How the GE 45-Tonner Came to Be

Why are they the only engines referred to by their weight? The "45-Tonner" series are industrial switch locomotives on railroads. Usually found in big industries along the line, negotiating tight turns, and hauling only a few cars at a time, these work-horses of the railroad have a great story to tell. The Lake Superior Railroad Museum has a chain-driven one which was donated from Minnesota Power.
This is a daily series of videos from the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, Minnesota during the COVID19 shutdown. Learn more about the museum at www.lsrm.org or see the full playlist of tours at duluthtrains.com/videotours

Пікірлер: 84

  • @SOU6900
    @SOU69002 жыл бұрын

    The GE 45 ton locomotives also had side rods connecting the axles together.

  • @jimbobertson4549
    @jimbobertson45492 жыл бұрын

    When my grandpa worked at the Duluth depot from 1951 to 1957 one night one of these was sitting in the yard so he took it for a spin. These have a bit of a significance in our family as well as this depot.

  • @sandasturner9529

    @sandasturner9529

    8 ай бұрын

    Sounds like a good time

  • @RomeKG471
    @RomeKG4712 жыл бұрын

    Just stopped by the Plymouth Locomotive shop just East of Shilo Ohio today, they have several locos and are working on some now. Nice shop and people to talk to.

  • @Caje-zf8md
    @Caje-zf8md2 ай бұрын

    Eons ago when I resided in the Twin Ports, I recall countless times coming down Missabe Avenue in the family car and spotting these busy little switchers at the depot. The yellow paint made them stand out fairly easily. Thanks for the video.

  • @pooleandrew
    @pooleandrew3 жыл бұрын

    I run a couple of these! As well as a 44T GE, 25T GE and a 50T Whitcomb. Good little pullers!

  • @alexanderhogan2521
    @alexanderhogan25212 жыл бұрын

    I volunteer for the stewartstown Railroad in York Pennsylvania. One of our locomotives that we own is a 1946 GE 44 ton locomotive. The locomotive is still powered by its original d17,000 series Caterpillar motors

  • @amyyoung2830
    @amyyoung28302 жыл бұрын

    They had a couple of these on Naval Station Norfolk -- one of which was still active into the early 90's. I always wondered what happened to the old locos after they were parked on a side spurs.

  • @3360274
    @33602742 жыл бұрын

    Those little dinkys were a pain to work on, especially underneath. Not too bad on the engine and electical. Cummins engines were on each end of those I worked on.

  • @DrWho453
    @DrWho4532 жыл бұрын

    When I was little and Warrenton NC still had a spur off the Norlina rail system, my grandad took my sister and i to the Warrenton Depot (Which burnt down years ago) where we got to drive a similar type of engine. The only difference was it was colored Red, White, and Blue, and I never saw a remote pack used with it. We had a great time. I drove it across the road and then my sister drove it back. A couple of years later the Norlina Railway stopped operating and we no longer had any trains in Warrenton. A few years later the Depot caught fire and burned down. There are still some other buildings left that were part of the depot. It's really sad not having it around anymore. I really hope Norlina gets the Railway back.

  • @carlwedekind3868
    @carlwedekind38682 жыл бұрын

    I ran one of these for many years for the Al Tech Steel Corporation in Watervliet, NY. If I recall, the manufacture date was the early 1940's.

  • @robertstack2144
    @robertstack2144 Жыл бұрын

    My Dad was a State Trooper in Illonois, he was alwas ticketing those 45 ton drivers for speeding.

  • @richardwebster4762
    @richardwebster4762 Жыл бұрын

    Alaska Railroad had a number of them, at least some if not all were former U.S. Army engines. Some of those ended up on the Chelachie Prairie RR just North of Vancouver Washington.

  • @ibbylancaster8981
    @ibbylancaster89812 жыл бұрын

    The New Hope Valley Railway in Bonsal NC has a Whitcomb and a GE 45 toners. My Dad and I were members there during my youth( about 35 years ago). I spent many a Saturday out there working on the various projects. They still run it to this day. I want to say that I have seen one that is still a working engine in Central Ohio as well. Very informative video. Greetings from Raeford NC.

  • @hernanpatricioorellanaalar3473
    @hernanpatricioorellanaalar34732 жыл бұрын

    I have an HO AT&SF made by Bachmann in my layout. Thank you very much for tell us the history of the GE 45 ton! Greetings from Chile! 🇨🇱 Take care! 😀👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

  • @jorgesabater8640
    @jorgesabater8640 Жыл бұрын

    Great! I love those tiny giants.

  • @Puffie40
    @Puffie402 жыл бұрын

    Canadian Locomotive Co made a 44-ton diesel-hydraulic switcher in the 1950s for CP Rail called the DT-2. Crews hated them for the same reason stated in the video - no fireman to spell them off during shifts.

  • @vadimhsu5114
    @vadimhsu51142 жыл бұрын

    Another interesting video! And a nod to your humanity, sir. Let’s take care of each other…

  • @MacMcCardle
    @MacMcCardle2 жыл бұрын

    What a wonderfully informative and well presented video to stumble upon.

  • @andrewschannel4259
    @andrewschannel42593 жыл бұрын

    I've been on the one at the Southeastern Railway Museum

  • @Dawgator
    @Dawgator2 жыл бұрын

    I rode on the Inland Lakes Railway in Mt Dora, FLA some years ago, maybe 2006 - pulled by a GE puller named “Herbie”

  • @jamesf791
    @jamesf7914 жыл бұрын

    Another great video. My kudos to all who made this video. Thank you very much. Be safe and healthy please.

  • @majikglustik9704
    @majikglustik97042 жыл бұрын

    If they'd had cell phones then, smart railroaders and city slicking friends of movie moguls would've turned the "yellow streak" into a funny movie, or... Another Allstate commercial with Mayhem. Saved by the bell! And Ken, thanks for caring enough to take care of us.

  • @TweetsieRailroader
    @TweetsieRailroader4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for sharing another awesome video! I've been lucky enough to see a similar engine, 65-00310 at the Denton FarmPark in Denton, NC. Granted, it's an 80-ton model (I think), but it's still very similar to the locomotive you've shown here.

  • @tomt9543

    @tomt9543

    2 жыл бұрын

    It’s a 70 ton. It was originally built for the High Point Thomasville & Denton RR, and went through several owners before being acquired by the farm park and restored to the beautiful original HPT&D colors! It runs every July the 4th week during the Southeast Old Threshers Reunion! As trivia, the old timers referred to the HPT&D as the “ High Priced Ticket & Damned Rough Ride”! Ha!

  • @chriswright8464
    @chriswright84642 жыл бұрын

    I'm glad I found your channel, very interesting.

  • @ericfunderburgh6080
    @ericfunderburgh60802 жыл бұрын

    New to the channel but this is pretty cool

  • @caseyjonessnr1200
    @caseyjonessnr120011 ай бұрын

    Very interesting video. 6:28

  • @ralphbalfoort2909
    @ralphbalfoort29092 жыл бұрын

    Skaneateles Short Line Railroad #6 was a 44-tonner, and #7 was a 45-tonner, but it was a side rod unit, not a chain drive to the second axle. It was fun to sit in #7's cab and watch the rods go up and down every time Henry advanced the throttle. Odd part was #6 was 380 hp while #7 was only 300 hp.

  • @WHJeffB

    @WHJeffB

    2 ай бұрын

    Not odd at all... 44 tonners are powered by 190hp Caterpillar D17000 V8 diesels. 45 tonners are powered by Cummins HBI600 150hp straight 6 cylinder diesels. (unless either of them have been rebuilt with updated engines)

  • @calvinthedestroyer
    @calvinthedestroyer2 жыл бұрын

    These videos are awesome. Great presenter too.

  • @doucettealexander98
    @doucettealexander982 жыл бұрын

    A FireMAN shovels coal into a steam locomotive where a FireFIGHTER is somebody who rescues people and put fires out

  • @jeffhaselwood1962
    @jeffhaselwood19622 жыл бұрын

    Evraz in camrose Alberta Canada had one when I worked there

  • @VincesArtDesigns
    @VincesArtDesigns4 жыл бұрын

    Can you do a video about the north shore scenic railroad? How you bought it/acquired it! Was it a dream? We’re the tracks already there? How did you get the idea? PLEASE!

  • @Santafefrank
    @Santafefrank2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the video

  • @markstott2218
    @markstott22182 жыл бұрын

    there is one of these at the harvey house here in barstow california

  • @pooleandrew
    @pooleandrew3 жыл бұрын

    Oooh a 14EL stand...those are fun!

  • @billalbion
    @billalbion2 жыл бұрын

    Two 150bhp =300bhp. Got mixed up 600bhp?

  • @OldIronVideo
    @OldIronVideo3 жыл бұрын

    I've riden behind 2 One at the mad river and nkp railroad museum And one at the Greenfield Village

  • @kman-mi7su
    @kman-mi7su2 жыл бұрын

    There's a channel on here for a RR called East Terminal Railway, and they run one of those.

  • @dalekrohse1871
    @dalekrohse18713 жыл бұрын

    At 3:35 Sylvester Laskin, Minnesota Power & Light Co. board chairman is the person, not "Alaskan" as written in the words on the video image. "Minnesota Power's Laskin Energy Center, near Hoyt Lakes, Minn., will celebrate 50 years of reliability and innovation in a ceremony on Wednesday, July 2, 2003, at the plant." MP was a great place to work when I was there in the late 1970s.

  • @lxdesign1
    @lxdesign13 жыл бұрын

    I would love to find a 45 tonner for our railway here in Ontario, Canada.

  • @TheCrnic
    @TheCrnic2 жыл бұрын

    someone get that cameraman a tripod.

  • @ReadingAreaRailfan
    @ReadingAreaRailfan2 жыл бұрын

    The limit was 44 ton, not 45. 45 ton had to have a conductor, 44 ton didn't. 150 HP + 150 HP is 300 HP by the way. All the 45 tonners had 300 HP

  • @Slim_Slid

    @Slim_Slid

    5 ай бұрын

    Not all of them,later variants of the 45 Tonners before production was discontinued had dual NTC-400's from Cummins with outputs of 800 HP.All of the earlier switchers had the dual HBI-600's from Cummins with 300 HP combined. The other differences between the HBI-600's & NTC-400's are 672 CI versus 855 CI and being naturally aspirated while the bigger motors were turbocharged.

  • @WHJeffB

    @WHJeffB

    2 ай бұрын

    @@Slim_Slid I think you might be confusing the 45 tonners with later 65/80 ton GE center cab switchers which had a substantial horsepower upgrade from their earlier iterations.

  • @Slim_Slid

    @Slim_Slid

    2 ай бұрын

    @@WHJeffB Literally mentioned in my original comment,later 45 Tonners did have dual NTC-400's from Cummins. All original and earlier 45 Tonners had HBI-600's. In the military,alot of GE switchers went through TEAD (1989-1992) which was a rebuild program. Aside from Cummins rebuilds or replacements,the switchers were also updated with relocated radiators,roller bearing equipped trucks,dual headlights,and ditch lights.

  • @ronbach6453
    @ronbach64532 жыл бұрын

    I believe this is a 44 tonner NOT a 45. Per agreement 45 tons and up required a fireman. 44 and down did not, these were popular with branch/shortline railroads.

  • @tomt9543

    @tomt9543

    2 жыл бұрын

    I believe you’re right! Thought that from the beginning of the vid! Still a good show!

  • @Slim_Slid

    @Slim_Slid

    5 ай бұрын

    The GE 44 Tonners all had the AAR styled BB trucks with the exposed bearings just most other GE,EMD,and ALCO units at the time.The GE 45 Tonners had the famous side rods built into the trucks and some other variants also had chain driven methods.

  • @marka5478
    @marka54783 жыл бұрын

    This video has so many errors it is not funny. The 44 ton locomotives were developed in response to the ICC ruling in 1937. The 25 and 45 to locomotives were primarily for industrial applications.

  • @WHJeffB

    @WHJeffB

    3 жыл бұрын

    Bingo! The guy has the 45 tonner confused with the 44 ton locomotive and it was Davenport that built the first 44 ton locomotive. I don't think it is his fault though.

  • @vincentfontana7915

    @vincentfontana7915

    2 жыл бұрын

    Don't be so hard on the fella.

  • @ericemmons3040

    @ericemmons3040

    2 жыл бұрын

    He also said that the engine has 600 horsepower, then says that there's a 150 horsepower engine under each hood. That makes 300 horsepower, unless I'm misinterpreting something that's being said. . .

  • @marka5478

    @marka5478

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@ericemmons3040 The 45/50 ton locomotives were built with a 150HP engine under each hood, thereby making the total 300HP.

  • @tomt9543

    @tomt9543

    2 жыл бұрын

    Agreed!

  • @marleneplatcek6364
    @marleneplatcek63644 жыл бұрын

    Thanks again for the great video

  • @dannyjones3840
    @dannyjones38402 жыл бұрын

    Great video, but I could've done without the safety warning at the end...

  • @thenthson
    @thenthson2 жыл бұрын

    I saw one of these moving once. Thing looked like hell and sounded worse. Looked like something big fell on the cab at some point and caved it in a bit.

  • @railsofthenorthland1181
    @railsofthenorthland11814 жыл бұрын

    Actually Minnesota Power is located in Colby, Minnesota about 2-3 miles north of Hoyt Lakes.

  • @jerrykinnin7941
    @jerrykinnin79412 жыл бұрын

    I know where 2 of these are one is red one is blue. The Red one is Infront of the Ghent KY powerplant on US42. The blue one is at Drumm Tank wash in Cincinnati It's hard to see from the road. It shunts clean or dirty tank cars in and out of the wash bays. Up in Sharonville OH there use to be an old Plymouth switcher at the Bunge grain co. It's not there now.

  • @mpetersen6
    @mpetersen62 жыл бұрын

    Be careful what you wish for. You might get it.

  • @crsrdash-840b5
    @crsrdash-840b52 жыл бұрын

    I gave you your 1K like!

  • @alcopower5710
    @alcopower57102 жыл бұрын

    Wonder what the belt by the window at 5:54 is for?

  • @fernandomarques5166

    @fernandomarques5166

    2 жыл бұрын

    Might be a spare for the engine, I've seen some pics of the 100ton center cab prime movers and they might as well be truck engines

  • @littlepastelkitten
    @littlepastelkitten2 жыл бұрын

    isnt east terminal rr operating one of those

  • @ICUNA22
    @ICUNA222 жыл бұрын

    How do two 150hp engines = 600 hp??? (2:50)

  • @duradim1

    @duradim1

    2 жыл бұрын

    New math is a wonderful thing. Just like choosing your gender.

  • @stepvanjoe3469
    @stepvanjoe34692 жыл бұрын

    Thats a 44 ton GE

  • @kirbyrichter1867
    @kirbyrichter18674 жыл бұрын

    can you clarify - inst the 45 tonner 300 HP, or is it 600?

  • @marka5478

    @marka5478

    3 жыл бұрын

    300 HP. 2 X 150 HP.

  • @marlonbird931
    @marlonbird9315 ай бұрын

    x3 the most powerful tool known in the universe but was not designed for combat my love what is your motive can you or will you please enlighten me please.

  • @ocsrc
    @ocsrc2 жыл бұрын

    There was a 30 ton a 40 Ton a 45 Ton and a 50 Ton and I think they made a 60 Ton and even an 80 Ton The 120 and 150 were more like GPs

  • @matthaft2048

    @matthaft2048

    2 жыл бұрын

    You are correct. We still use a 1949 GE 80 tonner at my job.

  • @tracynation2820

    @tracynation2820

    10 ай бұрын

    I've seen pictures of 130 tonners at a Ford plant. 💙 T.E.N.

  • @toraxmalu
    @toraxmalu2 жыл бұрын

    oh sh… ~2:50 put a picture stabalicer on - you got sea sick with that shaking…

  • @ironmatic1
    @ironmatic13 жыл бұрын

    You should know a little bit more about something that's in your own collection...

  • @sorshiaemms5959
    @sorshiaemms59592 жыл бұрын

    SCAB LOCOMOTIVE

  • @georgeescaped6035
    @georgeescaped60352 жыл бұрын

    dude cut your hair so you won't be trying to get it out of your face

  • @brianburns7211
    @brianburns72112 жыл бұрын

    Take this mask and shove it!

  • @VincesArtDesigns
    @VincesArtDesigns4 жыл бұрын

    Can you do a video about the north shore scenic railroad? How you bought it/acquired it! Was it a dream? We’re the tracks already there? How did you get the idea? PLEASE!