Trains.com

BNSF Executive SD70MAC Rebuild Program?

35177 views
71 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • 1,879 posts
Posted by YoHo1975 on Thursday, September 28, 2017 9:15 AM
Some days I wish the knowledgeable people in these threads would become Wikipedia contributors. Their pages are only as good as the contributors. An engineering document with a copyright date would be a valid source to update the article. Not calling anyone out per se' I don't need another hobby either. :( but the info is out there, just not in the hands of the Wiki contributors.
  • Member since
    October 2012
  • 225 posts
Posted by DS4-4-1000 on Thursday, September 28, 2017 9:24 AM

YoHo1975
Some days I wish the knowledgeable people in these threads would become Wikipedia contributors. Their pages are only as good as the contributors. An engineering document with a copyright date would be a valid source to update the article. Not calling anyone out per se' I don't need another hobby either. :( but the info is out there, just not in the hands of the Wiki contributors.

The problem with contributing to Wiki with such data is that someone will come right behind you and revise the entry citing one of the "mass market" books that are full of errors as the authoritive document.

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • 1,879 posts
Posted by YoHo1975 on Thursday, September 28, 2017 1:56 PM
That's what the talk page is for. The article for the EMD 710 has nothing on the talk page. Nobody has challenged any of it.
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: South Central,Ks
  • 7,170 posts
Posted by samfp1943 on Saturday, September 30, 2017 2:47 PM

The Topic Title on this Thread threw me for a curve....Does the OP refer to the units by their 'paint scheme' name ?  The green and creme painted units in the classes mentioned in this Thread are often referred to as "Grinstein Green" to pay homage to the then president of the railroad Gerald Grinsterin from 1985/95 and over saw the purchase of the SD70 (varients) 

One of the first casualties of the BN>BNSF mergers were the 'Executive Train' power units BN1 (A)/Bn2(B)/BN3 (A).  In 1997 they were donated to the IRM museum's fleet.  They had just beren reworked for their roles as Executive Train power, and were a matched set of matched E-9 units. Their paint scheme was slightly darker than the Grinstein(Pulman) Green, and had a red line for the color separation. { They had also been fitted with diaphragms between the units, and extended couplings to allow for that new hardware.}    Ok, consider my 'nits' picked! Bang Head

 

 

 

 


 

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • 1,879 posts
Posted by YoHo1975 on Saturday, September 30, 2017 6:33 PM

I take issue with your nits, Grinstein Green is the color green used. The paint scheme is called the Executive Scheme(or colloquially, Cream and Green), because it was put on BN1,2 and 3 FIRST! The executive units got the executive paint scheme. Also, the SD70MACs in fact ALSO have a red stripe and the shade of green is the same.To my knowledge, neither is considered Pullman Green. Finally, the 3 executive units are NOT a matched set. BN1&2 are former NP F9s that were completely rebuilt with 2000HP 16-645E Prime movers. In a sense, they are F38-2s. BN-3 was a (I assume CB&Q) E unit that had been in Chicago commuter service. It is unmodified. So, to reiterate, the OP is correct, that paint scheme is called the BN Executive Scheme. Grinstein green refers to the shade of green.

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: South Central,Ks
  • 7,170 posts
Posted by samfp1943 on Sunday, October 1, 2017 10:41 AM

YoHo1975

I take issue with your nits, Grinstein Green is the color green used. The paint scheme is called the Executive Scheme(or colloquially, Cream and Green), because it was put on BN1,2 and 3 FIRST! The executive units got the executive paint scheme. Also, the SD70MACs in fact ALSO have a red stripe and the shade of green is the same.To my knowledge, neither is considered Pullman Green. Finally, the 3 executive units are NOT a matched set. BN1&2 are former NP F9s that were completely rebuilt with 2000HP 16-645E Prime movers. In a sense, they are F38-2s. BN-3 was a (I assume CB&Q) E unit that had been in Chicago commuter service. It is unmodified. So, to reiterate, the OP is correct, that paint scheme is called the BN Executive Scheme. Grinstein green refers to the shade of green.

 

  To YoHo 1975  Bow  I owe you a mea culpa..Sigh  I guess my eyesight is not what it used to be as to color definition.. We get the occasional Grinstein Green scheme on units passing through this area [mostly, on coal trains/ empty returns, via KC area?]. 

 I remember reading in an old edition of TRAINS about the donation of the BN Executive Train power (A-B-A) set to the IRM. I think it was about 1997(?). Somehow it 'stuck' in my memory that they were a 'matched set' from that article(?).  I seem to recall that when they were donated, they they had just been outshopped, and were virtually rebuilt to (then) updated specifications, you had mentioned.        One of the mods mentioned were the application of full height passenger-style(?) diaphragms between the units.. Odd, but it had increased the need to lengthen the couplers between the units to accomodate that adition.    Appreciate, your addition to the info on the three units.Thumbs Up

 

 


 

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • 1,879 posts
Posted by YoHo1975 on Sunday, October 1, 2017 11:39 AM
I know for a fact the F units were donated in 1997. I've heard that the E-unit came later, but whether that means a few months later or a year later or? I don't know.
  • Member since
    August 2009
  • 322 posts
Posted by BLS53 on Friday, March 9, 2018 11:52 PM

SooBoy61

Looks like Progress Rail/BNSF is going ahead with a full rebuild of the BNSF SD75M/I units.  Recent photos show most of the remaining units at Progress Rail Mayfield, KY facility except for a couple that remain in Tacoma, WA.  I also noticed that the newly rebuilt ones are sporting the new H4 livery.  Wonder how the black will hold up over time?

 

Just saw three shiny ones today northbound at Metropolis IL on the BNSF Paducah KY-Beardstown IL sub. PAL brings them from Mayfield to Paducah.

  • Member since
    August 2009
  • 322 posts
Posted by BLS53 on Saturday, March 10, 2018 12:18 AM

DS4-4-1000

 

 
YoHo1975
Some days I wish the knowledgeable people in these threads would become Wikipedia contributors. Their pages are only as good as the contributors. An engineering document with a copyright date would be a valid source to update the article. Not calling anyone out per se' I don't need another hobby either. :( but the info is out there, just not in the hands of the Wiki contributors.

 

The problem with contributing to Wiki with such data is that someone will come right behind you and revise the entry citing one of the "mass market" books that are full of errors as the authoritive document.

 

If it's published somewhere, it's good to go on Wikipedia. On a particular biographical article of a noted family member, of which I'm a primary source, I was called out by one of their editors. I offered to send in appropriate identification, and that wasn't good enough. The editor suggested I call a local newspaper, and have them interview me, and then publish an article in the newspaper. After that, list the article as a citation, and my contribution would be deemed satisfactory. I told him to pound sand. 

  • Member since
    August 2009
  • 322 posts
Posted by BLS53 on Saturday, March 10, 2018 12:26 AM

samfp1943

The Topic Title on this Thread threw me for a curve....Does the OP refer to the units by their 'paint scheme' name ?  The green and creme painted units in the classes mentioned in this Thread are often referred to as "Grinstein Green" to pay homage to the then president of the railroad Gerald Grinsterin from 1985/95 and over saw the purchase of the SD70 (varients) 

One of the first casualties of the BN>BNSF mergers were the 'Executive Train' power units BN1 (A)/Bn2(B)/BN3 (A).  In 1997 they were donated to the IRM museum's fleet.  They had just beren reworked for their roles as Executive Train power, and were a matched set of matched E-9 units. Their paint scheme was slightly darker than the Grinstein(Pulman) Green, and had a red line for the color separation. { They had also been fitted with diaphragms between the units, and extended couplings to allow for that new hardware.}    Ok, consider my 'nits' picked! Bang Head

 

 

 

Never understood why RR's have to have cutesy names for all their colors. Not like they ever wash the things once they're in service. Seems an unneccesary extention of automobile marketing. However, with RR's, the consumer doesn't care.

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: Cardiff, CA
  • 2,930 posts
Posted by erikem on Saturday, March 10, 2018 11:14 AM

BLS53

If it's published somewhere, it's good to go on Wikipedia. On a particular biographical article of a noted family member, of which I'm a primary source, I was called out by one of their editors. I offered to send in appropriate identification, and that wasn't good enough. The editor suggested I call a local newspaper, and have them interview me, and then publish an article in the newspaper. After that, list the article as a citation, and my contribution would be deemed satisfactory. I told him to pound sand. 

My "favorite" experience with the Wackypedia editors was comments on an article on track circuits. The article itself was accurate, detailed and well written (FWIW, I was NOT the author, nor did I now the author). The editorial comment was that the article was too technical and was being considered for deletion because of that.

You could also think of the request as the editor being very aware of the problems with Wikipedia, and allowing people a way to verify the contents of the article.

 

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • 3,231 posts
Posted by NorthWest on Saturday, March 10, 2018 1:53 PM

There's been a lot of strange stuff that I've seen on Wikipedia, but it tends to be better than a lot of the other fan sites. Speculation and misinformation tends to be rampant.

Many of the paint schemes are nicknamed by railfans rather than being official names.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy