SD60M And SD60M-3 external Differences

[caldreamer]

Are there any external differences between an SD60M and an SD60M-3?  I have looked at a number of pictures, but they are not really close shots, so I cannot dissern any differences if there are any.

[YoHo1975]

What's an SD60M-3?

[Leo_Ames]

I believe he's referencing the new BNSF rebuild program for SD60M's that got mentioned in a recent issue of Trains. 

[caldreamer]

Leo is correct.  The SD60M-3 are the BNSF SD60M's that BNSF are upgrading to -3 standards.

What I was asking was are there any external changes made during the upgrade.

[NorthWest]

If they're like the GP60M-3s, I think it is just an internal upgrade and general overhaul.

[caldreamer]

What I have found interesting is that except for being renumbered into the 1400 series and the BNSF patch almost all of the BNSF SD60M's that were upgraded to -3 standards were not repainted into BNSf colors and retained their BN original white face paintg scheme.

[Bryan Jones]

caldreamer

What I have found interesting is that except for being renumbered into the 1400 series and the BNSF patch almost all of the BNSF SD60M's that were upgraded to -3 standards were not repainted into BNSf colors and retained their BN original white face paintg scheme.

 

none of the BNSF SD60M's have been rebuilt to DASH 3 standards nor are there plans to do so. If you read the news item again it states that a handful of the units will be rebuilt but recieve no significant mechanical upgrades.

 

Bryan Jones

[caldreamer]

Bryan:

  You are wrong. All of the 1400 series SD60M's are now SD60M-3's.  Here is what is beig done to upgrade them:

 

Replacement of the EMD Mod-3 microprocessor with a 
Q-Tron microprocessor. And the addition of New York Air 
Brake CCB2 electronic air brakes and an electronic parking
brake

 

[YoHo1975]

I realize that -3 has no formal meaning, but if you take a 3rd generation locomotive with microprocessor controls and replace in kind with a different bran and on Airbrakes, I assume they had 26Ls? but you could get CCB2 electornic Air brakes standard. have you really done anything to justify an enhancement.

 

The official -2 involved a number of changes including to the switch to alternators and the modular electrical cabinet. 

 

A normal -3 involves taking a non-Microprocessor controlled engine and making it a microprocessor controlled one.

 

So an SD60M is already a -3 by virtue of being a Microprocessor controlled loco.

 

It's still the same basic locomotive. Just with a different brand of Microprocessor and an upgraded brake system. 

[ATSFGuy]

At least the SD60M's are being rebuilt vs just sitting on a deadline.

Will they retain thier paint scheme?

[kgbw49]

A few look to be out there with H3...

However, some are out there in this simplified paint version...

 

 

[caldreamer]

From all of the pictures that I have seen and have been posted above. it looks like all of the 1400 series SD60's are being repainted into the H4 paint scheme with the H1 stripes, wider orange band and swoosh logo.

[Bryan Jones]

caldreamer

Bryan:

  You are wrong. All of the 1400 series SD60M's are now SD60M-3's.  Here is what is beig done to upgrade them:

 

Replacement of the EMD Mod-3 microprocessor with a 
Q-Tron microprocessor. And the addition of New York Air 
Brake CCB2 electronic air brakes and an electronic parking
brake

 

 

No, the SD60M's have not and are not being upgraded to SD60M-3's. The work scope listed above is what has been done to the GP60M's when upgraded to GP60M-3 status. Some of the units have had R/C equipment installed and some have recieved electronic parking brakes but none have had the with MOD-3 microprocessor replaced by a Q-Tron unit.

 

Bryan Jones