Why?.....

2175 views

2 replies

K&ARailfan

Member since
September 2007
From: K&A Sub MP 415.0
163 posts

Why?.....

Posted by K&ARailfan on Thursday, September 6, 2007 10:42 PM

Did Norfolk Southern order thier new SD70M-2s and ES40DCs with only 4300HP? I heard that it had to do with fuel conservation, is this correct?

The question of what CSX stands for comes up frequently on these forums, so here you go. C=Chessie S=Seaboard, X=Many More/The RR's that Chessie and Seaboard were comprised of (L&N, C&O, SCL, etc)

Reply

zapp

Member since
August 2003
From: weatherford,Tx
367 posts

Posted by zapp on Friday, September 7, 2007 8:09 AM

They also do not believe the additional cost of AC traction is worth the money, I couldn't disagree more.

Reply

carnej1

Member since
November 2003
From: Rhode Island
2,289 posts

Posted by carnej1 on Friday, September 7, 2007 11:40 AM

I have read in a variety of sources that NS prefers to limit it's units to 4000HP (not 4300) because they find that they get better fuel efficiency with the slightly reduced rating. At least some of the 70 series EMD's and Dash 9 GE's have a key controlled system that allows the locomotives to be switched back to the full 4300-4400 horses. Only a supervisor can do this....

"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock