In Loconotes today, it was said that Progress Rail bought the 38 SD70MAC's. Anyone know where the two SD70MACe rebuilds and the SW1500's went?
kgbw49 SD70Dude, Thanks for that comprehensive explanation of how the isolation for the cab works! Much appreciated!
SD70Dude, Thanks for that comprehensive explanation of how the isolation for the cab works! Much appreciated!
I second that.
Leo_Ames Not sure I see any Class 1's biting for these past perhaps the SD70MAC's that have been recently rebuilt to SD70MACe standards (Only two here, but the rest are slated to be following). But Canadian National does run a lot of Dash 8's that everyone else is retiring and also stables a large group of the DC counterpart to the SD70MAC, so I suppose never say never.
Not sure I see any Class 1's biting for these past perhaps the SD70MAC's that have been recently rebuilt to SD70MACe standards (Only two here, but the rest are slated to be following). But Canadian National does run a lot of Dash 8's that everyone else is retiring and also stables a large group of the DC counterpart to the SD70MAC, so I suppose never say never.
It is telling that very few of our Dash-8's have been equipped with PTC, while (seemingly) all the remaining SD60's, SD70's and SD75's have been.
CN has been returning the leasers as the new GE AC units arrive, but they did purchase the blue GE ET44AC demonstrators. I'm hoping that all the CitiRail (CREX) ES44AC's stay around as long as possible, those are nice units to run.
The new deliveries from GE are having a lot of teething troubles, they have a new computer system and it looks like GE ramped up production too quickly at the Texas plant, and are having quality control issues.
Perhaps as a result of this, the two EMD SD70ACe-T4 demonstrators (EMDX 1605 and 1606) have returned to CN rails for a third time, but once again they seem to be spending an inordinate amount of time in the shops...
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
The EMD-designed WhisperCab (TM) sits on a thick rubber gasket and bushings that separate it from the frame. The difference is absolutely astounding. A regular cab (welded to the frame) is louder at idle than a WhisperCab is in full throttle.
The railroads should be required by law to purchase locomotives with properly soundproofed cabs of some sort, hearing loss is a occupational disease among train crews.
The worst "ThunderCab" design by far is the EMD phase II cab used on SD70ACe's and M-2's. I've actually had earplugs vibrate right out of my ears on some of CN's units (NS-spec 8000-8024 and CN-spec 8800-8849). BNSF actually banned these units from leading trains around 10 years ago due to the cab noise levels, I wish CN would do the same.
GE uses a isolated powertrain instead of isolating the cab.
The first photo is a EMD unit with a WhisperCab, the second one has a ThunderCab. The seam along the nose and under the cab of 8935 is the rubber gasket. 8023 does not have it:
https://www.railpictures.net/photo/683337/
https://www.railpictures.net/photo/666428/
What is an isolated cab?
Did the SD70MACe's that were rebuilt by Progress Rail receive the same upgrade that some of the BNSF SD70MACs did?
kgbw49Who knows? Maybe CN will pick some up to get rid of their leasers. I wonder if those SD70ACe units are the version that some of the professionals on this forum have occasionally referred to as "Thundercabs", as I seem to recall they said some of the earlier models did not have good cab isolation, or something to that effect.
No SD70ACe's here. Just 19 year old SD70MAC's, all with isolated cabs (Two of which have received the Progress Rail upgrade and been redesignated as SD70MACe's, with the rest of the SD70MACe rebuilds expected to follow shortly in later sales).
I agree that Canadian National is likely the only Class 1 carrier that might be following this development. But I suspect we'll instead see them ending up at a variety of leasing companies, Progress Rail (I don't believe they have enough ex BNSF SD70MAC's if Metra exercises their option), and perhaps a regional railroad or two.
Who knows? Maybe CN will pick some up to get rid of their leasers. I wonder if those SD70ACe units are the version that some of the professionals on this forum have occasionally referred to as "Thundercabs", as I seem to recall they said some of the earlier models did not have good cab isolation, or something to that effect.
ATSFGuy, what is now Kansas City Southern de Mexico - owned and an integral part of Kansas City Southern - used to be Transportacion Ferrovias de Mexico, or TFM. KCS bought a 50 year concession for something like $1.4 billion when the Government of Mexico opened up the rail system for foreign investment back in, I believe 1996. They had 49% and a Mexican company named Transportacion Maritima Mexicana (TMM) had a 51% stake. About 10 years later KCS bought out TMM for something north of $600 million to get full ownership of the concession.
So those SD70MAC units came from TFM? Is that down in mexico somewhere?
KCS interchanges with a few roads down there, Are TFM units not compatible with other diesels? When were they built?
Leo_AmesNot sure I see any Class 1's biting for these past perhaps the those SD70MAC's that have been recently rebuilt to SD70MACe standards
With most of the class-1s drinking that PSR kool-aid, they are too busy storing/selling what little power they have now.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
These are 20 year old units. They seem to all be ex TFM so there may be some aspect to that that makes them less desirable. The SD70MACe's are rebuilt SD70MAC's not true ACE's.
Seems reasonable enough.
I imagine the end cab EMD switchers will find good homes with ease. And two recently rebuilt SD70MAC's are included and shouldn't have any troubles at surviving, I would think.
The unrebuilt SD70MAC's aren't terribly old, so I also suspect they'll end up somewhere for at least a few more years (Maybe Progress Rail where they can lease them out in the meantime and have them available for potential rebuild fodder in the future).
I would think that some of the major leasing operations might be interested, depending on the condition of the locomotives.
kgbw49The auction is June 26 at 9:00 AM at the St. Clair County Events Center in Belleville, IL. https://www.auctionzip.com/Listings/3292816.html Here is the list of equipment. https://www.auctionzip.com/cgi-bin/showimage.cgi?lid=3292816&type=at&in=1 Wonder who the buyers might be? Any insights on potential buyers?
https://www.auctionzip.com/Listings/3292816.html
Here is the list of equipment.
https://www.auctionzip.com/cgi-bin/showimage.cgi?lid=3292816&type=at&in=1
Wonder who the buyers might be?
Any insights on potential buyers?
Sounds like the KCS wants all the varieties of SD-70 AC's gone, Not a ringing endorsement of the EMD/Progress Rail products.
End cab switchers don't have much of a job slot on Class 1 carriers in the PSR world of railroading.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
The auction is June 26 at 9:00 AM at the St. Clair County Events Center in Belleville, IL.
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