NS orders SD70ACe's

[ns3010]

http://trn.trains.com/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2010/09/Norfolk%20Southern%20orders%20100%20SD70ACes.aspx

I guess they were happy with the AC traction of the ES44AC's, so I guess they're going to try out the EMD version.

I wonder if they will have 4000 HP like the rest of their modern locos, or full (in this case, 4300) HP like the ES44AC's.

[THEKINGOFDISTRUCTION]

They probably will. This is interesting news kind of like when they ordered the ES44ACs.

[carnej1]

This is a duplicate thread as there is already a discussion on the TRAINS MAGAZINE (GENERAL DISCUSSION) about the new NS AC orders.

 They intend to operate their AC fleet at full rated power because in low speed,heavy haul service (i.e coal trains in hilly terrain) the 6 AC traction motors on each loco can efficiently use all 4300-4300 HP for maximum tractive effort...not true of DC units.

[CAZEPHYR]

THEKINGOFDISTRUCTION

They probably will. This is interesting news kind of like when they ordered the ES44ACs.

Seems funny they would bother to order 25 each of the SD70Ace models since the GE's our perform them in most cases on heavy trains and use less fuel at the same time according to most articles. This order is probably justified in keeping EMD in business so GE will hold their prices in line on future buys. 

At the same time, the article reads that NS is buying out the lease on the SD80Mac models.  From what I read about the deal, that probably means they are going back. 

CZ

[YoHo1975]

Um, Care to Source that?

Because I've seen EPA fuel consumption numbers and the GEVO does NOT beat the 710 by any statistically significant amount. 

[YoHo1975]

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=62651

 

According to the EPA report, the fuel efficiency difference is .6% or about one half of 1%.

 

That's in the statistical dirt. They're a wash. 

[THEKINGOFDISTRUCTION]

That is really nothing. .6% more fuel efficient? From my eyes they are both fuel efficient and reliable. Well they do have their bugs, but I think by now most of them have been ironed out.

[edbenton]

.5% of a year on Fuel consumption and over say 20 Years when you burn 1.2 Millions of Fuel in that time is still a savings of 10000 gallons PER locomotive over its life.  Now do that for a few hundred Locomotives and your talking some BIG TIME BUCKS.  Sorry in the OTR industry were the Largest cost is Fuel .5% of an Improvement well you would have fleets like JB Hunt Crete Schiender and Swift at your door going were do we SIGN.

[YoHo1975]

And yet EMD is or at least was at Capacity. Don't forget they can't make as many units a year as GE does.

 

And people still do buy them.

Plus, as was stated, those numbers are statistically in the dirt.

That doesn't mean that .5% savings on fuel over the course of 20 years isn't significant. it does mean that any single locomotive may be worse or better than that from either locomotive. you could have a GEVO that is 2% worse and an ACe that is 1% better.

Because each loco is unique and fuel consumption is affected by so many different things many of them uncontrollable.

 

.5% means that you cannot say "My fleet of GEVOs will use less fuel over 20 years no matter what." They may, if you have the right circumstances. They may not.

Such is the nature of Statistics.