6 Comments

1. Stephen C. Host

   January 11, 2017 at 2:25 pm

   Oh my goodness. this is nice Earl. Curious what the “K” means beside 3167?
2. mile27

   January 11, 2017 at 3:08 pm

   Thanks, Stephen. Here’s what I found regarding the alpha character:

   That’s the Locomotive Computer Check Letter. Here’s the formula from
   Nuckles & Tillotson’s book “Southern Railway System”

   To compute unknown check letters for Southern Diesel locomotives, the
   following formula can be used:

   1. Take any four-digit road number (add zeros in front of the number for
   any two or three digit numbers).

   2. Add the first digit, plus twice the second, plus third, plus twice
   the fourth. (If doubling exceeds a single digit total, then add the two
   digits in the total.)

   3. Then take the sum and subtract from the next multiple of ten
   (10,20,30,etc) which will give a single digit remainder.

   4. Convert this one digit remainder to a letter as follows:
   0=A, 1=F, 2=H, 3=J, 4=K, 5=L, 6=R, 7=T, 8=W, 9=X
3. awmooney

   January 11, 2017 at 7:54 pm

   I sure miss that SOUTHERN paint scheme. Nice to see it in Ontario !!!
4. mberry

   January 11, 2017 at 8:52 pm

   High hood flares from the only two railways that bought them new (if memory serves), awesome!
5. Myles Roach

   January 11, 2017 at 9:43 pm

   More!!
6. railwayguy

   April 21, 2020 at 9:05 am

   Love it, no chop nose ! Thanks Earl for posting.