What is the current status of EMD's SD70ACe-P4 project?
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Cancelled, with the SD70ACe order being increased. BNSF decided that the model would not be ready in a timely manner.
I wonder if the model will be resurrected when the "product improved" SD70ACe with one AC inverter per traction motor becomes the standard production model in a couple years...
Perhaps more likely if more of the industry embraces the replacement of six motored DC locomotives with 4 motored AC power...
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
I had heard that BNSF had changed the initial 10 engines to straight 6 motor SD70ACe engines due to needing new engines immediately. And is the dual inverter still 'standard', or is the 6 inverter setup the new standard, or an option?
jrbernier I had heard that BNSF had changed the initial 10 engines to straight 6 motor SD70ACe engines due to needing new engines immediately. And is the dual inverter still 'standard', or is the 6 inverter setup the new standard, or an option? Jim
What I have read (including in TRAINS) is that the one inverter-per-traction motor design will be standard, although I imagine if a customer really wanted the older one inverter-per-truck design they may well be able to order it..
IINM, there will not be any production locomotives delivered with the redesigned system until 2014 but there is a prototype being tested now.
beaulieu Cancelled, with the SD70ACe order being increased. BNSF decided that the model would not be ready in a timely manner.
BNSF cancelled plans to modify several existing SD70ACe's in the fleet to that standard for testing and instead placed an order for 10 built new prototypes. Are you sure they've now cancelled that too?
I have to think that with the success of the GE equivalent on BNSF that EMD is still underway with the project one way or another. Didn't they already convert a builder owned demo to that standard for test purposes?
BNSF cancelled the order in favor of standard SD70ACes because the P4 requires the "One Inverter per axle design" the software for which is still being debugged. BNSF did not want to lose the 10 Locomotives in the 2013 production queue so the opted to have them built as standard.
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