The one thing I would say, specifically about older non-electronically managed diesels, is that it was super easy to modify the fuel plate by hand for more power. Grinding the fuel plate on a 12V Cummins flat dumps a ton more fuel into the engine, making more power, but also making black smoke. Simple, cheap, slightly…

Those look like Rockwell 2.5 ton axles, or similar, many of which have pinion brakes. Doesn’t reduce unsprung weight, but does reduce complexity.

It’s not a line that’s ever used at speed, and it’s only used to transfer trains as needed, usually once a day. The people blocking the train are still dumb, but unless you drive through Kendall midday everyday, you could be forgiven for thinking that this was abandoned track.