Krauss Maffei ML4000C'C' out for a test run on the Niles Canyon Railway

[SP5623]

On Sunday June 9, we took the SP9010 out for a test run, partly to check out some recent brake and electrical work and partly to let our Maybach engine advisor Rob Fern (who was visiting from the UK) have some throttle time in the big German. Rob is a passenger train driver in the UK but has been involved with UK diesel hydraulic preservation for many years and has made two previous trips to the 9010 to work on the rear Maybach engine. The 9010 is not (yet) capable of self propulsion so our SD9 5472 provided the muscle but was under control from the 9010 via MU. The operation was a complete success and is nicely documented in a short video produced by one of our friends. The video can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHtxG3ibwnw Several other members of the 9010 crew took turns in "the seat" and a great time was had by all. For those who are not aware, the 9010 is the only existing locomotive of its type in the world. The full story of the locomotive is actively kept at its web site http://sp9010/ncry/org and we have a very active Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Southern-Pacific-9010/186409164738195?sk=wall

Howard

 

[Pat]

Interesting. I thought all the KM units had been scrapped long ago.

 

[SP5623]

Interesting. I thought all the KM units had been scrapped long ago.

All but the 9010 were scrapped by 1969. The South American units were cut up by 1991.

Howard

 

[ironeagle2006]

The 9010 became the Camera Loco on the SP for training engineers on their Sim.

 

[SP5623]

Yes, that story is fully detailed on the web site. And that conversion is the only reason that the 9010 exists today.

Howard

 

[Bill Anderson]

Interesting. I thought all the KM units had been scrapped long ago.

As did I. Thanks for posting this. I clicked on the link for the website and got a no such website type response.

 

[Rader Sidetrack]

The [broken] link provided above should have periods instead of forward slashes after the "http://". Here is a working link:
http://sp9010.ncry.org/

 

[Bill Anderson]

Very informative website. I always assumed that the KM was gutted when it was converted to a camera unit and was just coupled ahead of a powered locomotive when in use. I hope the electrical and hydraulic systems can be restored so that it can be operated independently.

Trains magazine published a good article in the 70's (?) on the KM units in the US. The SP purchased a diesel hydraulic unit from ALCO as well. While diesel hydraulic units were popular in Europe at the time, the rigors of North American railroading proved to be too much for that technology on this side of the Atlantic.

 

[p51]

Still looks like a lot of paint and detail work to do to the carbody, it'll look great once the paint is complete past the nose!

 

[Bill Anderson]

Back in the 70's AHM offered HO models of both versions of the KM. I wish I had bought two, but those early AHM diesels were expensive and ran poorly.

An SP mechanic based out of Roseville was a member of the Sacramento Model RR Club in the mid 70's while I was a member of the club. He talked about testing the new KM units on trains between Roseville and Sparks with a crew of factory mechanics from Germany.

On their first trip over "The Hill", the German crew asked if Cape Horn was the summit of the grade. They were shocked to find out they were only half way to Donner Pass. The crew would work on the units overnight between assignments. It became apparent that the KM's could not take the constant grueling grind of long distance North American railroading and were subsequently limited to "The Valley" between Bakersfield and Roseville.

 

[SP5623]

Sorry about the bad link. Failing fingers is my only excuse. Regarding the wiring, 90% of it was removed when the 9010 was converted to the camera car. The only wiring left was for lighting and the MU circuits. We have no detailed wiring diagrams for the 9010 so the rewiring process is slow but, it is coming back to life.

Howard