November 1957 page 4

and equipment. Several years ago with
the changeover from electric to diesel
power, the Greenville shops were thor-
oughly modernized. New tools and
equipment were added for complete main-
tenance of the ten 1600-horsepower diesel
locomotives which furnish the pulling
power of the South Carolina Division.

A remarkable job

The accomplishments and record of the
Greenville shops are legend on the P & N.
Operating with only about 15 men, the
shops have done a remarkable job of
keeping the railroad's locomotive power
and rolling stock in first-class condition.
In fact, outsiders with a knowledge of
railroad shop operations are continually
amazed that so few men can accomplish
so much. The secret, of course, is a
closely-knit team of technicians who
know their jobs so well that they can do
almost anything that a big shop can do.
With a handful of electricians, mechan-
ics, a blacksmith, a carpenter, a painter,
and a few other specialists, there are
very few jobs that can not be handled
by the Greenville shops. When one does
come along it is contracted to another
shop, but these are few and far between.

Small but versatile

The Greenville shops can handle
everything from a major diesel overhaul
to a scratched paint job with equal effi-
ciency. And it is a rare day when one
of the locomotives is not stripped down
for an end-to-end overhaul. In fact, the
shop personnel not only keep the equip-
ment in good shape but also on occasions
build and maintain their own equipment
and facilities. For instance, there is a
project afoot now to close up an open
end of one of the shop buildings. The
metal doors as well as the necessary con-
crete and steel framing are being built by
shop personnel.

The overall supervision of both me-
chanical shops is vested in T. R. Rhodes,
superintendent of the South Carolina Di-
vision, who is a self-trained mechanical

NOVEMBER

[photographs of electricians working]
ELECTRICIANS, skilled in the intricacies of
the diesel, trace the trouble and replace a bad
relay. Below, a repaired truck assembly is care-
fully moved back into place under a locomotive.