How the GE 45-Tonner Came to Be

[@SOU6900]

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

[@RomeKG471]

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.

[@jimbobertson4549]

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]

Sounds like a good time

[@gordonjustin4787]

I saw one of the GE 40 ton locomotives in Hoboken, New Jersey. It was working for Maxwell House Coffee. It was unloading freight cars from a barge on the Hudson River. Thank you for this presentation it was very good !

[@amyyoung2830]

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.

[@pooleandrew]

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

[@alexanderhogan2521]

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

[@carlwedekind3868]

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.

[@DrWho453]

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.

[@3360274]

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.

[@richardwebster4762]

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.

[@Caje-zf8md]

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.

[@ibbylancaster8981]

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.

[@Puffie40]

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.

[@Dawgator]

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

[@NofaKingway]

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

[@hernanpatricioorellanaalar3473]

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! 😀👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@ralphbalfoort2909]

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]

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)

[@chriswright8464]

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

[@robertstack2144]

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

[@andrewc1199]

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

[@TweetsieRailroader]

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]

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!

[@calvinthedestroyer]

These videos are awesome. Great presenter too.

[@jorgesabater8640]

Great! I love those tiny giants.

[@jamesf791]

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

[@dalekrohse1871]

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.

[@ericfunderburgh6080]

New to the channel but this is pretty cool

[@markstott2218]

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

[@kman-mi7su]

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

[@vadimhsu5114]

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

[@OldIronVideo]

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

[@jeffhaselwood1962]

Evraz in camrose Alberta Canada had one when I worked there

[@majikglustik9704]

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.

[@pooleandrew]

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

[@Santafefrank]

Thanks for the video

[@caseyjonessnr1200]

Very interesting video. 6:28

[@railsofthenorthland1181]

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

[@doucettealexander98]

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

[@ReadingAreaRailfan]

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]

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]

@@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]

@@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.

[@lxdesign1]

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

[@billalbion]

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

[@TheCrnic]

someone get that cameraman a tripod.

[@thenthson]

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.

[@marka5478]

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]

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]

Don't be so hard on the fella.

[@ericemmons3040]

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]

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

[@tomt9543]

Agreed!

[@ronbach6453]

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]

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

[@Slim_Slid]

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.

[@jerrykinnin7941]

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.

[@alcopower5710]

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

[@fernandomarques5166]

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

[@dannyjones3840]

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

[@marleneplatcek6364]

Thanks again for the great video

[@mpetersen6]

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

[@littlepastelkitten]

isnt east terminal rr operating one of those

[@ICUNA22]

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

[@duradim1]

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

[@VincesArtDesigns]

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!

[@stepvanjoe3469]

Thats a 44 ton GE

[@crsrdash-840b5]

I gave you your 1K like!

[@marlonbird931]

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.

[@kirbyrichter1867]

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

[@marka5478]

300 HP. 2 X 150 HP.

[@toraxmalu]

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

[@ocsrc]

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]

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

[@tracynation2820]

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

[@ironmatic1]

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

[@brianburns7211]

Take this mask and shove it!

[@georgeescaped6035]

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

[@sorshiaemms5959]

SCAB LOCOMOTIVE

[@VincesArtDesigns]

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!