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  • SD75I without red rear-end lights, why?

  • Discussion relating to the Canadian National, past and present. Also includes discussion of Illinois Central and Grand Trunk Western and other subsidiary roads (including Bessemer & Lake Erie and the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway). Official site: WWW.CN.CA
Discussion relating to the Canadian National, past and present. Also includes discussion of Illinois Central and Grand Trunk Western and other subsidiary roads (including Bessemer & Lake Erie and the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway). Official site: WWW.CN.CA

Moderators: Komachi, Ken V

 #975610  by .Taurus.
 
Hello everybody !

Why are these red rear-end lights/indicators are missing on CN's SD75I-Series ?

Image
SD75I (click to enlarge)

It looks like that all CN's engines are equipped with red-rear end markers - except the SD75I-series and second hand power.
And since the SD75I were ordered and deliverd first hand to CN, there must be a reason, why these engines weren't equipped with the rear-end lights ...

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=375417 -> SD 70 M-2
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=374703 -> ES 44 DC
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=376370 -> C 40-8 W (first hand with rear-end marker)
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=376381 -> C 40-8 W (second hand without rear-end marker)
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=375999 -> C 40-8 M

Best regards
 #976548  by ENR3870
 
They're not equipped for Distributed Power like the SD70M-2's, some C44-9W's, the BCOL units, the IC SD70's and the ES44DCs and were built after the class light rules were written out of the rule book unlike the 2400 series Dash 8's.

The blue Dash 8's are ex-LMS built to Conrail specifications.
 #978907  by CN_Hogger
 
Some of the IC SD70's have been DP equipped and indeed have the markers applied. Many Dash 9's have been upgraded with EAB/DP and also have the markers. I'm not really sure why CN hasn't decided to retrofit the SD70/75I's.
 #989160  by CNRConductor
 
I asked our Western Region ESO (Engine Service Officer) why this was and he said the reason why most of CN's Dash-9's have been retrofitted with EAB/DP and not the SD70/75i's is because Locotrol is a GE product, so CN got a discount on the retrofits. Can't remember why they upgraded the IC SD70's, but there's at least a little more insight to the topic.