200 BNSF SD70ACes Coming -- But Why the Delay?

[Lyon_Wonder]

I'd say get rid of some of the older DC locos rather than terminating SD70MAC's from lease, which would probably be the earliest BN engines anyway.  BNSF still has 30+ year old SD40-2s and even SD45-2s on the roster.  Though SD70MACs would look nice in MRL's dark blue paint scheme.

[EJE818]

Excellent that the SD60Ms are being reassigned to Chicago. Hopefully they will pull manifests and other trains down the ex-ATSF transcon and the racetrack. I know they are being renumbered but they are still neat engines that I wish I could see more often. I somehow doubt BNSF is going to be returning any SD70MACs. I see Dash 9s on coal trains sometimes (not the AC44s, I see those also). BNSF must be short coal train power, because the Dash 9s have showed up several times on coal trains. Maybe BNSF will be able to move those Dash 9s back on intermodal and stack trains where they are supposed to be.

[Anonymous]

12-3-07 they are starting to show up,2 units are heading to Colorado for testing.  They have low headlights and isolated cabs-which gives them a personal touch over the others.  The ones released so far have come painted from EMD.  Delivery will be slow at first as 2008 starts and continues I`ve heard it`ll pick up.  In the mean time the SD60M`s are being renumbered and will be assignged to Chicago,latest I heard.  While the SD70MACs will head for North Dakota for assignment.  I have also heard the SD70MACs might be going to lessors to make room for more compliant locomotives,no time line on that one.

[EJE818]

Really? Are there any other CNW painted SD50s on the list? I would like to see one of those on my next trip to Wisconsin. Now, getting back on topic, when are some estimated timelines on when the new BNSF ACes will be delivered? How early will early 2007 mean? I would like to see some of these. SD70ACes are neat engines and the more (unless they are planning to retire SD40-2s), the better I say!

[beaulieu]

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? 

 

 

NREX 7009 is supposed to be coming to the Soo Line soon. CP is leasing 50 locomotives from NRE to ease a power shortage. NREX 7009 is on the list, but condition will determine whether or not it is accepted. The lessers are to operate primarily SE of Moose Jaw and SW of Toronto, but like most plans this may change. 

[EJE818]

I figured UP would have cab lights on all new ACes. They have had cab lights on all of their SD70Ms and ACe, but all noselights on its GEs. I think all of the BNSF ones will have nose lights. I like the BNSF ACes with cab lights better, but I have a feeling the new ones will have nose lights like most of BNSF's recent engines.

[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. 

[silicon212]

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

[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 

[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.

[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

[silicon212]

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

[Lord Atmo]

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

[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]

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]

That was the one.

[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]

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]

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

[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. 

[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.

[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.

[Lord Atmo]

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

or rather, the ex-CNW ones 

[silicon212]

BNSF never had any tunnel motors.

[dxr8007nz]

Bye Bye SD40-2s.....

NNNOOOOO!!!

Bye Bye SD40T-2, SD45T-2 too

[chicagorails]

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

[EJE818]

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

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?