44 tonner vs 80 tonner

[mecu18b]

Hi all....
Just wondering....is the 44 tooner body the same as a short 80 tonner. Can ya take the body , add the front deck and steps and have a correct short 80 tonner?
Thanks

[MitchGDRMCo]

One word, no. To illustrate:

44T

70T
44T is 28'04" long whereas the 70T is 37'00" long.

[mecu18b]

thanks but i said 80 tonner not 70 tonner.

[MitchGDRMCo]

Bout double the size Id say.
Or is this the one you're talking about?

Or this?

[MitchGDRMCo]

Alright dont worry about the above, did a bit more digging and it would appear the one you're referring to is the SL80, its 38' long.

[1stcajon]

Weren't the 44 tonners made so that only an engineer would be required. If you made it an 80 tonner configuration you'd need a fireman because of the increased weight.

[icghogger]

Andy, you are correct, that was GE's pitch to the railroads, and it worked. A specific weight-on-drivers limit was established (by union and railroad agreement) to eliminate the fireman, and the 44-tonner was just below that limit. The ICRR used one on the "Hoodlum", a one or two-car passenger train used to ferry its workers from South Yard in Memphis to the shops and roundhouse at Nonconnah Yard (later called Johnston Yard, now Harrison Yard) south of Memphis during the late forties and early fifties. It saved the railroad the expense of an extra crew member for many years.