YoHo1975Wait, if they are getting new cabs, then they are presumably NOT getting the Gull wings...and are therefore not to ATSF specs anymore.
Editor Emeritus, This Week at Amtrak
Do the ET44ACs have isolated cabs or isolated engine/alternator ?
One can see this by the way on the NSDash9 Facebook page. He has a picture up of four new AC44C6M's, including two of the three BNSF units delivered so far. No gull wings anymore.
Wait, if they are getting new cabs, then they are presumably NOT getting the Gull wings...and are therefore not to ATSF specs anymore.
They do get new cabs during rebuilding (not all GE rebuilds have done so, such as UP's earlier orders for modernized GE's).
I don't know the particulars of GE's design, but it's the equivalent of whatever they're doing with new production like ET44AC's.
Has anything been done to fit isolated cabs to these Dash 9 AC rebuilds .
Of note: The first of 25 former BNSF Dash-9s have been rebuilt into AC44C6Ms for and delivered to NS. Although built after the merger they were done to ATSF specs so, in a broad way, a piece of the Santa Fe will power the Thoroughbred.
Leo_AmesThey only need the heavy mechanical overhaul...
Yeah, they've been heading south not for rebuild but for component recovery and scrapping. I do wonder about those Norfolk Southern SD70ACU cast offs and if they still might not figure into CPR/KCS plans down the road when they go locomotive shopping. If Progress Rail has held on to them, the job is halfway done to prepare them for service where as CPR/KCS would've been starting from step 1 with what they're now scrapping.
They only need the heavy mechanical overhaul (and chasing some gremlins) that NS deferred to get them online quickly, in order to turn them into fully rebuilt SD70ACU's. Where as what's being scrapped now not only is high mileage and in need of a full mechanical overhaul, but also would've needed the ACU conversion to also be performed (new cab, new electrical system, new inverters, etc.).
Looks like CPKC has given up on further SD90 rebuilds: https://youtu.be/uj2awjWoApc?si=vwFWGXs693UodC63
My money would be on the SD90MAC/SD70ACU conversion .
The word on the street I hear is that the Dash 9/AC4400 type conversions sometimes don't go so well . Particularly if the later cabs are fitted non isolated .
"SD70ACU" has the best of the 70ACe internals and isolated cab - plus the bigger traction motors and fuel tank of the 90MAC .
Leo_Ames Rumor mill is saying that more CPR SD70ACU's are planned for 2024.
D.Carleton Leo_Ames They did anticipate merger efficiencies and reactivating stored power pushing out the need for new acquisitions for several years (along with presumably the need for putting the ex UP SD90's through the ACU program anytime soon). Supposedly CP had picked up maybe 40 SD9043s from UP a couple of years ago. Outside of one report the story goes cold. Do you have any more intel?
Leo_Ames They did anticipate merger efficiencies and reactivating stored power pushing out the need for new acquisitions for several years (along with presumably the need for putting the ex UP SD90's through the ACU program anytime soon).
Supposedly CP had picked up maybe 40 SD9043s from UP a couple of years ago. Outside of one report the story goes cold. Do you have any more intel?
Rumor mill is saying that more CPR SD70ACU's are planned for 2024.
blue streak 1My thought about surplus DC parts was especially traction motors. What are the different DC traction motor models that are being replaced by AC?
BaltACDWith all the AC engines CSX had purchased I was surprised when they bought so man ES44DC's. To my ground level, not board level mind - it didn't make much sense, though it may have made cents.
My thought about surplus DC parts was especially traction motors. What are the different DC traction motor models that are being replaced by AC?
With all the AC engines CSX had purchased I was surprised when they bought so man ES44DC's. To my ground level, not board level mind - it didn't make much sense, though it may have made cents.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDGE ES DC engines are approaching or have already past the 10 year mark so rebuilding is not that far into the future.
D.Carleton blue streak 1 Can we suspect that with all the DC to AC traction work that rebuilding parts unique to DC traction has completely tanked? There were over 1300 ES40/44DC variants built. There are also hundreds of Dash-9s still running around so the DC traction spares business should be healthy for at least another decade. When the ES44DCs start coming in for their AC rebuild then the clock will be ticking for the GE DC traction parts' market.
blue streak 1 Can we suspect that with all the DC to AC traction work that rebuilding parts unique to DC traction has completely tanked?
There were over 1300 ES40/44DC variants built. There are also hundreds of Dash-9s still running around so the DC traction spares business should be healthy for at least another decade. When the ES44DCs start coming in for their AC rebuild then the clock will be ticking for the GE DC traction parts' market.
GE ES DC engines are approaching or have already past the 10 year mark so rebuilding is not that far into the future.
blue streak 1Can we suspect that with all the DC to AC traction work that rebuilding parts unique to DC traction has completely tanked?
Can we suspect that with all the DC to AC traction work that rebuilding parts unique to DC traction has completely tanked?
And now it appears CN has picked up 60 ex-BNSF Dash-9s for AC rebuild.
Speaking of those ex NS SD70ACU's, I've inquired on Loconotes a couple of times if those are still intact but never got an answer. Progress has been scrapping large numbers of power (including many UP SD9043MAC's), but the fate of these has me curious given their ACU rebuilding.
While still in need of a heavy overhaul on the engine and such (which originally was deferred by NS to get them online as quickly as possible), they strike me as well positioned for having a future given the ACU rebuild compared to the scores of well worn SD70MAC's, SD60's, and such that Progress is cutting up.
I'd be interested to know if Progress Rail thinks similarly and has held on to these in the hope of marketing them to a customer like Canadian Pacific that wants to finish the job that NS started (which makes perfect sense to me, but I still wouldn't be surprised to hear that they've all but parted out and scrapped).
Leo_AmesOutside of what's already known about acquiring 40 ex UP SD9043MAC's from Progress Rail in 2021 (some say from Union Pacific, but most reports state Progress Rail), the only concrete thing that I can add is that a handful were reactivated and have seen service for CPR (Mostly it seems on work trains).
Outside of what's already known about acquiring 40 ex UP SD9043MAC's from Progress Rail in 2021 (some say from Union Pacific, but most reports state Progress Rail), the only concrete thing that I can add is that a handful were reactivated and have seen service for CPR (Mostly it seems on work trains). Linked below is someone's picture showing one of these at work.
https://www.railpictures.net/photo/821722/
For non-concrete information that I've seen, there's been some debate at various places that I've seen on whether or not these were even intended as SD70ACU rebuild fodder. While I think most believe that CPR was eyeing expanding the roster, some say that CPR got a great deal on these and picked them up primarily to cannibalize with no serious intentions of rebuilding them to ACU standards.
Lastly, like I said I swear I saw on Loconotes that two or three of these have been cut up (presumably stripped clean of useful parts for the SD70ACU's if accurate). But without digging into the archive, don't take my word on this since I could be misremembering.
Leo_AmesThey did anticipate merger efficiencies and reactivating stored power pushing out the need for new acquisitions for several years (along with presumably the need for putting the ex UP SD90's through the ACU program anytime soon).
rdamon The latest grab bag on the VRF channel shows 23 former BNSF C44-9Ws with KCS patches on the move in Elkhart IN.
The latest grab bag on the VRF channel shows 23 former BNSF C44-9Ws with KCS patches on the move in Elkhart IN.
They did anticipate merger efficiencies and reactivating stored power pushing out the need for new acquisitions for several years (along with presumably the need for putting the ex UP SD90's through the ACU program anytime soon).
But to quickly cut dozens of running Dash 9's, even if they were bought primarily to pay back horsepower hours owed to other roads, surprises me a tad.
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