General Electric's 45/50-Tonner |
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![]() The above scene was captured at the U.S. Gypsum quarry in Alabster, Michigan on 24 May 1967. (R. Craig photo) |
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General Electric's 45-Ton locomotive was designed primarily for industrial users, as such the federal government's "90,000 Pound" law of 1937 had no applicability. The earliest version of the four-axle locomotive was built in 1939 and featured a thin-plate frame and two side-rod trucks; it weighed 43 tons. The following year, the builder standardized on a thicker frame for center-cab switcher construction in the 44-ton to 80-ton range. It should be noted that the 45-ton model was the only GE locomotive to commonly feature side-rod driven trucks which employed only a single traction motor; buyers of later 45-ton versions had the option of internal chain-driven trucks. As the locomotive model evolved during the production, period, a number of subtle changes occurred. Some of the revisions are identified herein later. The number of access ladders and their placement was often a customer preference, thus they are not a reliable spotting feature. Total GE production of the 45-tonner reached slightly less than 350 units; the first of the 360-400 horsepower models appeared late in 1940. During WWII, a large number of 45-tonners were gobbled up by the U.S. Military, including many with "drop-cabs" for low clearance. The 50-tonner can sometimes be more difficult to determine. Early versions of the model employed a narrow metal frame skirt between the trucks. In later years, the frame skirt was lost and a thin bedplate added beneath the hoods and cab footprint. The side-rod trucks were common-place, but not exclusive. Here are a few tips on how to readily identify GE's 45/50-ton industrial switchers. Please note the years of production are arbitrary and provided only as a means of categorizing various models.
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Pre-WWII Model | |||
![]() Wabash #51 St. Thomas, Ontario (3 September 2003) Rabo Sabo photo **
ACF Industries #Y69 St. Louis, Missouri (9 April 1971) R.R. Wallin photo **
| Spotting Features - 43-Tonner
Spotting Features - Earliest 45-Tonners
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Center Cab (Post 1946) | |||
![]() Aurora Elgin & Fox River #5 Elgin, Illinois (20 October 2018) Robby Cragg photo
IMC #1 Orrington, Maine (5 October 1970) George Turnbull photo **
Penn Dixie no-# Petoskey, Michigan (August 1969) P. Dennis Custer ** |
Spotting Features
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Post 1989 Center Cab | |||
![]() Lehigh Portland Cement no-# Miami, Florida (19 June 1971) Photographer Unknown ** |
Spotting Features
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Drop Cab | |||
![]() U.S. Air Force Kansas City, Missouri (6 November 1966) Mac Owen photo ** |
Spotting Features
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50-Tonner | |||
![]() Southern New York at )neonta, New York (13 May 1967) Raymond Muller photo **
General Electric #7 at Pittsfield, MA George Turnbull photo **
St. Lawrence Cement Orrington, Maine (5 October 1970) Matt Herson photo |
Spotting Features: Pre-1939 50-Tonner
Spotting Features: Post 1940 50-Tonner
Spotting Features
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Formatted by: R.Craig
New: 1 October 2019
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