EMD Tier 4 Units In Storage On UP?

[kgbw49]

CN testing 1605 and 1606. Hopefully they are impressing the CN brass.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/692949/

 

[kgbw49]

Just read yesterday that UP is also putting their GE ET44AC fleet in to storage.

From a bottom line standpoint it makes sense. If they are able to run the railroad with fewer locomotives due to their adjusted operating plan, they might as well park the fuel hogs.

[HR616]

SD70Dude

 

 

HR616

CN is testing EMD demos 1605 and 1606 for the third time right now. It seems like they're giving EMD a chance to prove their product.

 

 

 

Good news, I haven't seen them yet this time around but would like to get one, take it for a test run so to speak. 

We certainly have the extreme cold weather for them to prove themselves in right now!

 

Well you may not see them if you're out west, since they were running in Illinois last week. The second trial CN perfromed with the units (which lasted from August to November of 2018) saw the units mostly running along ex IC trackage, although they did make it into Ontario a few times. 

[SD70Dude]

HR616

CN is testing EMD demos 1605 and 1606 for the third time right now. It seems like they're giving EMD a chance to prove their product.

Good news, I haven't seen them yet this time around but would like to get one, take it for a test run so to speak. 

We certainly have the extreme cold weather for them to prove themselves in right now!

[HR616]

YoHo1975

Loconotes reported a few days ago that UP has at least a few ET44ACs in Storage Lines now. So assumptions about the SD70ACe-T4 seem premature.

 

I heard that on another forum too. Its no secret that both T4 designs are less reliable, but I still believe the ACe-T4 is currently the more problematic of the two.

SD70Dude

 

 

HR616

As far as the actual problems with the ACe-T4 go, many are allegedly related to the powertrain. I'm sure EMD/Progress Rail is working behind the scenes to fix the bugs in their design, but it would have been better if they had tested the SD70ACe-T4 more rigorously (like GE did with the ET44AC) before shipping production units to customers. 

 

 

 

1010J = 265H + not enough testing = problems?  Surely you jest. 

At least the new engine doesn't use antifreeze.  

The GE Tier 4 units aren't exactly the cat's meow of reliability either, compared to the Tier 3 units. 

Hopefully the bugs get worked out, the two SD70ACe-T4's that CN was testing last year got rave reviews from crews, at least until they died in a -40°C Saskatchewan winter night.

 

CN is testing EMD demos 1605 and 1606 for the third time right now. It seems like they're giving EMD a chance to prove their product.

[SD70Dude]

HR616

As far as the actual problems with the ACe-T4 go, many are allegedly related to the powertrain. I'm sure EMD/Progress Rail is working behind the scenes to fix the bugs in their design, but it would have been better if they had tested the SD70ACe-T4 more rigorously (like GE did with the ET44AC) before shipping production units to customers. 

1010J = 265H + not enough testing = problems?  Surely you jest. 

At least the new engine doesn't use antifreeze.  

The GE Tier 4 units aren't exactly the cat's meow of reliability either, compared to the Tier 3 units. 

Hopefully the bugs get worked out, the two SD70ACe-T4's that CN was testing last year got rave reviews from crews, at least until they died in a -40°C Saskatchewan winter night.

[YoHo1975]

Loconotes reported a few days ago that UP has at least a few ET44ACs in Storage Lines now. So assumptions about the SD70ACe-T4 seem premature.

[rdamon]

One would imagine that they would all end up at or near a Progress facility vs. various storage lines waiting to get turned into another "Rail Beast"

[YoHo1975]

UP is also rebuilding some of it's older GE power which is going to be good for existing shop staff.

[YoHo1975]

The ET44AC is a larger class though and My understanding is that it's dedicated to the I5 corridor service to help meet the commitments to CARB. I've not heard anything about any issues with the SD70AH-T4s, but honestly, it's a smaller class, less fuel efficient by design and it has a unique engine. It makes sense to me that it would get put on the stored serviceable line even if there's nothing particularly wrong with it. Especially given that the SD70AH-T4Cs are not going to the lines.

[HR616]

There are various rumors floating around as to why these units are being stored, but several things are worth noting. UP is not storing it's Tier 4 GEs, which are also a small locomotive class with worse fuel efficiency than T3 units. Additionally, UP recently downsized it's T4 ACe order from 100 units to 92 (by swapping the 8 1600 series demo units it was supposed to recieve for 8 more T4 credit SD70AHs). As far as the actual problems with the ACe-T4 go, many are allegedly related to the powertrain. I'm sure EMD/Progress Rail is working behind the scenes to fix the bugs in their design, but it would have been better if they had tested the SD70ACe-T4 more rigorously (like GE did with the ET44AC) before shipping production units to customers. 

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

It may be due to warranty issues.  More than a few years ago, I read that builder warranties on new power don't start until the locomotive is actually placed in service.  At that time, it referred to brand-new SD40-2's being delivered directly into storage while older power was still in service.

[kgbw49]

I would suppose that would make sense with PSR - a small class and with Tier 4 apparently not as fuel efficient as Tier 3, they might as well park the less fuel- efficient classes.

[NorthWest]

Most of them are going into storage. Rumors vary on whether they have reliability issues or are victim of a small, very unique class, but UP is storing a bunch of power and they have been selected for it.

[kgbw49]

Is that a brand new EMD Tier 4 sixth in the line of stored power at Northlake, IL?

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/683130/