SD40-2 sales

Why are most of the Western Class 1 Railroads selling off their SD40-2s and the Eastern Class 1s are not?

keep searching keep finding

Most of the eastern RR's cannot swallow a 1000+ order, either leased or bought out-right, like the western RR's can. Financing was probably such that the western roads could "pencil in" newer units better than the eastern roads. The western RR's also had large fleets of leased units that recently ran out.

It seem also that RR's, mainlythe NS, don't seem all to interested in newer techniologies. Heavy high-HP AC locomotives, wide cabs, desktop control stands, and the extra 400HP that GE has.

Terry, again, you are asking a very difficult question to answer. Unless a person was actually a key or central part of the corporate decision-making process of each railroad, any answer is part (or mostly)speculation. It's sort of like trying to peek in a window of a house to see what's going on inside. You can't see everything (or sometimes anything), and you can misinterpret what you think that you are seeing.

I would expect that key considerations in the unloading of SD40-2 units by western railways could have included:

> The lease periods (to release or renew the lease);

> The unit histories (were they used on heavy mountain freights for virtually all of their operating lives?), as constant uage on mountain grades can wear out a unit a lot faster than having more flatter use routes, or a combination of types of usage. The former D&RGW, Colorado & Southern, and WP, and the mountain districts of the UP, SP, AT&SF, and BN have significant grades.

>SD40-2 units have outmoded technology, such as wheel slip, fuel management, etc. compared to the newer AC and DC units.

Railroads are always looking for the best technology and efficiency to use on the movement of freight. Thus, it is no surprise that the western railroads would seek to upgrade the types and capabilities of diesel locomotives in order to perform the movement of freight over their lines as cost-efficiently as possible.

ACLfan

SD Shortline wrote:
It seem also that RR's, mainlythe NS, don't seem all to interested in newer techniologies. Heavy high-HP AC locomotives, wide cabs, desktop control stands, and the extra 400HP that GE has.

SD Shortline, I've got to question what you meant in the above statement when recognition is given to the hundreds of new wide cab AC power that are instantly uprateable from 4000 to 4400 hp that the NS has been acquiring over the past few years (and is continuing at present). With their purchases, NS has turned out to be one of the major buyers of new technology locomotives!

Based on these facts, I simply do not understand the basis of your statement. Did you mean some other railroad other than NS?

ACLfan

ACLfan,

Until recently, the preferd the "spartan cab" DC locomotives, grantd the fact that now all you can purchase as offerd are wide cabs. The ES44DC and the SD70M-2 had to be with the NS in thought, as they still prefer DC units. For one as I mentioned above, the DC units are cheaper, plus the NS is testing ES40DC.

Besides the the AC's they inherited from the Conrail, what other AC's has the NS obtained?

One reason for 4000HP over 4400HP is the extra HP makes even an AC loco a little more slippery. High tech or not, 500HP (SD40-2) per axle seems to be quite reliable in less than ideal conditions, ask a hogger. So when they are climbing up grades the extra doesn't help that much.

SD Shortline

SD Shortline wrote:
Besides the the AC's they inherited from the Conrail, what other AC's has the NS obtained?



SD Shortline

SD Shortline,

You stated: Besides the AC'x that NS inherited from the Conrail.

Response: NS did not inherit ANY AC units from Conrail! All of the GE units inherited by NS and CSX from Conrail were Dash 8 units! NS purchased the hundreds of AC units with their own $$!

Now I understand why you made your original statement!

ACLfan

ACLfan, Norfolk Southern got 17 SD80MACs from the Conrail merger.
Oops; we live and learn.

keep asking keep learning

TerryC wrote:ACLfan, Norfolk Southern got 17 SD80MACs and at least 2 GP38ACs from the Conrail merger.

keep asking keep learning

GP38ACs aren't AC traction locomotives. They were built at the tail end of the GP38 production run and the only difference is that they have AC main generators rather than DC, as was previously.

ALCfan,

You stated: "Besides the AC'x that NS inherited from the Conrail.

Response: NS did not inherit ANY AC units from Conrail! All of the GE units inherited by NS and CSX from Conrail were Dash 8 units! NS purchased the hundreds of AC units with their own $$!

Now I understand why you made your original statement!"

I don't see your point because I can't find any roster for the NS(Norfolfk Southern) with any AC units on it. (besides the 17 SD80MAC's)

What alternating Current traction motor equipped has the Norfolk Southern bought?

Are you confusing the AC alternator equipped units, since GE and EMD's alike have AC alternators instead of DC generators?

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=93058

besides these...and like Terry C and I said...they were inherited...

So please direct me to a roster with the AC's on it.

SD Shortline

SD Shortline:

My mistake, and I offer my humble apology.

You were correct, and I was wrong.

Again, my apologies.

ACLfan

ALCfan,

No problem, I wasn't sure what you meant, with the AC's.

The NW skipped right over the F-units and stayed with steam. The diesel were top of the line technologies of the day. When Conrail split the last order of SD70 were built for NS specs. GE had stated that the AAR stand wasn't going to be offered, I'm sure the NS and CN influenced them otherwise.

As for the discussion, one other thing to consider Terry C, is that Western RR's operate quite differently that the Eastern RR's. The differnces could be a complete forum in itself.

Either way, SD40's still have ecomomic life for the Class 1's.

SD Shortline