How many of you agree that NS is the king of rebuids? I know they have over 100 of there SD60Es that they are rebulding from SD60 locomotives. Some people say that they look like crap and they don't look like good runnable locomotives. And what about there GE Dash 8.5 rebuilds that they are rebulding from D8-40CWs what are your thoughts on thoses? And what about all the old power that they have got the SD90MACs I heard that they are going to put iso cabs on them like they have one there SD70ACes then rebulid the engine into SD70ACe engines I don't know if that will happen. I just want to know your thoughts about this?
NS may be the current leader in regards to rebuilds but it has a long way to go to catch up with IC (various Paducah rebuilds from GP7, GP9, SD24, etc.) and Santa Fe (CF7, GP7 rebuilds, switcher rebuilds, etc.).
Conrail did a lot of rebuilding, back in the day, including the "Dewitt Geeps." Other roads also rebuilt RS3's.
I will support the contention that IC may have been the king.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Personally, I think of most of the Santa Fe's projects as upgrades, and not rebuilds. Horsepower was raised, a lot of components were altered, etc.
A lot of railroads rebuilt their GP7s/9s into GP8s/10s/11s, but IC was the largest converter, and the only one that actively solicited rebuilds via PNC for other roads, and purchased locomotives for rebuilds for their own use. Most of CR's GP rebuilds were PNC rebuilds, although a few were done at M-K and in-house.
NS's rebuilds are more in-kind rebuilds than those of the Santa Fe.
I think Morrison-Knudson was the rebuild king. :)
Among current US railroads, I'd have to say yes. NS operates 2 large locomotive shops, Juniata (EMD) and Roanoke (GE), with major rebuild programs at both facilities.
Since the BN-ATSF merger, BNSF closed the San Bernardino shops and has shifted to just doing repairs and overhauls at the Topeka shops. UP has been only doing overhauls and repairs since the SP merger and the Sacramento shops were closed.
CSX is doing some rebuilds and has plans to expand that work. But they are not planning to have rebuild programs on the scale that NS is doing.
Most locomotive rebuilding is now contracted out to places like VMV and the NS and CSX rebuild programs are the exception more than the rule like back in the 1960s and 1970s when every rilroad was rebuilding and upgrading their older power.
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