N Switching layout loco question

[Otterly.fabulous.frog]

Good day,

I looked quite hard to find some source material but couldn't..
I'd like to get back into model railroad after many years, I chose my scale, N, region: Western US, and planning a layout. I'd like to go semi realistic, somewhere in Utah, a spur line. Plan is essentially a switching layout with a couple industries loading docks. I'm a massive fan of the Rio Grande livery, I found some rather affordable D&RGW SD50s in my area (central Europe), and wondering if an SD-50 could actually be used for that.. I was looking for a 4 axles, but all are really pricey.
Is a 6 axles a bit too much for local freight and switching?
When it comes to rolling stock, I was thinking at a few 40' and 50' box cars and freezer car, with an added gondola.
Do you think it kinda fits in some form when it comes to realism?

Thanks in advance.

[nkalanaga]

Back when they were new, an SD-50 probably would have been mainline power.  Today, I've seen them in local service on the Norfolk Southern. switching the chemical plants near Kenova, WV.

As for 6-axle power in general, that wasn't at all uncommon in local or switching duty, back to the 1950s.  EMDs SD-7s, Alco RSD-4/5s, and various Baldwin and Lima products were commonly used that way, and their successors continued the tradition.  Usually, through the 1970s, they were lower horsepower units, as tractive effort was more important than speed.  Starting in the late 1980s, SD-40-2s were being demoted to heavy local service, and, today, that's the most common power on the Kenova-Neal local.

So, if you're modeling the D&RGW (pre-SP/UP mergers), no, an SD-50 probably wouldn't be used for switching.  If you're modeling "today", a second-hand one, maybe bought from the UP, and "patched" with a shortline's reporting marks, wouldn't be out of line.  It isn't that different from an SD-40-2, so should work quite well, especially if you have a large industrial area, with a lot of cars to be moved.

[robert3985]

@Otterly.fabulous.frog Here's some good information about railroads in Utah, including the D&RGW which may assist you in determining the what, when and where for your switching layout...   https://utahrails.net/

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Otterly.fabulous.frog]

@nkalanaga and @robert3985 Thank you both very much for your answers and source material. I'll dig deep into that!

I'm settling into a mid to late 90s, the times around the merger, as I like the choice of rolling stock from that time.

[nkalanaga]

Then an SD50 in heavy switching, or local freight, wouldn't be out of the question.   

They're after my time, as I model 1974, but I've read that they weren't really popular.  Apparently they weren't a big improvement over the SD40-2, and the SD60 was considered better than the SD50, so railroads demoted the SD50s fairly quickly.

[Spades]

If the rail could handle the weight and clearances could be maintained, union rules compliance. If it was the only motive power that was available.  I am sure most railroad would use a SD50 for the task.  I know that what airlines do. Except for the rail part.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Then an SD50 in heavy switching, or local freight, wouldn't be out of the question.   

They're after my time, as I model 1974, but I've read that they weren't really popular.  Apparently they weren't a big improvement over the SD40-2, and the SD60 was considered better than the SD50, so railroads demoted the SD50s fairly quickly.

That's a bit incorrect. I've been following some recent discussions on them and the big issue seemed to be that they had some teething problems. Once those were licked they turned out to be "good runnin units".

[Spades]

I  heard an ex EMD employee speak.  His take the SD50 began with teething issues, was evolutionary rather than revolutionary.  The market also had an abundance of used late model locomotives.

[randgust]

While not DRGW, this is a well-written treatise on the SD50, and yes they got into switching and work train service.

https://www.wvncrails.org/sd50-farewell.html

I was in NY state during the 80's when Conrail had them as prime road power on the Southern Tier.  Ran well and well-maintained.   The rebuilt ones on NS on Horseshoe Curve helper service out of Altoona just got retired.... miss those.

The bigger issue for both the prototype and the model is they are a big, heavy, unit and don't particularly like sharp curves and really don't like poor track.   Our local regional railroad banned all six-axles as being too hard on the track (curve wear).   On a model, that long frame and sill-mounted coupler may drive you nuts working sidings unless you put longer-shank 1016's on it.

I used an Atlas SD50 chassis under an FP45 body for years, and it finally got the 'Atlas Clicking Disease' on the gear towers, replaced it with a Kato SD40-2 chassis.   I've had issues with the universals slipping on some Atlas six-axles.

Generally a railroad opts for the lightest and oldest stuff they still have for an industrial district switcher.   And yes, it can end up being an SD50, although that's not particularly typical.

[u18b]

Randy, (slight thread drift)
We discussed at length on the Atlas board the clicking/hopping bronco busting SD50s but we never came to a clear and firm resolution.

My best guess on the evidence I saw at the time was the early HTC truck by Atlas had the geartower a bit to flimsy.  As the plastic aged, the gear tower edges spread out a bit.  This allowed the double tower gear to come out of it's track and float a bit.  When that happened all kinds of bad things could happen.

Is that what you observed?

[nkalanaga]

Ed:  That sounds about right.  Probably the roads I heard of decided that solving the problems would be more trouble than replacing/demoting the units.

Sort of like Amtrak's SDP40F.  Many roads banned them over "truck issues".  Santa Fe bought them and used them in freight service for many years.  At least part of the "truck" problems were the track they were running on.

As the saying goes, "Your results may vary".

In the original poster's case, I'd add another factor:  If he can get a good loco, that he likes, at a good price, then that's the best one for the job.  An "explanation" can always be concocted!