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BNSF GP50 rebuild, purpose of the extended number board

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Posted by rdamon on Monday, July 23, 2018 8:48 AM

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/656658/

Looks like a good way to quickly add PTC and they take it off when they retire the unit .. 

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Posted by BaltACD on Friday, July 20, 2018 11:24 AM

YoHo1975
Hi all, google and search of this site are failing me, so if this was discussed, I missed it, but does anyone know what the purpose of the extended number board is on the BNSF GP50 rebuilds? Not all units have gotten it. THe PTC equipment all seems to be on the regular roof, so not sure that's the purpose. Plus, if it's PTC, why aren't all spartan cabs getting it?

Without pictures it didn't happen. Big Smile 

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Leo_Ames on Thursday, July 19, 2018 12:47 PM

I don't know why all aren't getting it, but I have read from multiple sources that it's for PTC. I'd be curious why the differences as well. Easy to speculate on potential reasons for these differences, but that doesn't get us anywhere. 

Didn't a Class 1 years ago try something externally similar with the number board boxes for storage space for people's grips, back when the caboose was disappearing and they suddenly had five people to accomodate for a brief time before crew reduction agreements got us down to today's two?

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BNSF GP50 rebuild, purpose of the extended number board
Posted by YoHo1975 on Thursday, July 19, 2018 11:43 AM

Hi all, google and search of this site are failing me, so if this was discussed, I missed it, but does anyone know what the purpose of the extended number board is on the BNSF GP50 rebuilds? Not all units have gotten it. THe PTC equipment all seems to be on the regular roof, so not sure that's the purpose. Plus, if it's PTC, why aren't all spartan cabs getting it?

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