GP7/GP9s with Torpedo Tubes Question

[Kisatchie]

Were torpedo tube equipped GP7s and GP9s used mostly for passenger service, or did they haul freight too?


Hmm... fire one... fire
two...

[John]

they were primarily designed to do passenger service, but I have seen B&O pics where they are hauling freight

[Dave Schneider]

The Milwaukee Road had theirs painted in the passenger scheme, but they could occasionally be seen hauling freight. These transitioned to freight service and were repainted with the demise of passenger service. I would bet that the vast majority of TTs were re-purposed in a similar fashion. Given your time period, they could be used either way.

Best wishes, Dave

[Kisatchie]

Thanks for the info. I have a soft spot for torpedo tube locos, since the very first N scale loco I got was a GP7 TT.


Hmm... Kiz's soft spot is
in his head...

[wazzou]

The Northern Pacific purchased many torpedo tank equipped GP-9's to gain the extra fuel carrying capacity.  Some of the earlier so equipped GP-7's were utilized in Passenger service for a short time.

[PJPickard]

NYC use them on ore drags out of Ashtabula harbor to Youngstown  OH.

[Robbman]

After Amtrak, many roads removed the partition from the tank, yanked the steam generators, and re-geared the TTs for freight service.

[JMaurer1]

SP had a couple of torpedo tubes and just like the rest usually were for passenger service but could also be found pulling freight occasionally too.

As I recall, most (if not all) of the engines with roof mounted air tanks did not have dynamic brakes (since passenger cars were not usually very long or heavy compared to freight trains) and steam generators. By moving the air reservoir tanks from under the frame and installing them on the roof of the locomotive, it enabled the fuel and water tanks (used for the steam generator found on the short hood) to be increased to 1,100 gallons giving the locomotive greater operating range.

[Spades]

There is a restored SP GP9  #5623 http://www.trainweb.org/sp5623/index.htm that has move freight on the Oakland Terminal Railway at least until 2000.

Greg

[NYNE]

Central Vermont used them on freights.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=357638&nseq=4

[mcjaco]

SP had a couple of torpedo tubes and just like the rest usually were for passenger service but could also be found pulling freight occasionally too.

As I recall, most (if not all) of the engines with roof mounted air tanks did not have dynamic brakes (since passenger cars were not usually very long or heavy compared to freight trains) and steam generators. By moving the air reservoir tanks from under the frame and installing them on the roof of the locomotive, it enabled the fuel and water tanks (used for the steam generator found on the short hood) to be increased to 1,100 gallons giving the locomotive greater operating range.

I've never seen one with DBs.  That's not to say there wasn't one.

I came across a blog where someone modeled TT on a DB model.....that led me to research a bit, and just could not find any.  Well, and the fact that the guy obviously didn't do any research, because he put the tubes on a loco numbered for the freight fleet anyway.  A total waste of a lot of Sunrise castings.

[lock4244]

CP had them with DB, but the arrangement of the 'tubes' was much different then non-DB. Pud did much research on them and built one:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=27421.msg281372#msg281372

TH&B used their three torpedo GP9's in freight service as well.

[mcjaco]

^ I knew I had seen a them somewhere.

I'll just say the blog I came across.....well, imagine the four tubes hanging off the side of the DB blister.

[Packer]

If you want to count GP35 with torpedo tubes, some of the SLSF ones had tubes and DBs. There may or may not have been one with torpedos, AAR trucks, and DBs.

[babbo_enzo]

From http://espee.railfan.net/spgp09p.html

The non-dynamic units SP #5622-5625 had roof-mounted air tanks, and these as well as SP #5600-5603 had a different pilot to the rest. Details West makes the appropriate part in HO Scale - DW 141. These were bought to haul The Del Monte a long distance commute train needing more fuel than a standard GP9 could carry.

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/preserved/5623_sp-gp9p-richard_percy.jpg
http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/preserved/5623a_sp-gp9p-rob_sarberenyi.jpg
http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/preserved/5623c_sp-gp9p-rob_sarberenyi.jpg
http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/preserved/5623f_sp-gp9p-rob_sarberenyi.jpg
http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/preserved/5623g_sp-gp9p-rob_sarberenyi.jpg
http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/preserved/5623e_sp-gp9p-rob_sarberenyi.jpg

Sorry... I love this "torpedo boat"