NS F units up for auction

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Between Ed’s new layout teaching me about the line and studying the existing roster, which apparently now includes two F-units, that Reading & Northern outfit is really growing on me.

Ed, I think you’re right about the NS F-units being upgraded to GP38-2s.

DFF

Oh yeah, it's definitely a neat railroad. Even more so when you hear Lammy's stories about its escapades!

[reinhardtjh]

The other F9A (271) and F7B (276) have reportedly been sold to the Aberdeen, Carolina & Western (http://www.acwr.com/).

F9A 270 headed to the Reading and Northern early Thursday morning (12/12) and F7B 275 left today.  They went separately because NS has a policy about allowing only one set of non alignment control draft gear at a time on their freight trains.

[iandrewmartin]

While I'd love to take them - the wife would murder me.

[reinhardtjh]

While I'd love to take them - the wife would murder me.

The real ones are sold so you're safe.  However, Trainworld is having  an N -Scale sale...  But only the F7A units. 

[John]

The other F9A (271) and F7B (276) have reportedly been sold to the Aberdeen, Carolina & Western (http://www.acwr.com/).

They went separately because NS has a policy about allowing only one set of non alignment control draft gear at a time on their freight trains.

What does this mean --- I'm not familiar with this term

[reinhardtjh]

What does this mean --- I'm not familiar with this term

This from a post on TrainOrders.com:

Alignment control couplers act as normal drawbars in draft (pulling or stretched) but "lock up" in buff (as when the slack runs in or it is shoving cars with a heavy enough load to compress the draft gear) making them become rigid. Alignment control couplers can (and do) cause derailments when shoving a heavy cut of cars through a sharp curve because the drawbar does not have enough travel with the locked up alignment feature.

Alignment control draft gear is present on later units. Older units such as switchers which need the drawbar travel use the "coupler stop blocks:" which can be folded down when needed to traverse sharp curves. A common "fix" to convert switchers to alignment control couplers is changing the coupler head to one with side lugs and welding stop blocks in the housing to accomplish the "alignment control" feature. This modification has been universally accepted by BNSF but not so much on UP but they are learning!

OPR has converted three units thus far and has worked out extremely well.

Dick Samuels
www.oregonpacificrr.com

Basically alignment control keeps the couplers from bending (at the knuckle, I imagine) when being pushed or when the slack is run in.  This keep side forces off the trucks and reduces the chance of derailment.