This is actually the testing of the new Locks Locomotive that the Canal contracted. It appears that this photo was taken in Japan at the factory. What is interesting is they had to construct a mock up section of track just like the Canal locks have.
Thanks, Bill, I had no memory of such a steep grade on the PRR & the center track certainly looked mule-friendly, but that wasn’t the locks surrounding it — Nina
Bill is right, this is at Japan testing the “new” locos in early 1960s. They tested the locos on the incline that the locks had. There are two different inclines. One steeper than the other. This apears tobe the easy incline.Orginally the locos were to climb the steep inclines in 6 mile speed. That didn’t work out . When I left CZ, steep inclines in 3 mile speed. Easy incline at Gatun & Mfl at 6 mile.
Canal Record in March 1961. Factory of Kisha Seizo Kaisha, Ltd. testing on 600 feet of track identical with that on which the machines will run to tow ships back and forth through the locks. Some of the test track is coming from the Canal Zone–extras which could not be spared for the locks; curved sections of the track, of which there was none to spare is being manufactured here. If all goes well, the first finished locomotive will be assembled in June. If tests on this machine are satisfactory, six locomotives will then be assembled and shipped to the Canal Zone to be tried out on the locks.
4 Comments
Bill McLaughlin
This is actually the testing of the new Locks Locomotive that the Canal contracted. It appears that this photo was taken in Japan at the factory. What is interesting is they had to construct a mock up section of track just like the Canal locks have.
Nina Brown Kosik
Thanks, Bill, I had no memory of such a steep grade on the PRR & the center track certainly looked mule-friendly, but that wasn’t the locks surrounding it — Nina
Waldo Gilley
Bill is right, this is at Japan testing the “new” locos in early 1960s. They tested the locos on the incline that the locks had. There are two different inclines. One steeper than the other. This apears tobe the easy incline.Orginally the locos were to climb the steep inclines in 6 mile speed. That didn’t work out . When I left CZ, steep inclines in 3 mile speed. Easy incline at Gatun & Mfl at 6 mile.
Bill Fall
Canal Record in March 1961. Factory of Kisha Seizo Kaisha, Ltd. testing on 600 feet of track identical with that on which the machines will run to tow ships back and forth through the locks. Some of the test track is coming from the Canal Zone–extras which could not be spared for the locks; curved sections of the track, of which there was none to spare is being manufactured here. If all goes well, the first finished locomotive will be assembled in June. If tests on this machine are satisfactory, six locomotives will then be assembled and shipped to the Canal Zone to be tried out on the locks.