them. Enough is enough! The two TRRA's are really neat.

Ken

[gna]

One other little detail most modelers (including Stewart!) forget on the VO's - add a small round disc to the top of, and right behind, the headlight housing to represent the radiator cap. I add these to all of my BLW's - it adds a nice touch. See pics of BLW VO's or DS's to get the correct location. I mount these just behind the front edge of the radiator manifold that is on top of the hood, but on the headlight fairing.


Ken

Thanks Ken.

Here's your 213. I see what you mean about the numbers, but it looks cool, so now I have to do it.

I circled the spot that must be the radiator cap--is that it?

[meteor910]

Yes, you have circled the radiator cap. I originally got cute and painted it silver because I remember one VO that I saw at Lindenwood that had a chrome cap on it. But, I have painted it black since.

That's a crummy pic I took of 213 - from about a year or so ago. I've got to take some better ones, sans flash, and at better angles. I've also improved it a bit since.

Need pics of the two TRRA's as well. The other three Frisco's are still in the finishing shop ..... been there about nine months. We work slow here! :cool:

Ken

[meteor910]

For the record, and to replace that early poor pic of the same model, here are roster shots of my Stewart Frisco VO-1000, SLSF 213.

FYI, I have not yet relocated, or changed, the horn.

And, yes, I got the cab roof "nail" antenna a bit to the left of the cab center line. That's what happens when you are in your mid-60's, so you younger fellows beware, it's coming!

I'll likely replace the "nail" with a "firecracker" antenna, as that is what the pics we talked about earlier regarding the horn placement indicated this Frisco VO carried. Once again - our Frisco gives us mystery - some of the VO's used "nails", some of them used "firecrackers".

I also will likely want to add the striped safety visibility panels to the front and rear porch handrails that the SLSF BLW units usually carried. I did that to a Frisco DS-4-4-1000 I made from an Athearn S-12, but have not done that to this Stewart model yet.

Ken

[JamesT]

Hello everyone,

Finally got my VO-1000 detailed. Put a NCE KRS-SR decoder in it and it runs fine. Then I went to put the shell on and ran into a problem. I cannot get everything to fit under the hood. I filled off the holes for the stacks an did some minor filing to get it to fit but it still rides up on the off side from whichever end i get set down and the tabs engaged. Anyone have a suggestion? I would like to stay with the NCE decoder has it really runs quiet and smooth.

JamesT

[gna]

I've had to play around with mine to get it to seat down with a TCS T1 under the hood. When it's just so I can get it to fit. It's a pain, though. See TCS website (http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Stewart/DS-4-4-1000/stewart_ds_4_4_1000.htm) for installation. (TCS has moved on from the T1).

I found a picture of 224, with four short stacks as Ken indicated...right here on Frisco.org! It's under modeling of the frisco, ho, diesel locomotives thread: http://frisco.org/vb/showthread.php?t=327

http://frisco.org/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=2666&d=1140822795

Moderator's note: Put a smaller/thinner N or Z decoder such as a DZ125, M-1 or Lenz Silver in for clearance.

[grace65746]

Thanks for the verification on the number of stacks that are on the engine #224. I have received the VO-1000 model offered by Stewart yesterday, and I'm looking forward to putting the details on it real soon. Gary Wayne

[grace65746]

Hello guys: I have stumbled across the Nov. 2002 issue of Model Railroader the other day while doing some house cleaning and foundan article onModeliong 1950 Southern style which was a layout referred to as the Bluff City Southern by Allen Keller. On page 80, there is a photo of Frisco VO-1000 with two short stacks on it. Probably an error on the modeler's part but I won't knock the modeler for it. Meteor 910 seems positive about #224 having four short stacks on it and remained that way until it was retired and traded in. The model on page 80 that I mentioned about earlier was # 224 as well. Gary Wayne

[meteor910]

Gary - Most of the Frisco VO-1000's had one stack. Several had four stacks, a few had two stacks. Baldwin kept changing the stacks around for who knows what reason.

Fear not - SLSF 224 was a Baldwin four-stacker. I have no reason to believe it was not that way until it was retired - all the pics I recall seeing of it show four stacks.

The Frisco put spark arrestors on at least one of the four stack VO-1000's, the same spark arrestor they used on the F-units. That made for a strange looking dude!

Ken

[meteor910]

As a follow-up to Gary's and my postings above, I took a quick look through my pics (not all of them) of Frisco's Baldwin VO-660 and VO-1000 Diesel switchers today, to do a "stack count" for the series. The SLSF had two VO-660's (SLSF 600-601, later renumbered to SLSF 60-61) and 38 VO-1000's (SLSF 200-237).

Based on this photographic evidence, though it is not complete, I find the following:

o Both of the VO-660's were single stack

o VO-1000's:

- Single stackers: Perhaps all of them from SLSF 200 to about SLSF 222, except for 207. But, I don't have them all. There may be a few above 222 as well, but my pics are not complete - I don't have a good shot of all the VO's. Of course, after SLSF 200-208, 210, & 215 were repowered by EMD with 567's, they carried two EMD style stacks.

- Two stackers: For sure SLSF 223, 225, 226, 228, 229. I'm unable to explain 225, as I have a pic of it with two stacks and a pic of it with four stacks. Once again, the Frisco delights in keeping us confused!

- Four stackers: SLSF 207, 224, 225 (see above), 231, 232, 233, 234, 236, 237.

FFF = fun, fun, fun!

Ken

[Sirfoldalot]

Ken .. You can add the three VO's that I posted to your list.
211 - I am unsure about .. but appears to be single stack.
214 - Single stack
230 - Four stacks

BTW - That is ONE FINE LOCO you have there. Beautiful work :)

Sherrel

[gbmott]

Ken

Interesting that you picked 213 to model -- she was the resident switch engine in Fort Smith for something in the neighborhood of ten years from the mid-/late-50's -- which explains why so Louis and I photographed it so many times. I don't know when she finally went elsewhere -- I had done so before she did!

Gordon

[meteor910]

Sherrel - Thanks! The Stewart VO-1000 is a nice model. So are their VO-660 and the DS-44-1000 models. I still have both of those to complete as Frisco units. Stewart also makes the BLW S-8 (three stacks!) and S-12 models, but the Frisco did not roster those.

Gordon - I did my VO-1000 model as SLSF 213 as that was the number supplied on the SLSF decorated kit. I don't like Stewart's fonts for lettering and numbers (font letters/numbers are way too thick), so I relettered and renumbered it using the MicroScale #87-85 Frisco decal set. I love that decal set. I think MicroScale got the font and the yellow color DEAD ON.

I kept the unit as SLSF 213 so I could keep the Stewart numbers in the numberboards, which are quite well done. I also kept the number on the cab end as it looked fine. Just the "FRISCO" on the hood sides and the cab side numbers were replaced. I had trouble finding numbers of the right size and the correct font for the nose coonskin number plate, so it does not look quite right because the numbers are slightly different looking. What can you do?

I also toned down the Stewart bright yellow on the pilots, handrails, grabs, etc. Too bright! Plus, I blackened some of the bars on the pilots, as my pics showed they were black on the real unit.

It turned out OK and is a sweet runner.

I still have Stewart kits SLSF 224 (VO-1000), SLSF 238 (DS-44-1000) and SLSF 601 (VO-660) to do. I imagine I will do them the same as on 213. It seems I have a huge backlog of stuff to do!

Glad to hear of your history with the real SLSF 213. Lots of good pics of that engine.

I always liked the Baldwin switchers. I didn't see many of Frisco's BLW's in person, but I remember seeing one, a four-stacker, in a movie. The VO engine turned at such a low RPM that you could see the exhaust cycle puff out of each stack individually. The VO-1000 was an eight cylinder engine, so I guess each of the four stacks caught only two cylinders. I often wondered why Baldwin kept changing their exhaust system, it seemed often they changed it unit to unit. I wonder if it was a common manifold, even on the four stacker?

Ken

[Coonskin]

Wow... the old Frisco Baldwin VO's. Man oh, man... the MEMORIES!

First noticed as a lad in KC area... then got up close and personal with them at the Ft. Smith yard beginning in late '69 (I think). Rode many a time with various of the hoggers as they thrashed cars in the Ft. Smith yard and worked the various industries around Ft. Smith.

Most memorable night spent on a Baldwin had to be the one I took with engineer Harry Carroll (deceased) and crew working the night switcher on a cold winter's night. Started off switching the yard, building the outbound train. Train built it was off for the south and switch the huge and (then) thriving Whirlpool plant. From there we hit "The Alleys", popping in and out among the tall buildings of Ft. Smith proper spotting and pulling the various cars from such customers as Ft. Smith Paper, Armour Co., Swift Co., and others. Got back to the yard in the darkness of early morning. What an experience for this budding railroader (at the time).

Would dearly love to hear the sound of an idling 8 cylinder De Lavergne prime mover one more time!

FWIW: Sometimes in the colder months when I enter the cab of an idling A&M T-6 switch engine... it is toasty warm and ALMOST has that wonderful smell like those old Frisco Baldwin's. In so doing, often times memories flood my mind of past Frisco Baldwin experiences.

Andre Ming

[U-3-b]

There is a nice shot on RailPictures of 202 and 204.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=279145&nseq=47

Steve

[meteor910]

Though the pic above is of the EMD repowered SLSF Baldwin VO1000's, SLSF 202 and 204, the cab is pure Baldwin.

Love those Frisco VO's!

Ken

[friscomike]

Wow... the old Frisco Baldwin VO's. Man oh, man... the MEMORIES!

First noticed as a lad in KC area... then got up close and personal with them at the Ft. Smith yard beginning in late '69 (I think). Rode many a time with various of the hoggers as they thrashed cars in the Ft. Smith yard and worked the various industries around Ft. Smith.

Most memorable night spent on a Baldwin had to be the one I took with engineer Harry Carroll (deceased) and crew working the night switcher on a cold winter's night. Started off switching the yard, building the outbound train. Train built it was off for the south and switch the huge and (then) thriving Whirlpool plant. From there we hit "The Alleys", popping in and out among the tall buildings of Ft. Smith proper spotting and pulling the various cars from such customers as Ft. Smith Paper, Armour Co., Swift Co., and others. Got back to the yard in the darkness of early morning. What an experience for this budding railroader (at the time).

Would dearly love to hear the sound of an idling 8 cylinder De Lavergne prime mover one more time!

FWIW: Sometimes in the colder months when I enter the cab of an idling A&M T-6 switch engine... it is toasty warm and ALMOST has that wonderful smell like those old Frisco Baldwin's. In so doing, often times memories flood my mind of past Frisco Baldwin experiences.

Andre Ming

Thanks for the cool memory Andre. I love to hear those stories. ~mike

[Frisco2008]

Thanks to all of the info presented here, I've ordered a Lok Sound decoder for my 224.

Does anyone recall the mag and date of the SLSF layout plan with the swing-out section, etc. It featured a VO-1000 out on a branch line.

[meteor910]

I came across this rather poor picture of SLSF 229, a Baldwin VO-1000, in a collection of negatives I have of various shots of the Frisco in and around the Enid, OK area.

Note:
- SLSF 229 is one of the rather rare two-stack VO-1000's the SLSF had. Most were one-stack or four-stack.
- Can anyone explain the paint job? I've never seen a coonskin used on the side of a Frisco locomotive (other than on the small 44t & 45t "critters"). Must have been an experiment.
- Are the trucks and air tank silver, or gray?
- Notice you can easily see the radiator cap behind the headlight. Most people forget to model this, as the otherwise very nice Stewart VO model does not include it (Stewart forgot too!).
- Is that a Frisco stock car in the background?

These negs were given to me many years ago by a gentleman I befriended over the internet while conversing about my old "Roster Tales" articles done for the Frisco Museum's "All Aboard" publication. I regret I can't recall his name, or the history behind the photos. Most of them are shots of GP38-2's and GP7's, but there are a few other interesting ones as well. This one is the most unusual in my mind.

Anybody know the history of this?

Ken

ps: Note 229 also is fitted with a "wagon wheel" antenna.

[TAG1014]

Ken--Very early picture. Someone can probably indentify the location by the smoke stack in the background. Also stock cars in the photo...

Tom

[meteor910]

I agree with Tom - the Baldwin VO pics are old. Here are the other three BLW VO pics I have from the "Enid" negative collection.

SLSF 60, VO-660, formerly SLSF 600

SLSF 226, VO-1000, another two-stacker and in the original paint scheme

SLSF 231, VO-1000, a four-stacker

These are fun - I should have cataloged them years ago! I had forgotten about them and found them today.

Ken

[friscoWyatt]

do you guys know how many baldwin vo 600's that the frisco owned. ?


I loved the frisco vo 1000 's especially in orange and white paint .

how do the Baldwin vo's stack up to the F-M H12-44 switchers

[Karl]

The Frisco owned 2 VO-660's, 60-61, nee 600-601.

The VO-660's produced 660 HP, weighed 198,440lbs in working order, and exerted 35,000lbs of TE @ 4.5 mph.

The VO-1000's produced 1000 HP, weighed 238,880 lbs in working order, and exerted 52,000lbs of TE @ 4.5 mph

The H12-44's produced 1200 HP, weighed 246,980 lbs in working order, and exerted 52,000lbs (nominal) of TE or 34,000lbs of TE continous at 10.8 mph.

[meteor910]

Building on Karl's excellent posting -

The Baldwin VO1000 had a tough engine, the De La Vergne VO, 1000 HP, and had tough electrical components, Westinghouse. It was a real gutsy puller, and the SLSF loved them early on. Later, though, because the VO was not an EMD engine, the maintenance costs became an issue. The EMD 567 was everywhere on the Frisco - NW2, SW7, SW9, E7, E8, F3, F7, GP7, FP7, F9. All other power suffered from a lack of economy of scale, plus had some maintenance issues of their own (the ALCo 244 engine (FA, FB, RS2) was a bust).

The FM H10-44's and H12-44's were similar - pretty good switchers, good pullers, powerful. But, the FM vertical opposed piston engine became a maintenance issue. It was different from anything else. To do any work on the lower piston system required a major teardown of the engine. The Frisco offset this by concentrating all the FM's in Oklahoma, where the maintenance expertise could be maximixed at one shop location (Tulsa).

In the end, though, because the Baldwins and the FM's (and the ALCo's) didn't have EMD 567 engines, reliability and maintenance costs suffered because of lack of economies of scale, and the non-EMD's all went away.

Ken