Baldwin Road Switchers

Diesels on the "Delta Route"

by W. A. TRAYLER, JR. — Master Mechanic, Columbus & Greenville Railway Company

The Columbus & Greenville Railway Company — popularly known as the "Delta Route"— operates a modern 168-mile railroad in the State of Mississippi. Although its track mileage is short, its relative importance is great, as it provides dependable freight service through the Mississippi Valley, and interchanges freight with several important trunk line railroads. Interchange is made with the Southern Railway and the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway at Columbus; with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad at Columbus, West Point and Mathiston; and with the Illinois Central Railroad at West Point, Winona, Greenwood, Moorhead, Elizabeth, Stoneville and Greenville.

As far back as 1854, the idea of a railroad line from Atlanta to the Pacific Coast via Birmingham, Alabama; Greenville, Mississippi; and Texarkana on the border between Texas and Arkansas, had engaged the attention of progressive Southerners. However, it was not until 1881 that such a line started to take shape in the form of the Georgia Pacific Railroad Company, promoted by General John B. Gordon, a former Confederate Army officer.

One of the lines absorbed by the new company was the Greenville, Columbus and Birmingham, a narrow gauge line that had its beginning in 1878 and which had already laid track from Greenville to Greenwood, a distance of some fifty-five miles. In 1889, the first through passenger train covered the distance between Columbus and Greenville and the present road was established in fact, if not in name. The line passed through many hands, including those of the United States Government during World War I, and it was not until November 6, 1920, that its charter was amended to provide for its independent existence as the Columbus & Greenville Railroad Company. After passing through receivership, from which it emerged in 1923, the road went ahead rapidly, improving its rolling stock and equipment to enable it to offer the best possible service to the communities along its lines.

In line with this progressive policy, the management of the road first turned to diesel locomotives in October, 1946, when the first of five Baldwin-Westinghouse, 1,500hp diesel-electric locomotives went into service. The last of the five was delivered in January, 1947, and two rebuilt 566-hp Whitcomb switchers were added in April,1948. This completed the dieselization of the line with all-Baldwin equipment.

Before the advent of the first diesel, the motive power consisted of 23 second-hand steam locomotives which had been built at various times between 1897 and 1920, the largest consisting of six light Mikados having 37,500 lb tractive effort. Prior to the start of diesel operation the road was scheduling one passenger, one mixed and one freight train daily in each direction, for the 168-mile run between Columbus and Greenville. In addition, many extra and double-header freights were run during the rush seasons. Sudden failures of major parts, to which the old steam locomotives were addicted, made it necessary to maintain a relatively high locomotive ownership, and at least one-third of the steam engines were always out of service for running and classified repairs. The diesels, because of their high availability, offered the natural solution for this difficulty.

Under diesel operation, one freight train which carries an express car, and one ordinary freight train are scheduled daily in each direction. There are no "through" freight trains in the ordinary sense of the word. Rather, all locomotives assigned to trains handle local and transfer work except at the few points where yard engines are assigned. One Whitcomb is assigned to Columbus yard for two shifts, the other to Greenwood yard for a single shift. The Baldwin diesels handle the switching assignments at Greenville during their layover periods.

Present operation does not include any regular assignments for steam power and all but two of the old steam locomotives have been dismantled. One light 4-6-0 type is kept at Greenville for emergency use. In addition, one heavy 4-6-0 type is stored at Columbus. These two locomotives will probably be retired at their flue expiration date.

Four Baldwin diesels are required to operate the two freight trains now scheduled daily in each direction. This leaves only one Baldwin to be held for heavy repairs, or to protect the other six locomotives. Fuel consumption of the Baldwin diesels averages about 750 gallons for a round trip, consisting of 336 miles on the main line, 10 to 16 hours road switching enroute, and 8 hours yard switching at Greenville. The Whitcombs use about 50 gallons of fuel per 8-hour shift. These figures represent a substantial fuel saving as compared with the former steam operation.

The greatest savings effected by the diesels, of course, are in train operation and fall into several groups:

1. No time lost cleaning fires, dumping ashpans, or taking coal and water.
2. About one-third less time required for making the same moves in road switching at way stations, transfers and making up trains.
3. Only half the former distance and time required in getting trains up to running speed after slow-downs and stops.
4. Minimum speed on ruling grades now 10 mph instead of "each exhaust may be the last one."
5. The Baldwins handle 331 percent more tonnage on ruling grades than was possible with the largest steam locomotives.

One or two concrete examples will illustrate how these savings are made. With the diesel power, three freight trains (one westbound and two eastbound or vice versa) can handle a total of 100 revenue loads along with the average number of Company deadheads and empties, with an average time of 13 hours from terminal to terminal. With steam locomotives, four trains were required, and the average time was 15 hours.

Four trains pulled by diesels have handled as high as 150 revenue loads with Company cars and empties added. This business would have required five steam trains plus double-heading on two out of the five, and the time consumed would have been close to 16 hours.

The Baldwins handle 1,600 tons trailing load on the road's steepest grade of 1.6 per cent, at the continuous rating speed of 10 mph. The Whitcombs handle 1,200 tons in yard and transfer service.

The character of the repair and maintenance work required by diesel locomotives is, of course, radically different from that required to maintain steam power. To provide for diesel servicing, four stalls adjacent to the machine shop were parti- tioned off and double doors provided at each track entrance.

Tracks 1 and 2 are served by an old Y-head, air-hydraulic drop pit jack and an overhead, hand- operated, 16-ton traveling crane for lifting traction motors, driving wheels, etc., from trucks after they are released from the locomotive. The Bald-wins have six-wheel trucks with the center pair of wheels acting as idlers. The truck wheelbase is long enough to span the bridge rails, and when it is necessary to drop the center pair of wheels for turning, the idlers are wedged up, spring rigging blocked, and the idlers are lowered on the Y-head jack in less than one-half hour.

Track 3 has inspection platforms on both sides at running-board level, and an upper deck at top-of-hood level on one side only. Tracks 2 and 3 are served by a swinging-boom, electric, two-ton hoist, used to handle cylinder heads, sleeves, pis- tons, connecting rods, turbochargers, etc. Track 4 is equipped with an inspection pit and is used mainly for repairs on roadway equipment.

This specialized diesel shop is rapidly paying off in savings, as the roundhouse expense has been reduced about 50 per cent, even though service is provided for several steam locomotives per day under a joint arrangement with another road.

BALDWIN company magazine (Volume 6, Numbers 1 and 2 — First and Second Quarter 1950) / collection