NS orders 65 more C40-9W's

[kevarc]

Ns doesn't have a hatred of AC units. They just do not see the benefits of spending the extra money for them. NS doesn't have the same type of hauls that justify the costs of AC. AC really shines on long heavy hauls - coal. While UP and BNSF have long hauls for their unit trains, notice that you very seldom see AC on manifest or intermodal trains except in a few locales, NS does not.

While some may call NS cheap, they are actually very conservative fiscally. They always have been and probably always will be. But they still get the job done. And when you look at their bottom line, they are one of the top RR's.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

Why on earth would anyone want dynamic braking on a switch engine?

Unless they plan on moving heavy tonage in the yard.

[Anonymous]

CHaveRR.........What trains will the UP use the SD70ACe's on?

[kevarc]

What trains will the UP use the SD70ACe's on? - coal

Why on earth would anyone want dynamic braking on a switch engine? - These were mostly bought by loggin RR's. Switchers could handle what loggers wanted and at a lower cost. IIRC, the Challis (sp) and a few other western loggers bought them.

[Junctionfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill

Oh? Hatred?

How many coal trains do you think NS runs every day? And what is it about their railroad that makes A.C. locomotives more appropriate than D.C.?

Looking at a NS train I.D roster, I would say hundreds. 600-800 series plus maybe a few locals (not too sure it is solely coal).

AC power seems to handle grades better than DC power. So when they go through Virginia, Pennsylvania and any states that have mountainous regions, I would think that AC power would be better drag train haulers than DC.

[oltmannd]

LV had a bunch of DB equipped SW8s. They were built for a particular assignment, but I don't know the details.

[Junctionfan]

CSX's Sand Patch route is one example of a steep grade that likely helped CSX desire AC power. I don't know what kind of grades NS has but it seems to me that since they run through a good few mountainous states, there would be a good few grades to go on.

I have heard discussion before about AC units being better for hauling because they can draw more power so I naturally assumed that CSX since they go through the same states that NS does, needed it for their coal and ore trains too.

[Anonymous]

When NS can buy 3 C40-9W's for the price of two AC4400's (or in NS's case, AC4000's), which one would they buy? Same goes with the standard cab units, NS bought over 100 C40-9's when it was cheaper to purchase standard cab units, when it was cheaper to buy widecabs (yes, I know they are really wide noses) they started buying them.

As for LV's SW8's, they were used in coal service, the Reading & Northern uses four for the same purpose.

[Anonymous]

LV had 18 SW8's with dynamic brakes.

Read this for much more information- http://www.lvrrmodeler.net/Pups

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wcfan4ever

I thought they stopped producing C40-9W's or 9-40CW's. I thought that was something of the past. Can't every railroad have unified locomotives instead of calling them something different for each railroad?

...No, they are still being produced..I would imagine until at least the end of this year, until the Tier 2 Laws take effect....NS is testing 15 GE ES40DC'S...numbered in the 7500 Series...They have a 12 Cylinder Prime Mover producing 4400 HP...The Dash Nines run the same Hp from 16 Cylinders,,,,The ES40DC's have a unique sound to them..I witnesses a paor pulling a Roadrailer upgrade through Cresson, Pa back in July..they chug much faster than the 16 Cylinders. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[CShaveRR]

I honestly don't know how the UP SD70ACe units will be used. I suspect that they'll be on assignments similar to what the SD9043s are getting now, but those are pretty rare on this end of the line. Every once in a while I see a 9043 as the D.P. unit on a coal train.