The two Tier IV locomotives have been testing in California recently running from Roseville to Sparks over Donner pass in regular trains. The paint scheme is very attractive and the units are much different than the standard SD70ACe models. This new model uses a 4 cycle motor with individual axle control along with many new features.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/57584342@N03/27548840516/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/57584342@N03/27277972870/in/dateposted-public/
Are those the fabricated HTCR-6 trucks?
1609 and 1610 are being tested on CSX. Sharp looking units!!
Excellent pictures. Those are in Union Pacific colors but the testing on the UP is the demo colors. Go figure!!!
Thanks
Yes, they are fabricated by the new EMD group. The units are different in every way from the present model including the two tear drop windows and the six step stairwells. The video on the Progressive EMD web site is interesting to watch. They included 80 new changes from suggestions from 220 train crew members to address issues that the crews would like see fixed.
You can see the EMD heritage in the cab with the return of the tear drop windows and the backward slant of the windows. If one took an SD75M cab and slanted the outside faces downward for better visibiilty of crewmen on the steps it would look a lot like the Tier 4 demonstrators. They are good looking units, and I hope EMD is successful at getting them on the road for the long term.
i would think that was one of the crew type suggestions!!
CZ
I'm assuming that the video in question is this one:
See around 1:45 -- the design process is referenced a couple of other places, too.
Note the brief view of the prime mover at 0:58, and the very cool shots of the CAVE visualization environment.
Does anyone have a list of the 250-odd items of feedback? (Note that the 82 changes were just the ones that were made before Progress EMD started construction on the prototype...)
kgbw49 You can see the EMD heritage in the cab with the return of the tear drop windows and the backward slant of the windows. If one took an SD75M cab and slanted the outside faces downward for better visibiilty of crewmen on the steps it would look a lot like the Tier 4 demonstrators. They are good looking units, and I hope EMD is successful at getting them on the road for the long term.
Put a full cowl on it, clean up the top of the nose, add phase three livery and one has the making of a nice Amtrak long distance locomotive. Yeah, yeah, the last six axle loco was the GE Pooch, but one can dream, can't he?
Back to this locomotive, we neec UP to step up to the plate and once again order a 1,000 units for a 20 year lease, that will get EMD back in the game instantly.
If I recall correctly, in another thread one of our other contributors who was in a position to know indicated that UP had signed for somewhere in the range of 5 or 6 dozen SD70ACe-T4 units for 2016 delivery, which also allowed them to also receive a significant number of "Tier 4 Credit" SD70ACes in 2016. The credit units are in the 9000 series.
Here is one of the UP Tier 4 Credit SD70ACe units recently delivered...
Union Pacific has a order for 60 SD70Ace-4 with more to come/.
They are in Roseville as of Monday, 27th, but the 1503 is in the Diesel shop. The other unit was parked in the fuel station with the EMDX 820 test car.
RR
Probably not there today. Well, the one in the shop might be. I'll have to swing by on the way home.
Hopefully they are getting fueled at the racks...unlike the GE's which went up the hill with empty tanks when testing.
Michigan Union Pacific has a order for 60 SD70Ace-4 with more to come/.
What are those?
I know of the SD70ACe-T4, which you're more than likely talking about. But there's also Tier 4 credit units that some fans are adding a 4 to the end of the existing model designation, despite still being a regular SD70ACe with the difference only being the build date (And T4 for GE's previous model).
Not to mention the SD70ACe-P4 that BNSF took 20 of and could add to with emission credits.
The Union Pacific order is for the new model with six driven axles, but the T4 is for Tier IV designation. Those new GE with the 4 axles seem to be less than great for drag freights since they were designed for high HP per axle stack trains.
This is the current news in the Railway Age Magazine this week.
From Chicago, and Railway Age's Rail Insights Conference and Expo today, June 7:
William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief, Railway Age: What is the outlook for Union Pacific locomotive orders?
Rob Knight, Chief Financial Officer, Union Pacific: We [plan to acquire] 230 new locomotives this year, 70 next year, and after that, no orders are planned. What will drive our orders after that will be how our business and the broader economy is doing.
The EMDX Tier IV set is now broken up. EMDX Test Car 820 has been sent back east on the Roper 7/6/16. 1503 Tier IV unit is in the yard at Roseville but 1502 was not in view on the morning of 7/7/16.
FYI
I really like how these look. Would be nice to see them in various schemes
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
Union Pacific has a order for 65 SD70AH tier 3 and 65 SD70Ace-T4 for late third Quarter. the AH's are being delivered in 2016 for Credit on the SD70Ace-T4 order.
CAZEPHYR This is the current news in the Railway Age Magazine this week. From Chicago, and Railway Age's Rail Insights Conference and Expo today, June 7: William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief, Railway Age: What is the outlook for Union Pacific locomotive orders? Rob Knight, Chief Financial Officer, Union Pacific: We [plan to acquire] 230 new locomotives this year, 70 next year, and after that, no orders are planned. What will drive our orders after that will be how our business and the broader economy is doing.
Well eventually the massive 2000 EMD lease order will need replacing in about three to four years, now EMD has a viable product, though I wander how much more expensive a T4 unit is compared to a simple SD70M.
Well this is an educated Guess based on what my boss goes thru. His cost to replace equipment has Doubled since the EPA started to meddle with his industry.
kgbw49
Train Nut Here! And Proud of It!
CAZEPHYR The EMDX Tier IV set is now broken up. EMDX Test Car 820 has been sent back east on the Roper 7/6/16. 1503 Tier IV unit is in the yard at Roseville but 1502 was not in view on the morning of 7/7/16. FYI
Haven't seen 1503 for a few days, so I think she finally went back as well.
She had 2 issues, one had something to do with "water" that was unclear.
The other problem was that the Coded Cab Signal system failed.
EMDX 1604 and 1605 have been released from Muncie for BNSF testing reportedly they are of the P4 flavor. BNSF is to get 4 demonstrators from EMD, perhaps the other 2 will be standard P6 versions.
YoHo1975 CAZEPHYR The EMDX Tier IV set is now broken up. EMDX Test Car 820 has been sent back east on the Roper 7/6/16. 1503 Tier IV unit is in the yard at Roseville but 1502 was not in view on the morning of 7/7/16. FYI Haven't seen 1503 for a few days, so I think she finally went back as well. She had 2 issues, one had something to do with "water" that was unclear. The other problem was that the Coded Cab Signal system failed.
The 1502 was back in Roseville on Monday, 7/18 in the yard for service. The loco had worked North from West Colton. The 1503 went North to Portland and was reported to be in a train past Cheyenne mid week. So Long for now.
I hope one of the changes was to place all the circuit breakers and battery knife switch in one cabinet. Preferably in the cab. Currently on the SD70ACe/AH models the battery knife switch is in one compartment behind the cab, a few circuit breakers in a different compartment and the remainder in the back wall cabinet.
It may look like the sloping nose panel would improve visibilty of someone out front, but I doubt if it does. The slope reminds me of the slope on GE engines. They aren't any better for seeing a trainman out on the front steps when switching. For good visibility, nothing beats the standard cab.
Jeff
Sources tell me that an ("an") SD70ACe-T4 was spotted in the Receiving Yard at West Colton Yard (CA) earlier today, around 11:30 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
jeffhergert I hope one of the changes was to place all the circuit breakers and battery knife switch in one cabinet. Preferably in the cab. Currently on the SD70ACe/AH models the battery knife switch is in one compartment behind the cab, a few circuit breakers in a different compartment and the remainder in the back wall cabinet. It may look like the sloping nose panel would improve visibilty of someone out front, but I doubt if it does. The slope reminds me of the slope on GE engines. They aren't any better for seeing a trainman out on the front steps when switching. For good visibility, nothing beats the standard cab. Jeff
all equipment on back wall of cab. check out EMD/Progress Rail SD70Ace-4 video
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.