Genesis discussion (AMD-103, P40DC, P42DC)

Believe 1"deadline"P-40 was pulled out of Bear or Beech Grove for a possible GEVO repower using the GE GEVO "kit".
Any progress on that "front"??

Still believe that the longer Amtrak can evaluate the SC-44s before having to order them for LD the better. Has anyone heard of Brightline's result s so far. Granted Brightline has not started revenue service yet and they have plenty of spare locos.

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:The NCDOT F59's are out in bizzarro world with state ownership and state-contracted maintenance (along with their unicorn coach fleet). Beech Grove never touches them.
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That's not correct, a few months back I was on my way downtown on the Wolverine and saw the Capital with an NCDOT unit trailing. It was a ferry move for work at Beech. They may not visit Beech Grove often, but they have.

This was a non-revenue move of an F59PH to California for work to be done by RPS for a future Tier IV retrofit.
http://railpropulsion.com/products/blen ... t-systems/
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/m ... ons--51314

The only time Amtrak uses NCDOT F59's is when the P42 assigned to 79 or 80 fails within travel distance of RGH (twice this fall).

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote: Anything beyond that range is A Really Big Procurement™ ...

I like the Trademark LOL.

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:*Maybe*. The F59's are EMD 710 prime movers, while the F40's and Geeps are EMD 645's. Similar, but not quite the same. And so far they have never been deployed in cab signal territory before so the East Coasters (excluding MBTA northside) and Metra BNSF + Rock Island districts would need to spend for some signal units in order to equip any leasers for immediate use.

If they clear the low wire in Hoboken at all (caveat: not at all sure they do, because they're slightly taller than an F40PH) they'd actually be decent supplementals for NJ Transit because their PL42AC's are also EMD 710-based. PL42's use the Tier 1-compliant update of the 16-cylinder 710 w/electronic fuel injection while F59PHI's are non- EPA tiered 12-cylinder 710's w/EFI (earlier F59PH's identical to the PHI's but without the EFI). It's still not clear exactly how NJT plans to purge the roster of all of their remaining Geeps with only 17 more ALP-45DP's in this new order. Doesn't seem like nearly enough to square their numbers completely. F59PHI's given a Tier 1 update and maybe a small boost from 3200 HP to 34... or 36... making them good enough for 5- or 6-car MLV sets wouldn't be a bad choice at all for plugging the numbers gap on the roster IF the Hoboken clearances are kosher. However, not sure NJT riders would exactly fall in love with the sight on them hauling their train since F59's have a bit of a bad rep for riding rough when they start to get worn; Jersey commuters already hate the PL42's craptacular ride quality with a passion.

Maybe NJT could use the 59's for the Atlantic City service since it would be a waste to use dual modes there given the short run under wire from 20th St. to Frankford Jct. and the fact that there is no place to stop and change modes at FJ as it is currently configured.

Whatever they do with the 59's, it is going to require a hefty overhaul. They are used hard.

While waiting to board Amtrak trains, I frequently hear a weep! sound coming from the locomotive, followed by some sort of motor or compressor running. I never hear MBTA locomotives, whether GP's or F40's, make that sound, just Amtrak Genesis units. I'm curious to know what it is.

It's the air compressor.

The GE whoop is actually the radiator fan kicking on. A frequent (but understandable) misconception is that its the air compressor kicking on. An auxiliary computer monitors temperature and when there's a predicted increase in temperature, it signals the radiator fan to spool up. The air compressor is a relatively demanding activity and hence will many times be preceded by the radiator fan "whooping" on.

Sorry to post in an old thread, just a quick question: It was mentioned above that the F59's are used hard and need a hefty overhaul. The 450-470 went through rehab work the last few years. Does anyone know how extensive that work actually was? Was it just paint and some touch ups or was it an actual full rebuild?

It's possible that the WsDOT F59's may have cycled thru Beech Grove about the same time as the Amtrak-Ca units cycled thru Beech Grove.
May have been on the Builder as 3rd units in both directions.

Does anyone if GE sent a GEVO repower kit to Beech Grove yet??

I'm afraid that the Siemens Chargers will be more expensive to repair/more easily totaled in grade crossing collisions. I hope I'm wrong. I am interested in the tradeoff analysis regarding Genesis upgrades vs new long distance locomotives in any case.

Backshophoss wrote:It's possible that the WsDOT F59's may have cycled thru Beech Grove about the same time as the Amtrak-Ca units cycled thru Beech Grove.
May have been on the Builder as 3rd units in both directions.

Meanwhile, CNJGeep posted that Amtrak’s F59s are going to Metra. Wonder if Beech is going to take a wrench to them first.

Interesting to see how strongly Metra is committed to staying an EMD-powered shop while there are GE and third-party units on the market.

Ever wondered why? Look at where the EMD diesel manufacturing plants are located!
McCook, IL and Muncie, IN. Both are not far from Chicago.