P32-8BWH retirement

I don't see it making any sense to repower them. You've got a 7FDL in them, the same engine core as the rest of the Genesis units - so you've got mostly drop-in replacement parts for a very small fleet (18 locomotives.) Easy repair, capable of switching or road service. . .I agree that they seem like a handy multi-purpose unit to have around. I'm not sure Amtrak decided for sure they were going to be retired, or if it was just a though that they wouldn't need them anymore as more of their rebuilt P40s came online.

Until there's some solid information, its all speculation though.

This was discussed in the HSP-46 thread in the MBTA forum,the GEVO passenger kit is in
the Current GE catalog,this build by MPI/GE is the "proof of concept"as a new build option.
If the P-32-BWH is getting close to rebuild/overhaul age,this might be the 1st use of the kit
for upgrade to tier III/IV compliance to make the EPA happy.
For now,this "kit" may be the better "bet" than the Siemans/Cummins concept,or
the EMD/Cat "F-125" concept with a Cat prime mover

Oh I wish it were true.

I spend more time in that beast than I do my own bed. While it is capable of use on the road or yard, it really is not a yard motor that is easily used compared to the switch engines the freight dogs use. Thank goodness the 8BWH's have the old air brakes instead of the Knorr brakes.

Why should Amtrak spend on diesel loco R+D rather than have Siemens, Caterpillar and Wabtec do it? This seems to me more a desire to have something weird to catalog in Amtrak livery.

IF the HSP-46 proves to a reliable loco,then using the GE "passenger kit" becomes a rebuild kit that can be done
"in house" at Beech Grove, saving some BIG $$$ for Amtrak.

Adding fuel to the fire: this morning I was riding Metra-BNSF into downtown and in addition to the usual BWH switcher at 14th street, there were three BWH's parked together on the old M&E tracks along the river. That is certainly not normal, I've never see more than one in town. That's also a significant chunk of a small fleet.

Can the OP define soon?

Tadman wrote:Adding fuel to the fire: this morning I was riding Metra-BNSF into downtown and in addition to the usual BWH switcher at 14th street, there were three BWH's parked together on the old M&E tracks along the river. That is certainly not normal, I've never see more than one in town. That's also a significant chunk of a small fleet.

And this afternoon about 1:10, 517 (which can be seen occasionally in one of the Hiawatha sets either subbing for a P42 or P40 on the west end or for the cabbage car on the east end) was sitting at the south end of Track 19. A rather odd time to be just sitting there since that's normally about when 7's equipment is brought from the south side into 19 for its 2:15 departure.

I'm more concerned about the P42 fleet & what will come next than retirement of this small (by comparison) fleet. You also have a few of those GP38H-3's that could be used in a pinch if amtk decided to begin retiring the pepsi cans. Just my 2 cent.

CrazyItalianTC wrote:

ThirdRail7 wrote:Can the OP define soon?

Next year

I'm willing to believe this is possible. Weren't the P32s sort of benched before? I kind of remember most of them sitting idle until they started doing something to the trucks on the rest of the fleet. I'm thinking they were cracked and there was some warranty war?

At any rate, perhaps enough are back on the beam and they will be able to sideline some of them.

Unless I'm confusing different issues.

Amtrak has been strapped for power across the whole railroad, so I doubt they are going anywhere anytime soon. Most likely now that they have the cracking P40/p42 truck situation figured out (failure to properly replace springs) they have probably put a good number of those units back in service so that maybe these P32BWH things can finally get the attention they need. They have been pressing them in to service for the last two years to make up for what they were lacking while the P40/42 fleet was getting overhauled trucks as needed. The P32 dual modes had a cracking truck issue, the P32 wide cabs as far as I know, still have their original Rockwell International trucks. The dual mode trucks were made by Vossloh.

The P32BWH is pretty much exactly the same as it was from when it was delivered. Its probably the only GE locomotive on a class one railroad right now that still has mechanical fuel injection and not been upgraded to electronic like the P40s were, though i could be wrong about that. Seeing how NS has been doing its Dash-8 rebuilds down in Roanoke to upgrade them to Tier 1 emissions I am sure Amtrak could do the same in house if they wanted to as well with these units. The upgrade still lets them keep their split cooling system so there isnt a need for a full strip to frame and replace everything situation. Seeing how the current funding is for amtrak and the need for power I would not put it past them that these engines will get some kind of attention over the next year or two.

ApproachMedium wrote:Amtrak has been strapped for power across the whole railroad, so I doubt they are going anywhere anytime soon. Most likely now that they have the cracking P40/p42 truck situation figured out (failure to properly replace springs) they have probably put a good number of those units back in service so that maybe these P32BWH things can finally get the attention they need. They have been pressing them in to service for the last two years to make up for what they were lacking while the P40/42 fleet was getting overhauled trucks as needed. The P32 dual modes had a cracking truck issue, the P32 wide cabs as far as I know, still have their original Rockwell International trucks. The dual mode trucks were made by Vossloh.

The P32BWH is pretty much exactly the same as it was from when it was delivered. Its probably the only GE locomotive on a class one railroad right now that still has mechanical fuel injection and not been upgraded to electronic like the P40s were, though i could be wrong about that. Seeing how NS has been doing its Dash-8 rebuilds down in Roanoke to upgrade them to Tier 1 emissions I am sure Amtrak could do the same in house if they wanted to as well with these units. The upgrade still lets them keep their split cooling system so there isnt a need for a full strip to frame and replace everything situation. Seeing how the current funding is for amtrak and the need for power I would not put it past them that these engines will get some kind of attention over the next year or two.

In short, these are being "GP40FH'ed" it seems. I wonder if a heavy rebuild might be better?? You could get isolated cabs, more efficient prime mover, split cooling stays, upgraded electronics, and new, better riding trucks? Just a thought.

If motive power shortage is an issue, there are still a number of P40's in storage. I'd like to see them rebuild the rest of the 800's and get a few more years out of those diesels that were sidelined prematurely.

The P-40's that were stored at Wilmington were towed to Beech Grove so their trucks could be used to
get the P-42's back into service,they may be on shop trucks at Beech Grove now.

Backshophoss wrote:The P-40's that were stored at Wilmington were towed to Beech Grove so their trucks could be used to
get the P-42's back into service,they may be on shop trucks at Beech Grove now.

Shame, so is that it for them then?