Jack Siffert's recent thread on blue carding trackmobiles brings up another question I have long wanted to ask. Museum locomotives running on common carrier trackage as part of the general railroad system need to be blue carded. That I can understand. But the railroads used to (maybe still do?) have locomotives that were shop switchers. Locomotives like Soo Line 0-6-0T #X90 and Reading 0-6-0T #1251 were two examples that come to mind. Did these engines also have to be blue-carded? There were electric examples too, and surely diesel examples. What about shop switchers on museum railroads that aren't going to be used for anything but switching equipment around museum shops? What's the story there? Do these also have to be blue-carded with the corresponding expenses?

Thanks for any insight.

Les

CSX just got a couple new shuttlewagons at Willard. I was wondering about them as well.

The Milwaukee Road roundhouse at Harlowton, MT (the eastern end of electrified territory) used a small electric shop switcher to maneuver the large boxcab electric locomotives in and out of the roundhouse stalls. Because of its small size (not high enough for a pantograph to be practical), the shop switcher was powered by an extension cord (see below paragraph). Would this limited range exempt the shop switcher from needing a blue card?

There seems to be some confusion as to whether or not there was electricity in the roundhouse itself (which was of wood construction). The video linked to below shows metal panels located above each track in the stalls, with what the poster describes as carbon marks left behind by electric contact, but other users claim the roundhouse did not have electricity for the engines. A theory I thought of was that the extension cord for the shop switcher did not act as the return, that the overhead panels were for this purpose. There does appear to be some evidence of a mount for a trolley pole of some design on the shop switcher. Can anyone with more knowledge of the Milwaukee Road's operations in Harlowton clarify?

Note: the section of the roundhouse in the video has since been demolished, with only the western third still intact, which is currently (or was recently) in use as some sort of grainery.

The shop switcher, #X3800, is on display in Harlowton. Even though the Milwaukee Road Lines West has been gone now for 33 years, Harlowton still has part of the roundhouse, the depot, the water tower, with #X3800, boxcab electric #E57B, a snowplow, and a motorcar on display. The boxcab and depot were both recently repainted.

Picture Links:

1. #X3800 on display: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3620615 (Jim Heringer photo)

2. #E57B on display: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3583306 (Jim Heringer photo)

3. Harlowton Depot with motorcar on display: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3620616 (Jim Heringer photo)

4. Snowplow on display: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3620618 (Jim Heringer photo)

Video Link:

1. Video of the dilapidated roundhouse (part of the wood roof has collapsed): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RymzusduyPI

*******DISCLAIMER*******
The poster of the video states that he trespassed in order to enter the roundhouse. This act was inherently illegal and non-permitted. By linking to said video in no way is such an act condoned as acceptable behavior.
**END OF DISCLAIMER**

Current interpretations are posted in the trackmobile thread.

Mike Tillger

museums owning their own track not doing common carrier revenue probably would not need that.

But let's take an arguably extreme, but AFAIK real life example:

You have a ten-mile branch, which interchanges with a Class One. Said rail line, owned by your non-profit, has a legal for-profit subsidiary that does switching for two industries down near the interchange, using one of the line's SW1 switchers. The steam and passenger stuff is at an enginehouse a mile further up the line, where freight doesn't go, for lack of customers. Yard Limits are between the two places to segregate the two operations. They keep a little Plymouth for switching out the train in the morning while the steamer fires up. Does that Plymouth need a "blue card"?

Now, suppose that quarry or plant out the line past the usual picnic grove stop suddenly resumes occasional shipments, putting common-carrier freight past the enginehouse and station. Then does that loco need a card?

Yes and Yes, see the FRA interpretation of the regs in the post about trackmobiles.

Mike Tillger

if you are operating on regulated track, your equipment must be FRA compliant. If you are operating in an industrial environment or other "private" track where are no public grade crossings, etc. and no possible conflicts with another carrier, there is no current requirement to have the equipment blue carded.

The track the B&O Museum operates their trains on is a good example of that kind of environment.

The B&O Museum trackage has one public grade crossing, however, and is impossible to switch at without crossing it.

I'm not quite sure that's the example you want to raise.

z

A note: X3800 was the Deer Lodge shop switcher. So far as I know, Harlowton didn't have one, but did have an extension cord(s) and a 600 volt "streetcar" controller to bring engines in the roundhouse. I believe the controller was located in the surviving portion of the roundhouse. It should be noted that Harlowton supported steam and diesel, in addition to electric locomotives.

The original Deer Lodge shop switcher was a converted power truck (IIRC) with no enclosed cab.

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

Actually, the B&O owns that piece of the street and the crossing. That's how they've gotten away with closing it occasionally without running afoul of the city. It's therefore a private grade crossing and not applicable for this point.