CSX Dash 7's - The End of an Era

[fredswain]

UP has an SD-40T-2 tunnel motor working switching duty at Lloyd Yard north of Houston. You never know when it will be retired or scrapped so one day last year when it was tied up on a siding next to an intermodal facility I took lots of photos from all around it while the security guard there watched. I even zoomed in on many details and have many closeups of random sections. Someday when they are gone, I'll be able to look back at my pictures and tell exactly what that engine had and where.

Fred

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Here's a link that might help:  http://railbuss.com.br/trens/galeria/thumbnails.php?album=157&page=3

[The Railwolf]

 

CSSHEGEWISCH

LS&I lists 4 ex-BN C30-7's on its roster, not sure how long they'll last.  A fair number were shipped to Brazil, where they were re-gauged (some were re-trucked) and are running on ALL and EFVM.  EF Carajas also has some C30-7's and C36-7's operating on broad gauge.  MRS operates a collection of various Dash-7's, both original and secondhand, on its broad-gauge lines.

Well that's good to hear. I wonder if I'll see any of the B36's that I've documented converted to BB36-7's?

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

LS&I lists 4 ex-BN C30-7's on its roster, not sure how long they'll last.  A fair number were shipped to Brazil, where they were re-gauged (some were re-trucked) and are running on ALL and EFVM.  EF Carajas also has some C30-7's and C36-7's operating on broad gauge.  MRS operates a collection of various Dash-7's, both original and secondhand, on its broad-gauge lines.

[The Railwolf]

SSW9389

A list of preserved GEs is here: http://www.thedieselshop.us/PRSVDge.HTML#Road . At the very bottom of the page there is one B30-7 preserved.

 

 

Just ONE?

 Seriously? Are there any operating Dash 7's anywhere else? Someone needs to phone CSX, I might myself!

[The Railwolf]

BigJim

I know it sounds sappy, but I almost broke down when I heard the news.

Good riddance and take the Dash 8's with them.

 

That was rather unnecessary.

[SSW9389]

A list of preserved GEs is here: http://www.thedieselshop.us/PRSVDge.HTML#Road . At the very bottom of the page there is one B30-7 preserved.

[BigJim]

I know it sounds sappy, but I almost broke down when I heard the news.

Good riddance and take the Dash 8's with them.

[creepycrank]

I think that the B20-8 is probably is an attempt to produce a GE version of the GP38 for local and switching service where the turbo is more of a liability than help. Without the turbo they may get another 5 years of service out of the engines. On 4 stroke engines stroke 1 and 4 serve the scavenging function and all that is needed is to severely limit the fuel. To modify the engine they have to remove the turbo, aftercoolers and external water and oil piping and fabricate a new inlet air duct. Without the turbo impeller in the way they get some decent air flow. This is probably CSX brainchild and they most likely had a candidate in a unit with a sick turbo that needed replacement. If GE was involved in any way with this it would have been front page news in every trade publication. They are in the business of selling new locomotives and rather see all of these go to the scrapper.

[The Railwolf]

 Are these B20-8's going to be keeping their turbochargers? I don't think I've ever, EVER seen a nonturbocharged FDL engine. This would be interesting to see/hear. Also, any ETA on these rebuilds? I have yet to see any, and was wondering if and when I should expect them in my area.

[Bryan Jones]

The CSX B40-8's aren't being "rebuilt" into B20-8's, they are merely being derated from 4000hp to 2000hp. There's a big difference between rebuilding and just derating the unit. Still powered by 16 cylinder FDL's.

 

Bryan Jones

[The Railwolf]

 

Andrew Falconer

Are the General Electric Locomotives more like major appliances that have to replaced every 15-30 years than long term workhorses that get passed on from railroad to railroad?

Will we ever see any of the DASH 7s preserved or are they all to be scrapped?

Is the only way to preserve the DASH 7 is to buy an O Scale or G Gauge model?

 Andrew

The older GE locomotives never lasted as long as comparable EMD's, that's for sure. They seemed to wear out faster and needed more maintenance to keep them online. I know of very little older GE's in preservation, excluding the 44-tonners and kin. There are two U25B's in existence that I am aware of; neither has been fully restored and neither operate, although one (ex-L&N) is supposed to be restored to operating condition soon. It is unlikely that any of the CSX Dash 7 units will be saved, unless a private entity were to step in and purchase one, if that's even doable. I don't think CSX plans to scrap them all at once, but over several years, as was the case with the six-axle Dash 7's about five years ago. (Side note: Does anyone know if these locomotives are usually cut up on-site at Waycross, or if they are sent elsewhere for this?) It would be nice to see some of those B30's and B36's saved and restored to their former Seaboard paint, even just for static display.

[Andrew Falconer]

Are the General Electric Locomotives more like major appliances that have to replaced every 15-30 years than long term workhorses that get passed on from railroad to railroad?

Will we ever see any of the DASH 7s preserved or are they all to be scrapped?

Is the only way to preserve the DASH 7 is to buy an O Scale or G Gauge model?

 Andrew

[CAZEPHYR]

It is always this way when the end comes for certain locomotives.   My thoughts now are beginning to turn to even more numerous variations of the EMD SD40-2 as they are now gone from our area in California for the most part.  The Union Pacific is replacing the local runs and work trains with the newer SD70M's and Gevo's around Roseville in place of the older units because of the air quality board and Tier I and Tier II requirements.  

The latest ECO units will be assigned here as soon as they leave Ontario looking like SD60M's, but derated to 3000HP with the new engines and computer controls.    It is not the same.

And the latest GE Gevo's now all have LED lighted number boards.   Hopefully, it is copper wiring this time.

CZ

[Lyon_Wonder]

I heard that CSX is rebuilding B40-8s into B20-8s, though I don't know if this involves simply derating the 16-FDL, replacing it with a 8-FDL, or even putting in GE's 6-cylinder GEVO that GE talked about last year.  A 8-FDL 2,000hp B20-8 would make it a Dash 8-equivalent of the U18B.  A GEVO-based rebuild would probably be a better option in the long run, but would likely require a more extensive rebuilding too.   

[The Railwolf]

 Recently, CSX announced that all remaining Dash 7 locomotives (B30-7, B36-7, not much, if anything else, is still alive) will be retired. The very last run of a Dash 7 locomotive on the CSX (B36-7, wish I knew the number) occurred in November 2009 and all units are now officially retired. This makes me sad, as I had seen several of the B36's pass through here in early 2009, and wanted to see them again sometime. I know it sounds sappy, but I almost broke down when I heard the news.

 

Here is a video that I shot of the 5842 near Taft Yard in Orlando, Florida, back when she was still online:

5842 Idling in Taft Yard

 

Here's another video of another B36, 5894, bringing a manifest into Taft Yard:

 

5894 with Mixed Train

 

Here's a photo I took of 5842 working in Taft Yard one day early last year:

5842 in Taft Yard

And here is yet another B36 I sighted in Taft, 5854, but where she sits now, in Waycross:

5854 in Waycross, GA Deadline

 

CSX was also the last Class I Railroad to operate the Dash 7's, so they are now completely absent from service on the Class I's. I imagine they will soon disappear from regionals and even shortlines as well, due to engine parts becoming harder to find and especially because of the aluminum wiring in the electrical systems corroding. I will never understand why GE used aluminum instead of copper.

 I will miss these locomotives.