2 Responses to SD38-2 296 and SW1500 357

  1. klrwhizkid says:
    June 13, 2014 at 4:13 PM

    The SD38-2s were specifically purchased for use in Cherokee yard with a switch engine coupled. The SD38-2s provided extra braking force for retarding the string of cars in Cherokee’s unique bowl yard.

  2. Terry Jankowski says:
    July 1, 2014 at 11:03 AM

    When the Frisco first bought the SD38-2s, the thought was that muing them with a SW1500 would provide enough power/braking. This proved to not be the case, plus, the obvious visibility issue when dragging to the hump (the switchman would dismount after we were lined up either OPM, or middle hump lead) lead to a discussion about having the SD38-s heading out with some other unit next to the cars. At first local management considered adding a second SW1500, but after discussion decided to add a GP-38. With the added horsepower and dynamic braking capabilities of the GP-38s, this make up proved to be the answer. I worked these SD-38-2s in both configurations, and they were a dream to work after the GP-38s were added. With the hump control box we could set the hump speed at what ever speed was needed (usually 2 mph or 1 mph when weighing cars). Some hump foremen preferred a speed of 1.75 mph and these hump control boxes allowed us to set the speed there if required. As tonnage increased the switchman would add up to five cars of air to assist us in controlling the speed. I may be the engineer running the 296 in this picture, because this was the during time frame I was working the hump.

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