Conrail C32-8 Ballast Exprees Engine

[Anonymous]

I am looking forward to build a C32-8 conrail ballast exprees engine but I need some tips

[Anonymous]

[#welcome]

http://www.trainweb.org/crcorp/picsc328.html
http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/ge/8c32/c328.html
http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/ge/8c32/c328refs.html

[Supermicha]

I just saw the C32-8 the first time. It looks like a kitbash from a Dash-7 and Dash-8. Was it only used by Conrail? It looks very strange, is there something interesting to know about this units?

[Anonymous]

The C32-8 was the beginning of the Dash 8 series, it was built sometime in the mid 80's. CR was the only one to have them, all but one were scrapped by NS after the takeover (that one is at a quarry in Georgia and will be scrapped soon if someone doesn't save it)

[M636C]

As dougal says, the C32-8 was like all the very early "Dash 8" units with the dynamic brake hatch higher than the cab roof. There were some similar B32-8 prototypes on BN at the same time. The earliest C39-8s on Norfolk Southern also looked like the C32-8s, but had a longer frame and engine hood for the sixteen cylinder engine.

The big difference between these early units and the later Dash 8s was the radiator. They had smaller diameter fans, and lacked the "flare" in the intake grilles under the radiator, and had the curved cab roof.

You could kitbash one from the early Bachmann C40-8 with conventional cab by shortening the frame and the body (at the engine hood), altering the cab roof, and cutting out the flared radiator intakes at the rear, making them flush with the hood side.

Peter

[Allen Jenkins]

One of the original Conrail units, #6612 was damaged at a grade crossing, and was rebuilt with a Dash 8 40 cab, which brought it level with the dynamic brake cab, and also matched it to the Dash 8 32B. As the C32-8 had an FDL12 cylinder it produced 3150 hp. Rail Power Products produced the blank carbody, which used the Athearn U boat six axle chassis. Overland Models also imported the model. I wouldn't be suppised if Athearn released one in the future, or sold the dies to some other company. The SD38 is going to happen from Kato, and...so...!

[rogerhensley]

Here is the CR Ballast Express Southbound on the DOW at Cross Street in Anderson Indiana in May of 1997 - Roger Hensley Photo

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys keep up the great photos

[Allen Jenkins]

Talk about thanks, we have a lot of thanks in the database of the photog's in the 1st link. I've added to my picture files a C 32-8 file. Yea, the pic of 6612 happens to be a after photo of a C 32-8 with a 40 series cab, however the headlight is verticle, the first I've seen. Thanks MikeSaw, Your the Bomb! acj

[Anonymous]

OK Allen If someone could give me some info on the C32-8 6610 thankz it would be great

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Allen Jenkins
Yea, the pic of 6612 happens to be a after photo of a C 32-8 with a 40 series cab, however the headlight is verticle, the first I've seen.

Wow, I've never noticed that, I know a few did wreck, something else I noticed was its in CSX numbering even though NS got all the C32-8's, from what I've heard a bit after teh merger CSX and NS traded a few engines so I guess the C32-8's were a part of that trade.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mikesaw

OK Allen If someone could give me some info on the C32-8 6610 thankz it would be great

The 6610 was in CR blue until around 1995 when it was repainted into the "Ballast Express" scheme

[Anonymous]

Do u no where it may be parked now

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mikesaw

Do u no where it may be parked now

It got scrapped a couple years ago at RMDI in Pittston (Wilkes-Barre Scranton area) PA and was made into razor blades.[:(]

[Allen Jenkins]

Oh well, that's in the life of today's high-horsepower engines-they won't last too long. A book by James W. Kerr, General Electric Advanced Generation Diesel-Electric And Electric Locomotives, shows a B/W pic on page 44, of a Conrail C32-8 and I would swear it looks like that engine is painted black with white styling. I haven't found a clue to the reasons, or any info, however, Mr Whithers Publications offers a softcover book on the C32-8, which was the material offered in Diesel Era Magazine. Check it out, and I'm interested to know more. Enjoy Your V12! Buy the way, the Conrail #6610 is the number I selected for my RailPower model, to go with my GP59, NS unit#4610, which gave a number for the Geep, in 1991. What a bomb that turned out to be!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Allen Jenkins
Buy the way, the Conrail #6610 is the number I selected for my RailPower model, to go with my GP59, NS unit, which gave a number for the Geep, in 1991. What a bomb that turned out to be!

What railroad(s) do you model?

[Allen Jenkins]

Thanks Dougal, I'm located in the southeastern region, from Cookeville, TN, the Tennessee Central Railroad is my pet, We moved to Florida in '65, and the Seaboard Air Line became my fav(cause the lime green locos' turned my head), and I remember when both of 'em went belly. I was frankly board with black and yellow(little did I realize what was giong on just a little up north), and though the L&N brought the first EMD power to Cookeville, (like five F units) I never saw an L&N train. I've basic followed the Southern Routes. Moving up to Rome , GA gave the last vestiges of the Southern Railway System. So I'm happily equipped with mountain railroading, and just came off the TrainDispatcher program, Atlanta Chattanooga, I studied when I live in Rome. The cabride video's are a blessing to me, as in the book of Proverbs in the Bible, .....and God gives to the prudent, the knowledge of witty inventions. Next question?acj.

[Anonymous]

hi conrail to the end

[Anonymous]

Keep up the tips guys really great

[Allen Jenkins]

New Zelandanders possess a great since of humor. Get to know them. They are really hybrid Aussies'. Remember, they have TrainzSimulator 2004 SP2!.acj.

[Anonymous]

I just bought a 6612 shell, I'm going to add the new cab to it pretty soon[:)]

[Anonymous]

What type of cab

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mikesaw

What type of cab

A cab from a C40-8 only used on the 6612 the others kept their original cabs.

[traingeek087]

PS, It needs to be BN, they had 3 of them. If you kitbash it put it in MR, a good project for many.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by traingeek087

PS, It needs to be BN, they had 3 of them. If you kitbash it put it in MR, a good project for many.

BN only had B32-8's

[Anonymous]

Dougal is right BN had B23-8s not C32-8

[Allen Jenkins]

Yes, the B32-8 demo engines, were BN, and had the round-roof cabs. And, Dougal asked what roads I model. The reason I modeled the C32-8, is because the locomotive has a V12FDL engine, like the GP59. I model Diesel-electric locomotives, as a life-long hobbiest of the Diesel engine. I hope some manufacturer, produces the Norfolk Southern Dash 8-32B, which would use a D'8-40B carbody, with six tall doors, instead of eight, and a U Boat four axle chassis wheelbase. Maybe' LifeLike will producethe GP59. Enjoy a V-12 today! acj.

[Anonymous]

Yeah I hope someone make's GP59's too, after the CR split I started to see tons of them.

[Anonymous]

I am going to get the parts and items forthe C32-8 since school is out since 6/21

[Anonymous]

Thank God school is out