Progress Rail/Caterpillar PR43C mystery? 3005hp for UP?

As per RailwayAge.com, Norfolk Southern is ordering four more PR43C's from Progress Rail. The story confirms the prime-movers are a Caterpillar C-175 rated at 3,600 horsepower and a Caterpillar C-18 rated at 700 horsepower. No word on what the cores will be. Also, no mention of EMD.

Progress Rail has a facility near Mayfield KY. They seem to have a set of SD50 from the EMD lease fleet. They could be used as donors to make PR43C. I have also seen some PR30C on UP rebuilt from SD-40. Try a search on Youtube.

I thought the PR30C 's were rebuilt from u.p.rr SD60's that had been retired?

IIRC, the PR30C's started life as SD40-2s. The SD60s you mention are being rebuilt as SD32ECOs with EMD 12-710 engines...

The latest incarnation(s) of the PR43C have several exterior changes, including a completely new cab design. Photos by Max Linder:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2337657

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2337656

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2337654

Is the red tank a fire suppression tank?

As for the red tank on these loco's I will assume that until I hear otherwise,or confirmed..

MEC407 wrote:The latest incarnation(s) of the PR43C have several exterior changes, including a completely new cab design. ...

Interesting, that cab looks similar to the one being applied to the SD60 rebuilds NS is doing at Juniata. Could be from the same supplier...

I think this cab is marginally better looking than the one NS is using. For one thing it doesn't have a sloped roof or that weird overhang over the windshield. Those two things make all the difference!

Here are some photos of the latest PR43C to be painted, including a photo of the builder's sticker -- which, interestingly, specifies 4000 HP rather than 4300:

http://mlinder81.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=2745158

http://mlinder81.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=2745159

http://mlinder81.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=2745160

It is my understanding that the HP ratings for the PR43C(3600HP for the main engine,700HP for the smaller one) are Gross ratings. So for traction purposes 4,000HP seems about right..

Shouldn't they call it a PR40C if that's the case? All their other model names thus far have referred to traction horsepower.

Unless anyone can tell me otherwise, it sure looks like the PR43C program was a failure. The demo unit #4000 is now up for sale. Price: "make an offer."

http://www.sterlingrail.com/classifieds ... p?id=16401" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Seems like Progress Rail has finally declared a winner in its T-IV freight locomotive horse race: the 12-1010.