A solute to EMD units

[TH&B]

In 1954 the Danish State Railway DSB in Europe bought a large fleet of GM units based of the GP9 in a double ended F unit like car body assembled by NOHAB of Sweden. They are called the MYand Mx. I have heard great praise for these engines by operating employees including engineers, maintaners and bean counters. The low HP rating and heavy weight by Danish standards made the engine exellent for hauling loads. At 100 tons less wheel slip and capable of 80mph (133kmh). It is said that it has been DSB railways best single investment of ralway equipement of all time. It could handle all tains that a huge variaty of steam locomotives did. And no newer engine has been as versatile.

Now they have been removed from state service because of noise polusion, air polusion, not able to keep high speed scheduals (but always able to pull any train train in any weather and can be multiplied easily wich is not always the case with newer trains) heavy fuel consumtion right from day one and of course age and even from being banned by local comunities.

But the newer locomotives and trains have not proved as good including very hi- HP electrics and MU sets that weigh less, but engineers say that HP weight ratio is unbalanced and bean counters say that they are expensive and have to be double headed frequently anyways becaues 2x7000 hp on 80 tons each can't pull a cork out of a bottle(if it can start the train it will go 180kmh but that is an if and not practica for freght or stopping trains ). GM also later built SD40 and 45 type engines that were not as successfull in passenger service and were disapointing (they were just too heavy and damaged track at speed and were restricted from branch lines, also a kind of imbalanced weight/power ratio).

You can still see My engines in use in Denmark, waivers get passed so they can use them because they are more flexible then late equipement. The steel train still comes into the capital city were they are otherwise banned because of incompatable multi voltage railway routings and low cost and flexibility of operation. For some reason modern engines aren't like that. My and Mx can still be seen on other routes regularly. They are also used as rescue trains (pulling failed hi tech MU trains) and snow plow trains etc.

An engeer said that when they were new one unit had failed and an Americen EMD rep came over to assess the waurantee. When he observed DSB engineers throttle up slowly like the way they operate he said "crank it right up, so we can see what it can do ... if it can't take the load then it's kaput, and we'll send you a new one" . Other engine types were more interesting on 1954 but this GM My could out perform them all.

The My was contracted out to NOHAB in Sweden to build but it was an American engine and it was the best. Today they have these fancy pants super modern units that have all kinds of restrictions of use. In spite of being 50 years old and banned you can still see them in use if you know where and when they go. Many have been scrapped but many have also been sold to other countries including Sweden who never used them as new.

check this one out;
http://w1.586.telia.com/~u58613872/tmy106.html

[Anonymous]

That is one ugly Locomotive........WOOF![:D].

[M636C]

I can only support 440cuin's comments. The EMD locomotives (and particularly the earlier units) have been an excellent investment for Australian Railways. I'm not unbiased, I've had shares in the local builder of EMD units for more than 30 years (not that much money, more a sentimental thing).

The equivalent Australian units to the Danish My were the Victorian B class. Here's a link to a site with details and photos.

http://locopage.railpage.org.au/vline/b.html

These units look much more like the US locomotives, but are about the same size as the European units. The history listing shows that most of them are still in use, either rebuilt with 12-645E3B engines or some with their original 567B engines rebuilt to 567BC with integral water jackets on the cylinder liners.

Nothing else has proved so reliable in the long run, anywhere in the world.

Peter

[espeefoamer]

What is the story behind this loco being painted in Great Northern colors?Is it in a museum? If not,have any of these locos been preserved?
P.S. I don't think the engine is ugly. I like it. It looks like a double ended E unit[:)].

[eolafan]

Woof is right, kind of reminds me of what a little kid's drawing of a locomotive would look like.

[M636C]

The locomotive was painted in GN colours for a "Western" movie set in the USA in the 1950s, filmed in Sweden. The locomotive has kept the colours since and is apparently regarded locally with some affection. The shape of the structure gauge in Europe forced the roof curvature which affects the appearance of the unit. These units were used in Denmark, Norway and Hungary, and similar units were built in Belgium, and used in Belgium and Luxembourg. Locomotives are preserved in Norway, Belgium and Hungary. Other Danish units are now operating for private systems in Germany as well.

Peter

[GMS-AU]

Hi All

Don't forget EMD is still making waves in Europe. The MY has offspring in the form of the Class 66 in Britain and similar now throughout Europe. The 4000 hp SD70 based loco was purchased by Ed Burkhardt's EWS and has led to other sales in Europe to other private operators. EWS bought at least 250 of the 75mph C-C units and this helped EMD sell the others. Most European loco's are one off designs where as with the 66 class operators know what they are getting. Long live EMD.

G M Simpson