I don't see CN getting rid of the SD38-2s anytime soon. That's why I think all these rumors of 661 and 69 getting scrapped are false. The weird thing is the 666 is the only one of the 4 J SD38-2s that was rebuilt to -2 standards. The 662, 665 and 674 were not rebuilt but were well kept by the J. The J SD38-2s are excellent engines, and I don't say that because EJ&E is my favorite railway. It seems the SD38-2s will pull anything that is put behind them. The J always seemed to be quite happy with them, and from what I've heard floating around, it sounds like the IC crews like them for that very same reason.
Also remember, many other railways are converting SD40-2s to SD38-2s. CN is lucky to have the most famous examples of the SD38-2 on their roster, and fortunatly it seems CN gets the fact that SD38-2s are valuable. Unfortunatly, they don't seem to get that they could convert the DM&IR SD38-2s to yard and local service as well, they just retire those.
Well, I guess that means a trip to Pokegama is in order for tomorrow while I'm up there. Now, if I can only find directions.
EJE818 I don't see CN getting rid of the SD38-2s anytime soon. That's why I think all these rumors of 661 and 69 getting scrapped are false. The weird thing is the 666 is the only one of the 4 J SD38-2s that was rebuilt to -2 standards. The 662, 665 and 674 were not rebuilt but were well kept by the J. The J SD38-2s are excellent engines, and I don't say that because EJ&E is my favorite railway. It seems the SD38-2s will pull anything that is put behind them. The J always seemed to be quite happy with them, and from what I've heard floating around, it sounds like the IC crews like them for that very same reason. Also remember, many other railways are converting SD40-2s to SD38-2s. CN is lucky to have the most famous examples of the SD38-2 on their roster, and fortunatly it seems CN gets the fact that SD38-2s are valuable. Unfortunatly, they don't seem to get that they could convert the DM&IR SD38-2s to yard and local service as well, they just retire those.
Well the most famous part I could debate, the largest order sure, but it’s a battle I don’t want to get into. However up in the north country in slow speed drag service, the SD40 just doesn’t cut it, only weighing 368,000lbs is a major draw back to their tractive effort. The DMIR’s SD 38’s were among the heaviest tipping the scales at around 390,000lbs. I’m not sure what the EJ&E units weigh but I sure hope they are heavy; otherwise we might as well keep the 40’s around. In ore service they will get a work out…it’s either full throttle or full dynamics, that will be the deciding factor. But once the J’s units need major work I bet we will see them in the dead line just like every other great locomotive CN has ever acquired. I don’t want to sound like I’m prejudice against the EJ&E units I’m not. I’m sure their great…but till all the shop forces I know get their hands on them and hey have to deal with the conditions up here my verdict is mixed. but it’s not because the DMIR’s SD38’s were inferior that they got retired, they just needed simple maintenance, something CN doesn’t comprehend.
Here they are at Pokegama, with 665 right where it should be, leading! It doesn't look like they are going to be used in ore service, as I don't think they have straight air installed at this time. They never went to Homewood to get straight air, they went straight from Joliet up to Pokegama. http://www.flickr.com/photos/18171644@N03/3456274344/
Proctor can install straight air too. Not saying they necessarily will do it to the J units, but they have the option. IIRC that's where a lot of the IC units had their straight air installed.
Noah
We'll have to see what happens. It appears that the EJ&Es are going to be working on the DWP side in Superior for now, but they could move to the DM&IR, much like the two B&LEs. I'd still prefer the 665 working out of Joliet instead of 9 hours away in Pokegama.
Well with the ore traffic in the trash I think your right that they won’t make their way to the DMIR for a while, but yes the SD40’s strait air was plumed at Proctor, but I don’t think the 38’s will get strait aired…as the new order of ore cars don’t have strait air, that is if Pokie will ever give them up and they re put in ore service lol….
Well, I concluded what looks to be the final "special" trip to the Twin Ports, since as of this Thursday, I'll be a permanent resident for the next year. And what a welcome to full time Twin Ports railfanning did I get.
First up, since I had to get things settled with the living arrangements in Proctor, we took care of that first, and since we were there, a runby of Proctor Yard came first. Right away, I spot 403, keeping the "Maroon Streak" alive, so to speak. It appeared to be working the Proctor Roadswitch, and looked to be ready to do the job solo. Forty five minutes later, with the noselights still illuminated, and no sign of movement, I head off to Superior. As I leave, I notice a second Missabe unit ready to haul a train of ore jennies north with another unit. Couldn't get a number, though. Before leaving, I did get a shot of IC 6260.
On the Superior side of things, I turn my attention to the mission of highest priority of the day: Finding Pokegama Yard and the EJ&E units. After going past the 17th and 28th Street Yards for kicks and not finding much, I head south. Well, my wonderful driving experience kicks in, and I get somewhat lost. After backtracking for directions(as well as a correction on my pronunciation of Pokegama), I find where I want to go, and head there with excited intent. I see signs in the distance, and my heart sinks. Yep, "No Tresspassing" signs. At this point, I'm fuming. For the first time in my railfanning experience, I debate blowing the signs off, but better judgment prevails, and I dejectedly make a U-turn out of the area. I search desperately for another way, at last finding the eastern tracks out of the yard, with lights in the distance. Fighting the wind, I make my way out to the bridge, losing sight of the train. I catch sight of it again, and discover, to my dismay, it's going down a set of tracks that I hadn't seen, and was too late to get down there. Adding to my frustration, it's a all-J consist. I sprint the fifty yards back to the car in about five seconds flat, and fly through a U-turn. I search desperately for a road to find a crossing, and take a chance on a dirt road. I fly down this road, and as I round a corner, I see a crossing in the distance. I'm basically praying that there's a public road down that way, and low and behold, there's a crossing there with plenty of room to shoot some video. I'm rewarded at last with EJ&E 665 and 662 leading a freight train!! This absolutely made my day, with awesome sound on the engine, awesome horns, a great consist, and easily one of my top five consists I've caught in the last year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsAXD1q-I10
Yep, the 665 does have a awesome horn, that's why it is my favorite EJ&E SD38-2. As much as I love seeing that vid of it, it does kinda make me a bit sad to know it will probably never lead through Joliet again. I'm glad I shot the 665 as much as I did, many people took it for granted and said "it's just another EJ&E engine with chevrons". Also, you got lucky with the trailing engine, the 662. It's one of three in the J-ball paint scheme.
I also heard that they used EJ&E 666 on a local yesterday. I'd love to see the J SD38-2s go into ore service and get mated up to Missabe SD38-2s, if there are any left by that time.
nssr9169 EJE818 I don't see CN getting rid of the SD38-2s anytime soon. That's why I think all these rumors of 661 and 69 getting scrapped are false. The weird thing is the 666 is the only one of the 4 J SD38-2s that was rebuilt to -2 standards. The 662, 665 and 674 were not rebuilt but were well kept by the J. The J SD38-2s are excellent engines, and I don't say that because EJ&E is my favorite railway. It seems the SD38-2s will pull anything that is put behind them. The J always seemed to be quite happy with them, and from what I've heard floating around, it sounds like the IC crews like them for that very same reason. Also remember, many other railways are converting SD40-2s to SD38-2s. CN is lucky to have the most famous examples of the SD38-2 on their roster, and fortunatly it seems CN gets the fact that SD38-2s are valuable. Unfortunatly, they don't seem to get that they could convert the DM&IR SD38-2s to yard and local service as well, they just retire those. Well the most famous part I could debate, the largest order sure, but it’s a battle I don’t want to get into. However up in the north country in slow speed drag service, the SD40 just doesn’t cut it, only weighing 368,000lbs is a major draw back to their tractive effort. The DMIR’s SD 38’s were among the heaviest tipping the scales at around 390,000lbs. I’m not sure what the EJ&E units weigh but I sure hope they are heavy; otherwise we might as well keep the 40’s around. In ore service they will get a work out…it’s either full throttle or full dynamics, that will be the deciding factor. But once the J’s units need major work I bet we will see them in the dead line just like every other great locomotive CN has ever acquired. I don’t want to sound like I’m prejudice against the EJ&E units I’m not. I’m sure their great…but till all the shop forces I know get their hands on them and hey have to deal with the conditions up here my verdict is mixed. but it’s not because the DMIR’s SD38’s were inferior that they got retired, they just needed simple maintenance, something CN doesn’t comprehend.
SD38-2s pull better than SD40-2s? I thought SD40-2s had turbochargers driven by exhaust. And I would think that pulling heavy ore trains up spirit mountain would make for a lot of exhaust, thus driving the turbo. So wouldnt an SD40-2 be Superior (no pun intended) to an SD38-2 around there?
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
A trio of SD38-2s here on the State Line can pull a loaded coal train up Joliet Hill, so I would think SD38-2s could pull ore trains up steep hills with no problems. One thing that is common from crews on the SD38-2s, they feel they could pull anything put behind them. The one bad thing is the J SD38-2s are only geared for 45MPH so they aren't very good at high speeds. I'm not sure if the DM&IR SD38-2s are geared for 45MPH but since both EJ&E and DM&IR were at one time owned by Transtar there is a good chance. SD40-2s would definatly be a far better choice for anything that is planned to go more than 45MPH.
Another thing is the J power in Iowa hasn't done very well on jointed rail. I think both the DM&IR and the DWP are mostly welded rail similar to the EJ&E, so that shouldn't be a problem up there.
I think EHH hates the DM&IR engines for some reason, I don't know why, but the DM&IRs and the WCs have been getting retired at a far quicker pace than the ICs and the GTWs. We'll see if EHH likes or hates the EJ&Es. Maybe if they make it through this year, CN's new CEO stepping in January 1st will be a little bit smarter about retiring power. The new CEO sure couldn't be much worse than the current one!
Lord Atmo SD38-2s pull better than SD40-2s? I thought SD40-2s had turbochargers driven by exhaust. And I would think that pulling heavy ore trains up spirit mountain would make for a lot of exhaust, thus driving the turbo. So wouldnt an SD40-2 be Superior (no pun intended) to an SD38-2 around there?
Well to answer your question, one must think of tractive effort and not horsepower. The IC SD40’s that were sent up here are not geared for slow speed service, more towards high speed freight…like 65 or 70 mph I’m not sure which…as EJ&E 818 said the SD38’s are geared for transfer service…slow and extended pulling power…so they are more efficient in simple terms at applying the power to the railhead in the mph range that the ore trains are handled at…all under 40mph… Also the average DMIR sd38 weighed about 30 tons more than the sd40’s so there is ore weight per axel to help prevent wheel slip. That’s why the DMIR and EJE units have an advantage. Does that help?
Now I have a question was EJ&E ever a US Steel RR?
Robby no doubt knows better than I do, but I'm pretty sure the EJ&E was a U.S. Steel railroad up until the CN buyout... Didn't most of their smaller switchers go to a company created to serve the steel mills?
Finally Hunter Harrison decides to Retire
Yep, in fact you can blame U.S Steel for selling off the EJ&E to CN. They are also kinda responsible for the demise of the DM&IR and the B&LE when they sold those off to Great Lakes Transport. Sadly, it seems USS has been trying to slowly back out of the railroad business. Back in the day, the EJ&E, the B&LE and the DM&IR were the big three roads owned by United States Steel, now all owned by CN. Yes, the EJ&E was owned by USS right up until the final day. They were a Transtar company for basically their entire existance. This also would explain why the EJ&E and DM&IR fleets were almost identical for a very long time until the DM&IR bought the SD40-3s.
USS kept the switching operations in Gary, but they did not keep the EJ&E name for those operations. The switching in Gary is now operated by the new Gary Railway. The EJ&E split into the EJ&E West and the EJ&E East. The EJ&E west went to CN and assumed the EJ&E name. The EJ&E east is now the Gary Railway. CN now owns all rights to the EJ&E name, all of that was sold off to them.
Yeah, I say it's about time EHH retires, maybe the anti-WC and anti-DM&IR behavior will cease. I'm hoping if any EJ&Es last through this year, maybe the new CEO will be a little better about their motive power. The lastest move by CN is replacing the EJ&E SDMs with IC SW14s, which makes no sense since CN has been trying to get rid of the SW14s for years. The funny thing is that they were bumped from Homewood yard by EJ&E SD38-2s.