Sorry no picture as I was on my way to work, but i was on teh Baltimore Light Rail near the wye track by the stadiums(the light rail bridges the wye in which the CSX Freights go into the Howard Street Tunnel, and MARC goes into Camden Station(EX B&O Camden Station) Anyway I happen to look over and saw what appeard to be a GP series locomotive( I'm a steam person So I'm not sure) and right behind it a Yard switcher(Like an SW-1 looking engine) as a helper. Not sure if it was deadheaded or not, but I kinda doubt it as the train was a bit long.
Is that normal to see a yard switcher as a helper on a mainline?
You will occasionally see a switcher tied into a road freight lash-up. Usually, they are either moving the loco to a new location, or taking it to or from the shop.
No, it is not normal, but it is or has been done. The GW used to use MU switchers for mainline service. There is really not much difference between a 1500 HP GP 7/9 and a 1500 HP SW 1500. As long as the switcher has MU cables it can be used in MU service.
i'm not real sure if it was underpower though, i was on the light rail train on abridge above it. It might have just been a deadhead move. the train was probably 700 ft away from the bridge when we went over the tracks
most of the switchers csx now has are mp15s in various incarnations. the mp15 series rides on road trucks and can be used as road units the same as a gp15. previous switcher models often road on switcher type trucks that restricted them to about 40 mph, which is why it wasn't common to see them on mainline trains.
common examples of switchers in road service include:
pennsy had a fleet of baldwin s12s they used to poer mainline trains on the delmarva peninsula.
southern pacific often used their sw1500s in road service.
the p&le had a fleet of sw1500s and mp15s which were used interchangeably with their fleet of 30 road diesels in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
conrail often used sw1500s and sw1001s on train capi on the weekends. often the units were turned back to camden at harrisburg, but occasionally they'd make it up over horseshoe curve all the way to pittsburgh (conway) returning on the next day's pica.....
The LIRR used GPs and MP-15 switchers to power regularly scheduled trains. One interesting combination was an Aco FA at one end and either a geep or MP-15 at the other. If I remember correctly the F unit or Alco FA didn't have motors. The diesel engine was used for electric power. They retained cabs because the trains could run in both directions.
This interesting conglamoration of antique locomotion has vanished now that they have the new double deckers which are very boring.
Happens every so often here in Montgomery Al. The switchers (MP15's) come and go, and it's not too unusual to see one in a freight, behind the normal road power. Not an everyday sight for sure, but you will see it from time to time.
I have seen MP15T going south on the ex RF&P before.