Locked up Traction Motor change out CP Railway in Tales of the Jointed Track

This is how they change out locked up traction motors out in the field. The Santa Fe at one time used to take off the traction motor gear case off, cut the pinon, if wheel damage due to flats spots was minimal. Now with the new AC traction motors, and the lubricant used for the pinon / spur gear sets, is not the old crater and the suspension bearings are sealed and encased with the same type of oil.

This is a Canadian Pacific General Electric AC44CW No. 8626. It is the number three traction motor and you can see damage from a locked up wheel set. They have the motor set cradled in a small sling to drag it out. They will roll an idler set in. The unit will then be readied for pick up, when released by the mechanical department. The No. 3 Traction motor will be physically cut out, and tagged. Then the locomotive handled isolated or DIC (Dead In Consist) for movement to a shop. They will place a new Traction Motor / Wheel Set in and will place it back in service.

On the Santa Fe and BNSF when I did POWER, the mechanical people, would come over and say “Unit 894 at Holbrook is released. The number 3 set has an idler. Handle Isolated and no speed restrictions to Barstow”.

I’d check with the Chief and the trick DS, after sending a pick up wire. They would make the determination on when and who would pick the locomotive up. This would be in conjunction with traffic flow and drag freights due in the area.

DSGallup,DSSeligman,MCO3,BarstowDSF,*

ALL CONCERNED:
AT HOLBROOK
PLEASE ARRANGE FOR PICK UP ATSF 894. UNIT HAS AN IDLER IN THE NUMBER 3 POSITION. UNIT MUST BE HANDLED ISOLATED AND TAKEN TO BARSTOW FOR REPAIR. PLEASE LET THE SOUTHWEST POWER DESK KNOW WHAT TRAIN IS HANDLING TO BARSTOW.

PLEASE ADVISE WHEN DONE

SOC SOUTHWEST POWER DESK BOB

GE locomotive traction motor cut out switches

I take no credit for this video, for illustration only.