Switcher engines

[KenK]

It seems that all the companies that would use switchers are going to rebuilt

GP units & the like. Did they stop making switchers, or are they obsolete for some reason?

[Bayfield Transfer Railway]

I can't prove it, but I suspect it might have something to do with rebuilt Geeps being cheap and abundant.

 

[BRAKIE]

The last true end cab switcher was the MP15 AC/DC. However there are switchers like Gensets that replaced a lot of the older switchers.

A lot of railroads still use SW1500s and MP15s but,these seem to be a endangered species since GP38-2,GP40-2 or a SD40-2 makes excellent switchers.

Come to think about it in all of my yard visits I never seen a GE being used as a yard switcher.

[dehusman]

KenK

It seems that all the companies that would use switchers are going to rebuilt

GP units & the like. Did they stop making switchers, or are they obsolete for some reason?

 

Switch engines tend to have very low mileage and don't need to be very sophisticated (generally don't need dynamic brakes, turbochargers, cab signals, GPS, PTC, DP, etc.)

 

Therefore its cheaper to rebuild them rather than buy them new.  A lot of old road units are being cascaded down to switchers.  GP50, GP60, SD40 models that once were the primo road power have now been down graded to switcher status.  The old end cab switchers were not as flexible as the "GP" type engines so they have fallen out of favor.

 

What really kills the older end cab engines is parts.  As their engines get olderthe parts for teh engines get rarer and more expensive.  Since they have "non standard" hoods and cabs stocking all the doors, windows, radiators, trucks, air compressors, etc. is more expensive.  If you use GP's for both road and yard service, a hood door off a GP38 will fit a GP40 will fit a GP60 willl fit a
GP39 will fit an SD40.

 

Older units are grandfathered under emissions and fuel economy requirements so there are advantages to using an older model vs. buying a newer high tech engine for millions of dollars a pop.

 

Railroads prefer to rebuild and cascade road units down to yard service than buy new units specifically for yard service.  The exceptions being engine specifically designed for a low emissions application.  And they are still working out their teething problems.