FM Trainmasters

[NW Mailing List]

>> At the time of the 173's last run and retirement the N&W was already two

>> years into a program which was cutting down former Virginian and Wabash

>> Trainmasters for conversion into yard/hump slugs. The 173 was simply waiting

>> its turn. It was certainly hoped that the railroad might spare the 173,

>> especially since they had already designated several EMD units for slug

>> conversion.

>>

>>

> Thank you, Jeff, for shedding some light on what actually happened. Now, was

> this conversion program documented somewhere? Are there records or memos

> somewhere that might make their way to the archives? Lists of engines slated

> for conversion? Things like this will make it easier on folks in the future

> who are trying to figure what happened near the end of the last century.

> 

> Bruce in Blacksburg




N&W was at least 5 years into the RP-F6Y program by late 1976... these were triple-ended yard slugs, the first two done in 1971.  The only two six-axle EMDs that were converted to slugs (RP-E6R) were a wrecked SD35 and a wrecked EL SDP45 that was N&W owned.  These were converted into double-ended road slugs for SD45s, and were never intended for yard service that the RP-F6Ys were.  The last two FMs (VGN 173 and WAB 594) were converted to RP-F6Ys in 1981, almost five years after the previous RP-F6Y had been turned out.

Robb Fisher
RFDI