M&StL Doodlebugs

Do you have any ideas for building an HO scale GE or RDC-4 ?
Please let me know if you have ever tackled this project and what kits/parts you used.
Pictures are welcome too.
Cash mstl@eldora.net

GE-25 in Cedar Lake
Louis Claeson collection

From 1929 Annual Report: On Dec. 26, 1929, we put into operation gas-electric motor car service on trains 19 and 20 between Oskaloosa and Peoria and in Jan 1930 on trains 9 and 10 between Mason City and Oskaloosa, and trains 28 and 29 between Winthrop and Storm Lake, to replace steam service.

Gas-Electric Passenger coach trailer No. 44 http://www.sjcook.com/trains/msl/cars/44tphoto01.jpg

11 Gas-Electric Rail Motor Cars - Ad in railway Mechanical Engineer Magazine Sept. 1932

A couple of the GEs from above in Albert Lea - Photo 2

Fuel oil tank capacities and dimensions

Apri 5, 1957 Passenger Train Schedule

RDC-4 number 32, the Gopher, from a passenger train schedule of 1957. Newest M&StL equipment used on trains 3 & 4

Aug 6, 1931 Hennepin Co. Review

Two new 400 horsepower gas-electric cars were recently put into use on the Watertown line through Hopkins by the M&St.L. R.R. Co. on day trains No.'s 13 and 14. The two cars have a 15 foot space for U.S. mail and 45 foot space for express and baggage. A third 400 horsepower car with 30 foot U.S. mail and 30 foot express and baggage space, will be operated on trains 11 and 12 between Mpls. and Lake Minnetonka points and New Ulm. One car, with 300 horsepower engine, 15 foot U.S. mail space, 22 express and baggage space and seating capacity for 32 passengers, will be used on the line between Spencer, Fort Dodge and Des Moines, according to John Dolan, Hopkins agent for the company. Seven of the gas-electric cars have been operated by the railroad during the past year, he said. Each car is 70 feet long, is all steel, electric lighted, has a hot water heating plant and has sufficient power to handle extra baggage cars and coaches. In September, 1930, the company adopted the black and white stripe on the head end as an additional protection for motorists at grade crossings, which makes the trains more visible under all weather conditions, Mr. Dolan pointed out.

GE-27 in Minneapolis in August 1938.
GE-27 was built in 1930 as an RPO-Baggage type car and scrapped in 1961.
The car was named the Des Moines.

GE-30 in Cedar Lake 1950
Louis Claeson photo

GE-3 with trailer
Louis Claeson collection

Click here to see a diagram of GE-27,28

This is the power plant used in the GE units.

Mechanical Drawings I have blueprints of various parts for the GE gas electric units.

Here is the only shot I've seen of the rooftop of one of the GE's. Cash

GAS-ELECTRIC NO. 2 There was a question about GE-2 and its fate in message 102. GE-2 was not rebuilt into a trailer. GE-2 was scrapped October 1950. GE-30 was rebuilt into baggage car 451 and it still exists at Spooner, WI. See Spring 1994 North Western Lines. Why was GE-2 scrapped? The following is quoted directly from the diaries of Bill Landmesser, Superintendent of Motive Power.
"2 Oct 50---GE-2 drained."
"4 Oct 50---Started removing parts from GE-2. Getting ready to scrap it."
"27 Oct 50---GE-2 engine removed. About ready to scrap."
Bill says it was scrapped because
a) they didn't need it anymore,
b) it was in too poor condition to sell as a usable piece of equipment and c
) it could be cannibalized for parts for other gas-electrics still in service.
Gene Green - Post #543 Yahoo!groups List

A Trip on the M&StL

In the early 1950's, my brother and I often rode Trains No. 50 and 51 between Hopkins, MN, and Britt, IA, to visit our grandparents who lived in Kanawha, about 11 miles south of Britt. The equipment consisted of a rather incongruous pairing of a gas-electric "Doodlebug" locomotive with an air-conditioned stainless steel coach that would have been right at home on the Burlington Zephyr.

I remember an incident on one trip when we were returning to Minneapolis in the summer of 1951-my brother and I would have been eight and ten years old respectively. Before we boarded the "Zephyr" at Britt, Granddad gave us each a quarter for spending money. The train made a scheduled stop at Albert Lea, MN, for 15 or 20 minutes to allow the passengers and crew to stretch their legs and get something to eat at the station restaurant. Accordingly, my brother and I proceeded to the restaurant, where we each ordered a hamburger and a coke. When it came time to pay, we were mortified to discover that we had somehow miscalculated our wealth, and the bill came to 60 cents, while all we had between us were Granddad's two quarters.

For an instant, we stood there panic-stricken, but then as if from nowhere a hand appeared and plunked a dime down on the counter to make up the difference. Our guardian angel turned out to be none other than our conductor who happened to be standing behind us waiting to pay his bill. I regret to say that we did not think to get this Samaritan's name, but I am sure we at least had the presence of mind to stammer out our thanks. I have never forgotten this random act of kindness and generosity on the M&StL, and doubt that two young travelers on the real Zephyr could have been treated any better.

Fred Knudsen LFKJR@aol.com 4/16/2001

Spectrum railroad equipment in HO gauge has GE type doodlebugs. I have 2 in my collection, 1. Great Northern, 2. Crip (or R.I.). These are built by Bachman for Spectrum and are in HO gauge. Roughly 40 bucks. You can also order them plain and paint them in any road color you want. I was born and raised in Gowrie, IA and rode the doodles quite often to Minn to see my Father, or just to run off to Fort Dodge for the day (skipping school of course.) Nice site you have here. Loren H. Dudley Bath, Maine 7/8/2002

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