Michael Sol Collection - Milwaukee Road Archive

ABOVE, Frank A. Upton, the Milwaukee Road's chief me·
chanical officer (left), is shown here with J. J. Drinka,
assistant CMO, standing by the first of 18 GP-9 locomo·
ABOVE, Frank A. Upton, the Milwaukee Road's chief me·
tives to be completely rebuilt and upgraded to 2,000 HP
chanical officer (left), is shown here with J. J. Drinka,
this
assistant
year.
CMO, standing by the first of 18 GP-9 locomo·
tives to be completely rebuilt and upgraded to 2,000 HP
this year.
THE MILWAUKEE ROAD is adding 50 new diesel-electric
locomotives to its motive power roster this year as part of
aTHE multi-million MILWAUKEE dollarROAD capital is improvements adding 50 new program. diesel-electric Although
locomotives the newto units its motive will most power assuredly roster this make year a significant as part of
impact a multi-million on servicedollar capabilities, capital they improvements are really program. only part Al­ of
the though storythe ofnew what units the will railroad most is assuredly doing tomake keepa trains significant on
the impact move. on service capabilities, they are really only part of
the In story addition of what to the acquisition railroad is of doing the new to keep locomotives trains on
-including the move. four 3,600-horsepower General Electric
U36Cs, In 41 addition Electro-Motive to the acquisition Division of the (General new locomotives Motors)
3,000-horsepower -including four SD-40-2s 3,600-horsepower and five EMD General 2,300-horse­ Electric
power U36Cs, SDL-39s-the 41 Electro-Motive railroad's Division Milwaukee (General ShopsMotors) are in
the 3,000-horsepower process of rebuilding SD-40-2s and upgrading and five EMD 18 older 2,300-horse­ units, all
with power over SDL-39s-the 15 years of hard railroad's service. Milwaukee Shops are in
the process "We feel of confident rebuilding that and we'll upgrading get at 18 least older another units, 15all
years with of over service 15 years out of these hard units," service. says Frank A. Upton,
the railroad's "We feel chief confident mechanical that we'll officer. get at "They'll least another spend 15
about years two-thirds of service out of of thisthese timeunits," in coal says train Frank service, A. Upton, and
then the we'll railroad's use them chief for mechanical branch line officer. and yard "They'll switching spend
service." about two-thirds of this time in coal train service, and
then we'll use New them Use for For branch F-7s Being line Tried and yard switching
service." Also on the Milwaukee Road's 764-unit roster are
approximately 122 New older Use F-7 For F-7s locomotives. Being Tried While the aging
F-7s are Also noton on the Milwaukee schedule forRoad's rebuilding, 764-unit a newroster use for are
them approximately is being tried. 122 older F-7 locomotives. While the aging
F-7s During are not February, on the schedule a three-unit for rebuilding, F-7 sluga consist new use was for
tested them to is see being howtried. it would perform in drag freight service
on main During or branch February, lines. A a three-unit "B" type F-7 was slug converted consist was to
atested slug and to see inserted how it between would perform modified in F-7 drag "A" freight and service "c"
units on main for test or branch purposes. lines. The A "B" unit type had F-7 its was diesel converted engineto
removed a slug and andinserted was ballasted between to make modified it equivalent F-7 "A" inand weight "c"
units for test purposes. The "B" unit had its diesel engine
removed and was ballasted to make it equivalent in weight
MOTIVE POWER OUTLOOK: '72
LEFT, Workmen are shown performing exterior modifica­
MOTIVE POWER OUTLOOK: '72
tions on unit 971 as it begins the rebuilding and upgrading
program at the railroad's Milwaukee Shops. Shown are
LEFT, Workmen are shown performing exterior modifica­
Blacksmith George Winters (foreground). Machinist Ernest
tions on unit 971 as it begins the rebuilding and upgrading
Hirshman (installing horns) and Electrician Robert Scheper.
program at the railroad's Milwaukee Shops. Shown are
BELOW, Blacksmith R. J. George Donovan, Winters su(foreground). pervisor diesel Machinist maintenance Ernest
system, Hirshman inspects (installing the main horns) generator and Electrician for useRobert on unit Scheper. 971.
BELOW, R. J. Donovan, su pervisor diesel maintenance
system, inspects the main generator for use on unit 971.
May - June, 1972
May - June, 1972
to each of the accompanying F-7 parent units. According
to Mr. Upton, the trial consist performed very well.
to each of the accompanying F-7 parent units. According
18 GP-9s Involved in Rebuild Program
to Mr. Upton, the trial consist performed very well.
The units now being rebuilt and upgraded are 1,750horsepower
GP-9s. 18 GP-9s AsInvolved the units in Rebuild enter the Program shops, they are
re-powered The units with now larger, being more rebuilt powerful and engines, upgraded extensively are 1,750­
refitted horsepower with new GP-9s. equipment, As the units given enter newthe external shops, appear­ they are
ances re-powered and painted with larger, in the more Milwaukee powerful engines, Road's distinctive extensively
black-and-orange. refitted with new They equipment, emergegiven from new the shops external as 2,000appearhorsepowerances and units, painted similar in the inMilwaukee many respects Road's to the distinctive EMD
GP-38. black-and-orange. They emerge from the shops as 2,000horsepower
Mr. Upton units, said similar that the in many Milwaukee respects Shops to the areEMD rebuilding
GP-38. the units at substantially less cost than that of a
new unit Mr. ofUpton similar said horsepower. that the Milwaukee Shops are rebuilding
"Andthe there's units no at substantially question butless what cost they than arethat vastly of a
superior new unit toof what similar they horsepower. were when originally built," he
added. "And "The there's EMD 645E no question engine is, but of what course, they much are better vastly
than superior the one to what that was they installed were when as original originally equipment built," inhe
the added. GP-9. "The In addition, EMD 645E the engine brakingis, system of course, available much today better
isthan muchthe better one as that arewas the installed traction motors as original and the equipment electrical in
system. the GP-9. Furthermore, In addition, we've the braking modifiedsystem the design available in many today
ways is much ourselves better to as make are the it traction much more motors serviceable." and the electrical
system. TheFurthermore, present program we've does modified not mark the design the railroad's in many
initial ways ourselves entry intoto locomotive make it much rebuilding. more serviceable." As recently as
1970, The 18 units present wereprogram rebuilt indoes the not Milwaukee mark the Shops, railroad's also
initial entry into (continued locomotive on next rebuilding. page) As recently as
1970, 18 units were rebuilt in the Milwaukee Shops, also
(continued on next page)
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Michael Sol Collection
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