Conrail C32-8 Ballast Exprees Engine

[Allen Jenkins]

Mike, I'd say the ge v12's run better on dry land, so like the land tortuse, you may through it in the water, it will walk around on the bottom, foraging, but it will crawl out, and return to it's hole. Given the quality derived from warmup, I'd say it runs better when it's warm, mate! Enjoy The Summer, whilst it is warm! acj.

[Anonymous]

ok

[Anonymous]

any one no why they ever designed these engines.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mikesaw

any one no why they ever designed these engines.

They were pre-production locomotives, test bed units. Somewhat like how the SD60MAC was.

[Allen Jenkins]

The C32-8, was the fuel efficient, high hp(3150hp), offering, using the FDL12 prime mover. The builder, was trying to hold a market which never developed. The EMD equivalent would have been the SD59, SD59M. The GE Dash 8 series sold a four thousand horsepower locomotive so hard and fast, they quickly overcame the SD40-2 class power. Challenged (I love that word!), both builders quickly entered another "Horsepower War." I can remember when the fuel crisis of the early seventies killed the 20'cylinder. The C39-8 took the future, leaving the v12 as another small fleet of orphans. I never got to see a C32-8, however I'll bet it loaded slow as molasses! The uniqueness of the General Electric C32-8, along with the variations of the Dash8 32 B, and the dynamics of the aquisition by the two mega-roads, with the differing paint job possibilities, go***his is MY hobby!...and...so, my only model, to date is The Conrail Blue #6610. Enjoy Your Diesel Today! ACJ.

[Anonymous]

ok now they r 3150hp or 3200hp.

[Anonymous]

3150

[Anonymous]

When u think they will build one for ho scale

[Anonymous]

No idea.

[nedthomas]

Check the Proto Power West web site. They list the Rail Power shells for $18.00.

[Anonymous]

where u bought the 6612 shell

I think it is form the Wes guy

[Anonymous]

I forget now actually.

-Mark-

[Anonymous]

i wi***hese engines were still around and also not only were the C32-8 engines ballast express engines there was some B23-7s to

[Anonymous]

I will post more later on this subject, as I have a date with a Cubs baseball game, but I do know that RailPower made C32-8 shells, and since Horizon acquired Athearn, Roundhouse, and RailPower, they MAY end up doing a run of C32-8's. Like I said, I'll post more later when I have time to research it all.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and there weren't any Ballast Express B23-7's.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by uspscsx

Oh, and there weren't any Ballast Express B23-7's.

Correct, but there were two Ballast Express C36-7's...

[Anonymous]

It'd be awesome if Athearn decided to use the Rail Power C32-8 shell for a run of C32-8s, but don't get your hopes up. There were only 10(?) of them, and they were really only owned by Conrail (I don't know if NS patched them or not). They could do Conrail blue, Ballast Express, and maybe an NS patch.

Athearn are you listening?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dougal

...but there were two Ballast Express C36-7's...

Right, and ever since the takeover CSX has added their own "Ballast Express" letters to the C36-7's. Oh, and I beleive they cut a deal with Norfolk Southern, so CSX ended up with quite a few C36-7's. Boy, they sure are going to be fun to model[xx(]

The C32-8's, Mikesaw, as you may well know, were usually connected to ballast trains, although I have seen pictures where they served freight duty. The trains usually consisted of two locomotives, and a long string of hoppers, varying from ballast hoppers to aggregate hoppers converted to ballast service. If you look on eBay, periodically there are custom C32-8's that people will sell. Generally, depending on how fine the detail is and how good the paint job is, they will range anywhere from $45-$200. Trust me, I watch these in anticipation of bidding(never happens]:D]). Why they chose C32-8's for ballast service I will never know. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the C39-8's, seen on NS (shooting balls of fire into the air [:D][(-D][wow][yeah][tdn][:-^]), are much like the C32-8's, body-wise anyway.

Historical accuracy not guaranteed to be 100%. That's where everybody else comes in: correct my mistakes!

[peterjenkinson1956]

rail power shells were available pre painted for conrail..check back issues ... once saw a c32-8 go over tehachapie .. got a photo of it in a 6 x loco consist..would have been in 97 or 99...peter

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

It'd be awesome if Athearn decided to use the Rail Power C32-8 shell for a run of C32-8s, but don't get your hopes up. There were only 10(?) of them, and they were really only owned by Conrail (I don't know if NS patched them or not). They could do Conrail blue, Ballast Express, and maybe an NS patch.

Athearn are you listening?

Yes, I believe we all want manufacturers like Athearn to WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE. Your right, it Could be unlikely, but what about manufacturers like Walthers doing a run of Sperry Rail Service locomotives? And besides, it would cater to three or more parties: NS modelers, CSX modelers, and Conrail modelers. So for me, I would have the CSX patched version, because I model EARLY CSX/Conrail, as in right after the merger, when patched locos and cars were just beginning to show up. I am aiming for 2 or 3 locomotives and around 10-20 patched cars.

[Anonymous]

This may be too late to help, but I just finished a C32-8 in the "Ballast Express" scheme. The shell can be found at Arrow Hobby and Supply (along with all the other stuff like handrails). I used CN grey for the color, but these units seemed to have varying shades of gray based on sun fade (like the blue ones), and other weathering factors. You may also want to access the CR Historical Society via conrailcorp.com for more photos. Try Wes Reminder's site, too.

[Anonymous]

Should've mentioned CR Corp is avialable through trainweb.com

[Anonymous]

http://cgi.ebay.com/CONRAIL-C32-8-HO-DIESEL-LOCOMOTIVE_W0QQitemZ5989848711QQcategoryZ484QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

Hey, if you're still out there, this was just listed on eBay.