Folks-

In order to get a GE 80-tonner moved to the Stewartstown Railroad, we have to get the trucks disconnected so that they can be put onto one truck for shipment, while the body is put on another truck.

Aside from the general power cables, brake lines, and safety links, to be removed, are there any gotchas that should be considered?

Or, is there a reference of that needs to be done in what order? This will be my first time doing this, and I don't want to mess up.

Thanks-

Mike

Unless you're lifting it in one go, lift one end out of the center plate cup and block it before lifting the other end. This will prevent breaking the center cup casting...

Others who know these units in detail can go into more depth.

Steve Hunter

Make sure to mark the trucks so you can put them back in the same order and direction.

Dear Mike:
A few suggestions:
1) Contact Dennis Daugherty (poster on rypn). He loaded our 80 tonner in Utah a couple of years ago (onto a flat car, but we had checked out trucking as well). Dennis is an expert on moving locomotives, steam and diesel.
2) Obtain a copy of US Army Technical Manual TM55-1264-1 or US Air Force Technical Order TO58-5AA-9. These cover the GE 80 Ton maintenance and repair.
3) Be mindful that the "anti-slewing" devises must be removed prior to lifting. These are found adjacent to the truck side bearings.
4) There are four, 3-1/2" diameter cover caps along the top of the running boards adjacent to the "anti-slewing" devises. Remove these, install heavy eye bolts or such and lift the locomotive from these four points.
5) If you need lifting slings (used once), we'll lend you ours, but you have to pick them up and be responsible for their safe return.
Good luck!
J.David

I do not know which GE 80 Ton you have but there are 2 completely different models. The short line model originally had Cummings L model engines and standard traction motors with 38" wheels . The industrial one used a Cummins truck engine has right angle drive tractor motors and gear boxes with 33' wheels .
That being said some of the GE locomotive have no bolster jacking pads or a place to use a lifting cable and are designed to lift using the special lifting pin through the hole in the locomotives frame walkway deck. The designed special lift devise was a pin with the top part machined and drill to take a lifting Shackle .the pin when placed in the hole was retained by a crosspin which was in shear when the locomotive was lifted. This can all be made in a machine shop but must be properly engineered using correct steels and factors of safety. I remember see drawings for the lifting devise in either a GE manual or military TM.