Hi,

I received an article From Railway Age or March 12, 1962. It's about a remote operation at Florence, Al. It states that this is the first unmanned switcher in the US. Does anyone know of any other? The Locomotive used is former NC&STL 100 ( L&N 3100) a 44 ton GE built in 1956. If this is true, then this locomotive has a little bit of historical value. The article describes the operation and in general terms the method used to remotely moved 10 hoppers of coal and unload them. Does anyone hav a preserved remotely operated locomotive?

Thanks,

Stuart

Spencer Shops has a Baldwin DRS 1600 (or something like that) that went from the old NS to Peabody Coal, where it was radio controlled.

dave

Didn't the Clinchfield Railroad have a coal mine that switched with some sort of remote control?
At least once I heard it was the CRR's B units with remote control on them (as I understand it both of them are around), but I've only heard this once and don't have any thing to back it up....
and exspecially I don't know the year either.....

I can confirm the following as fact:

In the early-to-mid-1970s, Pennsylvania Power & Light at their Shamokin Dam, Pa. plant (between Selinsgrove and Sunbury) equipped both an ex-West Pittston & Exeter Alco S2 and one, if not both, of their 1949-built Porter fireless o-6-0 steamers with radio remote control for unmanned operation. Said R/C arrangement was NOT considered successful/reliable, and the locos were mostly used as manned locos in subsequent years.

The steamers, or at least one of them, lasted in standby service, rarely used after 1974, until the winter of 1989 /1990.

Both of these steamers still exist at last report, one stashed in a dead line of the Blue Mountain & Reading at their South Hamburg, Pa. shops (last reported years ago as in the estate of a deceased BM&R employee) and the other at the "end of track" in Mifflinburg, Pa., where it ended up after last-minute rescue from the power plant as it changed corporate owners, owned by at least one local rail enthusiast.

If anyone should come up with a coherent proposal to "preserve" either of these "lost" fireless steamers, said proposal would be most likely greeted with open arms.

Given the r/c history behind these things, does anyone wish to pursue how much remains within these locos and propose a preservation program? If so, contact me.

I seem to recall seeing a photo of a very early remote control attempt. It was done at Omaha about WWI or during the 1920s. Somehow, I connect this photo with a write-up about McKeen of Motor car fame.

The Knox & Kane's 50 ton porter diesel (now in Colorado) was used by Union Switch & Signal as a test bed/prototype for remote control around 1960. Much of this early remote control system remains in the locomotive's cab today, though it is not in use.

Jason Midyette

Hello Jason,

That's interesting to know. The system installed in 100 was by Union Switch & Signal. The valves and stuff are still in the locomotive, but the electronics have been pilfered, but the remains are there.

Stuart