Speno Rail Services EMD?

[speno employee 1978-87]

i worked on speno rail services for 9 yrs.When speno started building their locomotives.Thay started with 2gp-38s and added front sheet medal and larger windows.The look was different we were in Tennessee when we came to meet a steam engine it was like past meeting sci fi.As i was saying the front of the engine looked like a sideways v it was speno orange and was designed for rg-8.Speno had two f40s that were used in canada own its first computer controlled rail grinder which i also worked on 

[oil-electric]

I just did a story on my blog about my encounter with a Speno Rail Grinder in 1960, along with an update about fires caused them.

See  http://www.oil-electric.com/2008/03/78-degrees.html

-Robert in Port Townsend

[carnej1]

There uis a good entry about these units in one of the latter ediotions of Kalmbach's "Diesel spotters Guide". The F40PH derived units were one-off (or 4 -off) custom jobs. The GP38s were rebuilt in Speno's own shop. Speno's US rail grinding operations were acquired by Pandrol Jackson some years ago. They in turn were bought out by Harsco Track technologies who, IIRC, still operate the modified locomotive/power units:

http://www.harscorail.com/services/grinding-services.aspx

 

 

[mudchicken]

There's a GP-38 or GP 40 under there, no matter haow many times the cowl gets modified.

(they also had two ex-L&N Alco slugs out there as well)

[beaulieu]

Speno bought either two or four non-turbo F40s and had another four GP38s converted to a similar design. These were used as power cars for rail grinding trains. The cowl body slowed down the infiltration of grinding dust into the locomotive. IIRC Speno is now part of Harsco Track Technology.

[Lyon_Wonder]

Anyone know of a company called Speno Rail Services?  According to the diesel spotter's guide they had non-turbo F40 EMDs with a flat nose cab.  These Speno F40s had no turbo, so they're more accurately described as F38s.  And on locophotoes there's a pic of this F40-like loco that is called "GP38".     

http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=112831

Though the fuel tank, twin fans over the radiators and likely hp rating matches that of a GP38, I see nothing GP38 like about it's F40-style body.  Is this a F40 too, or a rebuild from a pre-dash-2 GP38 since the build date's listed as 1967?  I don't think EMD made 4-axle cowls until the F40PH, so it either was a rebuild of a GP38 or the poster at locophotos submitted incorrect information on this loco?   Is Speno still in business?  Just wondering since this photo was from the late 1980s.