Last year one of the former SD60MAC demonstrators, EMDX 9501, was seen heading from it’s home at the TTCI test center at Pueblo, CO to Washington state. Supposedly EMD wanted to do tmodifications to the SD60MAC for test purposes. Well, the rumors turned out to be true. A recent picture of blue-painted EMDX 9501 at CEECO shows what looks like SD70Ace radiators and rear body section grafted onto an SD60 frame.
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=96759&d=1231649377
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=96760&d=1231649377
The big giveaway this was an SD60MAC is the early 3-window SD60M cab. My guess is EMD wants to use the “SD60ACe” as a testbed to evaluate the feasability of upgrading older SD60/70s to comply with stricter Tier-2+ emissions standards.
Probably, they also might be doing it as a upgrade package for railroads that dont like the SD70ACe's or don't want to buy a whole new locomotive.
The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
Did anyone notice how the long hood goes all the way to the edge of the frame? I wonder how you would get from one engine to another if its leading.
The reason the hood goes to the end of the frame is that 9501 now has dynamic brakes at the back and the dynamic brake grilles at the front (behind the cab) are blanked off. There is no sign of the old inverter grilles, so 9501 might have an SD70ACE inverter box on the left hand side.
These changes to items not involved in meeting tier 2 suggests that this is not a protoype rebuild to change emission regulations but a complete rebuild to full SD70ACe specifications.
M636C
Radial trucks, too. 9501 was built with HTCs.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
its not a prototype for any kind of rebuild progam, it will be an engine testbed unit for EMD.
Bryan Jones
All 4 of the SD60MAC's were built with HTCR radial trucks as standard equipment, the first brand new locomotives to have them, so they are not a new addition to the #9501.
EMD SD60 demo/test unit EMD 3 was retrofitted with them for testing prior to the SD60MAC's being released.
Bryan Jones All 4 of the SD60MAC's were built with HTCR radial trucks as standard equipment, the first brand new locomotives to have them, so they are not a new addition to the #9501. EMD SD60 demo/test unit EMD 3 was retrofitted with them for testing prior to the SD60MAC's being released. Bryan Jones
You are completely correct! (and I am completely wrong!) I should have known better. I was involved in the test of the SD60MACs on Conrail and the test of the radial trucks on the SD70M demo units.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=9423&nseq=5
Hmm, what's under that tarp where the engine cowl ought to be? A 12 cylinder 265H, perhaps?
klahm Hmm, what's under that tarp where the engine cowl ought to be? A 12 cylinder 265H, perhaps?
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.