# What is a "shop switcher"?



## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

This bizarre B&O steam locomotive is a "shop switcher." Researching on the web, I can find that shop switchers did switching duties and sometimes delivered railcars to another station.

But I can't find out what a shop switcher IS.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

The term shouldn't be too hard to figure out....

Here is the SP's explanation, although it likely applies to many, if not all, railways.....



> The SP had a number of specialized steam switchers for moving locos around engine terminals and backshops. They were the 'shop switchers'; they were usually retired locomotives whose original usefulness had come to an end.
> 
> They were rebuilt/converted by each shop as required, and so show marked differences. Each one would have been unique in one respect or another. Originally carried on the main roster, they were later listed under the Maintenance of Way Roster, so explaining the MW prefix. Some numbers were used on more than one shop switcher and all were renumbered from their original numbers and most renumbered as shop switchers several times.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I like that one, unique for sure!


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

I like it also but I can find nothing like it in any of my B&O info.


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

rogruth said:


> I like it also but I can find nothing like it in any of my B&O info.


Perhaps because the 4407 was a Union Pacific engine.

from Utah rails . net

8.	UP 4407 was built as UP 1258 in March 1913; renumbered to UP 4407 in June 1915; rebuilt to 0-6-0T shop switcher 4407 in 1947; assigned to Pocatello, Idaho; scrapped in July 1956.

Now, I'm gonna guess that the tall water tank and double ladders made it easier to maintain the tender on the out of service locomotive when it was jockeyed under the water tank and coal chute.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

Dennis461 said:


> Perhaps because the 4407 was a Union Pacific engine.
> 
> from Utah rails . net
> 
> ...


Dennis, you're probably right. The photo is of a model train and was included under the heading "B&O switchers." It was then identified as a B&O shop switcher.


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

Dennis461 said:


> Perhaps because the 4407 was a Union Pacific engine.
> 
> from Utah rails . net
> 
> ...


Glad to hear this. Thanks.


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

Vincent said:


> But I can't find out what a shop switcher IS.


at least the Reading 1251 has "Reading Locomotive Works" printed on the boiler.

i'll guess that it is used for moving cold locomotives around the locomotive shops. It may be short enough for both it and locomotive to be on a turntable to move a locomotive (sans tender?) into the roundhouse to be worked on


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

Shop switchers as mentioned are generally for moving equipment around a shop area. Steam locomotives are not started by turning a key or pushing a button, they take many hours to safely bring up to operating pressure. If it's not needed in service but needs to be moved, its easier to use an already fired up locomotive such as a shop switching locomotive. Obviously this also goes if a locomotive is torn down and not operational due to maintenance work.

Where I work we have a 1927 Plymouth gasoline locomotive that we use to move our steam locomotives into different areas around the shop when they aren't fired up.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

A "shop switcher" changes your shop from an auto repair shop to a RR backshop.


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## Chiefmcfuz (Dec 30, 2008)

santafe158 said:


> Shop switchers as mentioned are generally for moving equipment around a shop area. Steam locomotives are not started by turning a key or pushing a button, they take many hours to safely bring up to operating pressure. If it's not needed in service but needs to be moved, its easier to use an already fired up locomotive such as a shop switching locomotive. Obviously this also goes if a locomotive is torn down and not operational due to maintenance work.
> 
> Where I work we have a 1927 Plymouth gasoline locomotive that we use to move our steam locomotives into different areas around the shop when they aren't fired up.


I am sure I speak for quite a few people here when I say, pictures please!


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

Man, talk about some heavy research. Thanks to the info from various posters, along with every trail I could trace on the web, it seems:

"Shop switcher" is not a class of locomotive, and no locomotives were ever built as shop switchers. Various locos were rebuilt to serve in workshops/repair shops to haul locomotives and rolling stock for service and repairs. They would sometimes be used to haul the repaired equipment back to a main line.


Many of these shop switchers were small locos that had been originally built to serve in switching yards. When age made them unsuitable for that task, some were rebuilt for lighter, short-distance service in repair areas.


The loco in question was built by Baldwin in 1913 and converted to a shop switcher in 1947. It was scrapped in 1956.

Although I found several photos of this model locomotive, I can find no photos of the locomotive itself.


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

A shop switcher can be any locomotive assigned to an engine terminal for the duty of moving dead locomotives in and around the shop area, as mentioned above.

In the late 1980's and early 90's, we used this engine, an old PRR GP9, to move engines at the Meadows Engine facility. Before that it was assigned to the old CNJ E'Port engine shops, used by NJT until 1988...

Tom


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

*2008*

In 2008, SEPTA regional rail (overhead catanery 11,000VAC 25HZ) had some diesels for moving passenger cars with no people on board. Or rescuing dead electric train consists. 

When SEPTA bought some used cars from New Jersey Transit, the move was well documented here,
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=54926


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)




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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

Gragc, Finally! An actual photo of a shop switcher moving a locomotive.


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

How about a video? This isn't my video, but it is taken at the museum I work at. We use our little Plymouth on a fairly regular basis to move our locomotives around the shop when they aren't fired up. The Plymouth's original assignment was in Detroit hauling coal at one of the city's power plants until the plant converted to oil fired boilers in the 1970's. We generally just use it as a shop switcher, although I've used it for switching our rail cars around several times and also to haul various MOW cars around the railroad for different projects.


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

Interesting video, Santafe!


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

Gulp. Here goes:

I can find no photos of the UP 4407 shop switcher. Utah Rails lists it as being built up from UP 1258, but that was a 4-6-0 (The only photo I can find is copyrighted.)

There is a UP 1258 and UP 4407 diesel.

The model I am showing is "Custom painted." Other photos of the same model show lettering too small to read, but it is not "UP."

No roster that I can find lists a "UP 4407" steam locomotive.


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

looks similar to SP switchers


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

santafe158 said:


> How about a video? This isn't my video, but it is taken at the museum I work at. We use our little Plymouth on a fairly regular basis to move our locomotives around the shop when they aren't fired up. The Plymouth's original assignment was in Detroit hauling coal at one of the city's power plants until the plant converted to oil fired boilers in the 1970's. We generally just use it as a shop switcher, although I've used it for switching our rail cars around several times and also to haul various MOW cars around the railroad for different projects.
> 
> https://youtu.be/xxNS7Z-MSOE


Awesome! There is not much room in that Plymouth - I suspect that it has a mechanical drivetrain? What is the crawl ratio? How about some photos of under the hood? Can it move at crawl speed without slipping the clutch? The wheels look wide - is that true, and why?


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

another use for a shop switcher, rerailing a loco


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

Nikola said:


> Awesome! There is not much room in that Plymouth - I suspect that it has a mechanical drivetrain? What is the crawl ratio? How about some photos of under the hood? Can it move at crawl speed without slipping the clutch? The wheels look wide - is that true, and why?


It is a direct mechanical drive. The 1000 cubic inch Climax 6 cylinder gasoline engine powers the rear axle through a 4 speed manual transmission. The front axle is chain driven also through the transmission. It’ll move along decently in 4th gear, but we generally crawl along in 1st or 2nd.

I suppose I’ve never thought about it, but the wheels might be on the wide side. Industrial track these were designed for wasn’t necessarily always the best maintained, so wider wheels might have helped keep them on the rails if the track wasn’t quite in gauge?


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

This has been very informative. I was unaware of the purpose of these locos. When I saw the term shop switcher I thought it had to do with where Bruce Jenner buys clothes.


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