Ten former BNSF Dash8-40BWs have been sold to Bro-Tex Metals in Galveston, TX. For the moment they are offered for sale on the Sterling Railroad Auction website, if there is no interest after awhile they will probably be parted out and scrapped. Units are 560, 564, 565, 566, 568, 570, 571, 572, 578, and 581.
I'm surprised, I figured they'd last longer.
If the price is right, I wouldn't be surprised to see CSX pick these up. They liked their standard cab ex Susquehanna units they financed and the Conrail units they inherited so much that they snapped up the rest of the former Conrail fleet when Norfolk Southern got rid of them.
Did BNSF actually sell them? Or did the lease expire and they returned them to the leasing firm that then resold them?
I guess these B40-8Ws off BNSF’s roster were on a lease that expired. Are the remaining B40-8Ws still on BNSF's roster part of another lease too? What about the spartan-cab #8600-series B40-8s? Anyways BNSF's purging it's roster of GE Dash 8s and getting rid of them as soon as their leases expire. BNSF's recently retired C40-8Ws went to CN, so I think it's a good chance most if not all of these B-408Ws end up on the roster of another road.
Lyon_WonderI guess these B40-8Ws off BNSF’s roster were on a lease that expired. Are the remaining B40-8Ws still on BNSF's roster part of another lease too? What about the spartan-cab #8600-series B40-8s? Anyways BNSF's purging it's roster of GE Dash 8s and getting rid of them as soon as their leases expire. BNSF's recently retired C40-8Ws went to CN, so I think it's a good chance most if not all of these B-408Ws end up on the roster of another road.
These locomotives were part of a leased batch. It is reported that the Providence & Worcester has bought 3 of this batch (not from Bro-Tex). Even though these are 4-axle locomotives, I don't think these will be popular in the resale market, because of their very heavy weight. Even with minimal fuel in their tanks they will be too heavy for much industrial trackage.
beaulieu Even though these are 4-axle locomotives, I don't think these will be popular in the resale market, because of their very heavy weight. Even with minimal fuel in their tanks they will be too heavy for much industrial trackage.
They're pretty modern so you never know.
We've seen a few wreck rebuilds of older standard cab units recieve safety cabs before (Didn't NS just do such a thing not too long ago?), GP38-2's getting brand new cabs in fairly large numbers, and BNSF's GP60B test program of fitting a spartan cab which quite possibly could see the entire fleet recieving standard cabs if it's economical.
If business is starting to pick up, between CSX's fondess for the B40-8 and it's purge of their Dash 7 BB fleet earlier in this recession, there just might be a place for these on their roster even if it means heavily modifying them.
Leo_Ames I'm surprised, I figured they'd last longer. If the price is right, I wouldn't be surprised to see CSX pick these up. They liked their standard cab ex Susquehanna units they financed and the Conrail units they inherited so much that they snapped up the rest of the former Conrail fleet when Norfolk Southern got rid of them. Did BNSF actually sell them? Or did the lease expire and they returned them to the leasing firm that then resold them?
Reports are thatCSX is derating at least some of their B40-8 fleet down to 2,000 HP (not by repowering, they'll still have 16 cylinder FDL engines) to be used in secondary service. A wide cab is not desirable in that kind of service, so I doubt CSX would be interested in these.
I hope P&W does buy some of these B40-8Ws, the RR likes high HP 4 axle GEs and the widecabs would be a cool edition to the roster. Although P&W currently has no widecab locomotives, the road was actually the first purchaser of "safety cab" power in the US when they bought M420R units from MLW back in the late 70s,which also made them the only US road to buy new from that builder (the units recycled trucks and other components from traded in Alco RS3s)..
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
beaulieu Ten former BNSF Dash8-40BWs have been sold to Bro-Tex Metals in Galveston, TX. For the moment they are offered for sale on the Sterling Railroad Auction website, if there is no interest after awhile they will probably be parted out and scrapped. Units are 560, 564, 565, 566, 568, 570, 571, 572, 578, and 581.
The 500 - 582 series were new in 1990 - 1992 so the last ones are about 18 years old and the first numbered 500 series is almost twenty years old. They were used on hot shots for most of their run time on the SF and then the BNSF until about 2005.
It is suprising that the BNSF is converting the GP60M's to local use in California and not using the 840BW's in the same way.
Maybe this turn in due to the BNSF order of ES44AC4s ??
Further, I'm pretty sure and have suggested before that some of the Dash-8 40BWs are owned and some are leased ATSF bought some and leased some of their GEs. and that BNSF is only purging the lease fleet currently.
The main reason they want the 3rd gen units for switcher service is to meet the Emissions requirements they agreed to with the State of California. GEs are also more expensive to maintain compared to EMDs,
It's ES44C4's
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