200 BNSF SD70ACes Coming -- But Why the Delay?

[K. P. Harrier]

Reportedly, 200 SD70ACes for BNSF will arrive sometime in 2008.  Is the absence of present deliveries due to engineering modifications requested by BNSF?

[SSW9389]

I have read that EMD is at capacity and that the BNSF order is scheduled to start delivery in the first quarter of next year.

[EJE818]

I have heard anytime from late fall of this year to the beginning of next year they should begin to be built. I believe KCS and CN are also getting SD70M-2s. I'm not sure if NS is getting any more M-2s or not this year, plus I believe UP still hasn't gotten all of its ACes for this year. I know there are still some in primer waiting to go to Horicon or are at Horicon for painting.

[Andrew Falconer]

Have all the Union Pacfic SD70ACe Locos all been painted at Horicon?

I think some might have been painted by EMD.

Two fully painted new UP SD70ACe units were moved west on the CN.

Andrew

[wctransfer]

Bye Bye SD40-2s.....

[THayman]

I have heard anytime from late fall of this year to the beginning of next year they should begin to be built. I believe KCS and CN are also getting SD70M-2s. I'm not sure if NS is getting any more M-2s or not this year, plus I believe UP still hasn't gotten all of its ACes for this year. I know there are still some in primer waiting to go to Horicon or are at Horicon for painting.

 CN just put in an order last week for 25 more M-2's for delivery in August '08, on top of the 25 already delivered and the 50 coming later this year (Aug-Oct).

 

[snagletooth]

Bye Bye SD40-2s.....

NNNOOOOO!!!

[EJE818]

I think BNSF will get rid of its more unusual engines before the SD40-2s. Group, I am now hearing rumors the B23-7 fleet is now stored at Kansas City. Does anyone know if they are stored there?

[WSOR 3801]

All of the UP Heritage ACes were painted in Horicon.  There have been some regular UP ACes painted as well, along with BNSF and KCS, and NS SD70M-2s.

[EJE818]

Wonder how many of the 200 ACes coming will be painted at Horicon. I would imagine a decent amount would be painted there.

[chicagorails]

some aces are painted in paduca ky. at the old ill cent shop, vmv

[dxr8007nz]

Bye Bye SD40-2s.....

NNNOOOOO!!!

Bye Bye SD40T-2, SD45T-2 too

[silicon212]

BNSF never had any tunnel motors.

[Lord Atmo]

too bad the UP SD40-2s arent the ones that will be lost from all this

or rather, the ex-CNW ones 

[traisessive1]

 CN just put in an order last week for 25 more M-2's for delivery in August '08, on top of the 25 already delivered and the 50 coming later this year (Aug-Oct).

As you all know CN has 25 now (8000-8024) ... they have 75 more being built as we speak and they will be 8800-8874. That brings their total up to 100 which was the oringal # they had options for.

[YoHo1975]

too bad the UP SD40-2s arent the ones that will be lost from all this

or rather, the ex-CNW ones 

 

Interesting. Last October while railfanning in Illinois, ex-CNW SD40-2s were being used on stack trains, auto racks and Mixed manifests in and out of Proviso. I was surprised, not just that they were the CNW units (nose bell), but that they weren't newer units.

[beaulieu]

too bad the UP SD40-2s arent the ones that will be lost from all this

or rather, the ex-CNW ones 

Interesting. Last October while railfanning in Illinois, ex-CNW SD40-2s were being used on stack trains, auto racks and Mixed manifests in and out of Proviso. I was surprised, not just that they were the CNW units (nose bell), but that they weren't newer units.

The C&NW SD40-2s have the C&NW ATC equipment, many modern UP locomotives lack this equipment so the ex-C&NW locomotive is tacked on for the trip across Illinois and Iowa. 

[da Milwaukee beerNut]

Bye Bye SD40-2s.....

No time soon - UP has 650 active or in ready reserve. [Approx. 1200 delivered new to the now-UP roads: UP + CNW + SP + MKT] {trace done 8/7/07 * posted to LocoNotes Yahoo list}

UP total road power = 7188 locos, including 1240 SD70M's

http://www.thedieselshop.us/UP.HTML

I was surprised, not just that they were the CNW units (nose bell), but that they weren't newer units.

CNW's 40-2's delivered between 8/73 and 11/76. Oldest UP 40-2's [3123-3148] delivered in January 1972. "Newest" 40-2's  (MKT) delivered 11/81 - still over 25 years ago. Loco retirements are usually due to mechanical deterioration - not age.

As "beaulieu" noted, ATC equipment is required on former CNW track carrying passenger traffic - any UP lines the Metra scoots share.

too bad the UP SD40-2s aren't the ones that will be lost from all this
or rather, the ex-CNW ones

Nose bells will continue to haunt Altoona and other UP railfan spots for years to come.

111 (of the 132 assimilated) ex-C&NW SD40-2's 84% remain in service. 94 of 111 (also 84%) were in the states of Iowa-IL-WI-MN {trace locations 8/7/07}

KUDOS to the Proviso loco servicing crews. UP power managers will continue to run nose bells across Illinois, lead coal trains to Oak Creek, and move traffic up the Milwaukee, Adams, and Tomah subs to the Twin Cities and beyond.

Though these grumble under load - a few actually smile at cameras (haven't seen a single one WAVE) If you get what I'm tryin' to say here!

 see UP 2952-2999 & 3015-3096 @ http://www.utahrails.net/all-time/modern-index.php

[silicon212]

I saw one of the ex-CNW SD40-2s the other day on a UP manifest here in the Phoenix area.  It had been retired, sold and was wearing "LTEX" on the cab.  So, even though some are retired, they continue to work - for Larry's Truck and Electric!

[da Milwaukee beerNut]

Saw one of the ex-CNW SD40-2s on a UP manifest in the Phoenix area. Wearing LTEX on the cab. So, even though some are retired, they continue to work - for Larry's Truck and Electric!

Musta been the one and only 6900 !!!

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=617757

Lost her nose bell! New one's just behind the front truck! 

Numerous ex-SP's on the LTE roster - especially tunnels! http://www.thedieselshop.us/LTE.HTML 

[silicon212]

That was the one.

[Lord Atmo]

NREX 7009 reigns supreme when it comes to ex-CNWs. search for that one. i'd kill to see it.

i have a feeling i'll have moved away from Altoona before the XCNWs are gone. so i can endure the pain a bit longer i suppose would be nice to see them all gone though. that way CNW finally can die peacefully. but enough about that

these BNSF ACEs. do they have noselights or cablights like the first batch? 

 

[silicon212]

these BNSF ACEs. do they have noselights or cablights like the first batch? 

Well, considering they don't yet exist, it's hard to say.

[Lord Atmo]

oops. by "coming", you guys didnt mean "being delivered"?

[silicon212]

They're on order, supposed to begin delivery in 2008.  Please read the whole thread!

[mj5890]

these BNSF ACEs. do they have noselights or cablights like the first batch? 

Its hard to say because BNSF has some with nose lights and some with cab lights,

I dont like the cab head lights so I hope all 200 of them have nose lights

[EJE818]

I would think there is a better chance of nose headlights then cab headlights, as that has what BNSF has had on most of its engines. You never know, though, and anything is possible.

[Lord Atmo]

They're on order, supposed to begin delivery in 2008.  Please read the whole thread!

i did! how was i supposed to know if their configuration wasnt known till a railfan sees one and photographs it or not? i mean when half the toys i collect are slated for a 2008 release and several prototype images of them appear online last month, i thought the idea is roughly the same. i dont know how locomotive orders work or anything. 

 

yeah i guess more cablight ACEs would be wishful thinking. well nobody said i had to photograph or even look at them. sorry. i just cant stand noselights 

[silicon212]

FWIW, all of the UP ACes are of the cablight configuration, and will be for the forseeable future.

[YoHo1975]

I prefer cab lights on Spartan cab locos, but on wide nose units with the lights turned 90 degrees, I think they just look dumb. DO NOT LIKE!

 

Of course, in neither case am I an engineer, so who am I to judge.