Here's an interesting new addition to the small museum at Cowan, TN:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=248714&nseq=20

As many of you know, Cowan is at the foot of the hill before the climb up Cumberland Mtn between Nashville and Chattanooga on the old NC & StL. There's a depot there and generally a couple of Dash 9 GEs waiting to push the next CSX train Southward.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a locomotive strung up in this manner. How did they do that?

As for "stringing up" a GE Centercab, many were built with holes punched in the side walkway decks above the truck bolsters. The decks are made of steel plate perhaps an inch thick, so it is possble to insert an eyebolt or toggle bolt as a lifting point.

Dan Rohrback

Thanks Dan for the info.

I just now realized my original "lifting" post was from 07. Here's a much more up-to-date photo from Cowan's website that shows some progress:

http://www.cowanrailroadmuseum.org/artifacts/diesel.htm

Hi,

We actually cut holes in the deck to run cables around the bolsters. We were starting to get pressed for time as TSRR had a train in the yard waiting for us to clear the main. The crane was rated for 265 tons and they did an excellent job of lifting the locomotive. I have many more pictures of the move if anyone would like to see them. Volunteers at the museum had both diesels running within a day after some had said the locomotive was a piece of junk and would never run again.

Stuart Hale