Santa Fe F unit upgrades

[Anonymous]

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[daveklepper]

When I spent a college summer at EMD (1952), we designed the package to upgrade FT's to automatic transition for the B&O. How many other railroads applied this upgrade?
I think the B&M did, but what about others?

[M636C]

In about 1980, the New South Wales State Rail Authority upgraded locomotive 4201, their first EMD unit, model A16C, although it was confusingly listed as an A7 when built in 1955 (confusing because although it had a 567C engine the use of "7" in the model associated it with the earlier 567B engine units).

I inspected the unit when it was nearing completion, and the first thing that struck me was the number of obviously new electrical components finished in 1950s black textured paint, which I assumed were original spares pulled from the shelves for the first time in 25 years.

The power cables appeared to be original, as Mark indicated, but they had been sheathed with new silicon rubber insulation in the form of a "hose" which had been sliced open and slipped around the cables in situ.

Some efforts were made to sound insulate the cab, and new spark arresting exhaust manifolds (which had a slight sound muffling effect) were fitted.

The upgrade was unsuccessful, but the locomotive was preserved and still sees some special passenger service.

As to AT&SF units, photos I've seen suggest that the original fans and dynamic brake units were retained (not always clear from "ground level" photos) regardless of the other changes.

UP rebuilt some earlier units as "F9s" and I assume this involved the substitution of a 567C engine.

Worley's AT&SF history gives the FT identities "rebuilt" into GP20 and GP35 units. I imagine not much other than the truck frames were recycled!

Peter

[Paul Milenkovic]

Did the 645 liner give them any more HP? A stock 16-cyl non-turbo 645 was 2000 HP while the 567's maxed at about 1750 HP? Were there Fs with 2000 HP, or if they didn't get more power, was there another reason for the 645 liners (I heard them called "power assemblies" -- they can be swapped out when the pistons wear out but you can keep the same engine block.

[M636C]

Mark,

At least as far as I know, no 567D engines were used in Australia. All the data we have states 567C right up to a couple of 567Es about the time the 645 took over. I assume the 567Es had C liners, since interchangeability was the stated reason for their existence. A number of European railways had 567D engines. It seems logical that the D liner, associated with the D3 turbo engines, would have larger ports. Perhaps there was a perceived advantage at high altitudes (which we don't really have in Australia) so we never got any. Norway was one of the places that did get them, and I do understand that! This does assume that there is no advantage from larger ports at lower altitudes, which doesn't quite sound right to me.

Peter

[Anonymous]

I don't know if your technical questions get answered, but I found a good site to look at for early ATSF diesel power is:

http://www.atsfrr.com/resources/funits/ftnotes.htm

Erik