New windows were installed in the cab
General Electric 65-ton switcher
No.7178, nicknamed “Roger,” is a 65-ton diesel-electric switcher locomotive built by General Electric (GE) in Schenectady, New York in May of 1943 for the United States Army Transportation Corp during World War II. Roger is a member of GE’s “tonner” series, a line of smaller locomotives designed for switching duties and pulling short trains. Hundreds were built to various power and weight classifications, working for small and large railroad and industrial companies alike. Many similar locomotives have been preserved, and a handful can still be seen in regular use today across the country.
Roger was one of hundreds of locomotives used by the Army to meet wartime demands across the US. The switcher was stationed at Fort Holabird outside of Baltimore, Maryland, where vital Army vehicle research, development, and maintenance was carried out, including final revision work to the original Jeep design. At Fort Holabird, Roger switched and moved trains of vehicles, weaponry, munitions, and supplies vital to the war effort. When the war ended, the locomotive was sold off into private ownership. It last worked for Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. in Akron, Ohio, and was then donated to the Ohio Railway Museum in 2010.
Roger is currently the museum’s only diesel-electric locomotive, utilizing onboard diesel engines to power generators; these generators provide electricity to motors that turn the locomotive’s wheels. Modern examples of such locomotives can be seen operating daily on the Norfolk Southern Railway’s Sandusky Division, which runs adjacent to the museum property to the east.
Roger frequently handles our visitor trains and assists in equipment moves and Maintenance-of-Way work in maintaining our track. Your support keeps this indispensable piece of equipment running as we continue to improve our museum. Ask one of our volunteers about the many ways you can help keep the past alive at the Ohio Railway Museum today.
| Builder | General Electric |
|---|---|
| Year Built | 1943 |
| Type | Switcher |
| Gauge | Standard (4 ft 8½ in) |
| Fuel | Diesel |
| Fuel capacity | 250 gallons |
| Power Plant | 2x Cummins HBIS-600 |
| Length | 34 ft |
| Locomotive weight | 130,000 lbs |
| Museum Accession | 2010 |
New windows were installed in the cab