Switching trucks, C for B

[ns2110]

I know this sounds a bit far fetched, but can six axle trucks be swapped out for four axle trucks? If you take a look at the picture linked from the NERail Photo Archive, it looks as though this GP38 or GP40 looks to have once been an SD. There are only two fans on top of the radiator, but if you look at the dynamic brake blister, it looks like there are two fans like an SD38 or 40 would have. There is also some space between the trucks and the fuel tank but it just may be a small tank.

Even if this locomotive was born as a Geep, is this possible?

And now, the linked photo...
http://nerail.org/showpic/?photo=200505 ... ydate%3A11

[n01jd1]

The locomotive in question is an Ex UP, Exx MKT GP39-2. which probably has a small fuel tank. The photo looks like it was taken with a wide angle lens or a zoom lens set at wide angle which makes the locomotive look longer than it really is. As for putting four axle trucks under a six axle locomotive, I guess you could do it, but why would you as there is no benefit in doing so as that would increase the weight carried by each axle while losing the tractive effort from the two axles taken away. If a locomotive is retrucked, they usually turn a four axle locomotive into a six axle one to spread the weight of the locomotive over more axles. This has been done recently to locomotives sold to countries in South America.

I know this sounds a bit far fetched, but can six axle trucks be swapped out for four axle trucks? If you take a look at the picture linked from the NERail Photo Archive, it looks as though this GP38 or GP40 looks to have once been an SD. There are only two fans on top of the radiator, but if you look at the dynamic brake blister, it looks like there are two fans like an SD38 or 40 would have. There is also some space between the trucks and the fuel tank but it just may be a small tank.

Even if this locomotive was born as a Geep, is this possible?

And now, the linked photo...
http://nerail.org/showpic/?photo=200505 ... ydate%3A11

[ns2110]

Thanks for a speedy reply. I kinda figured that it started life as a Geep.

[nickleinonen]

i've seen a bunch of SF GE dash8? come through my service track, that are rolling on 4 axles... all the ones cn have are on 6 axles [dash8&9]

is that something santafe has done, or were they ordered like that?

[n01jd1]

Santa Fe ordered B40-8's (four axle) both in standard cab and widebodys from GE in the late 80's to early 90's.

i've seen a bunch of SF GE dash8? come through my service track, that are rolling on 4 axles... all the ones cn have are on 6 axles [dash8&9]

is that something santafe has done, or were they ordered like that?

[mp15ac]

I know this sounds a bit far fetched, but can six axle trucks be swapped out for four axle trucks? If you take a look at the picture linked from the NERail Photo Archive, it looks as though this GP38 or GP40 looks to have once been an SD. There are only two fans on top of the radiator, but if you look at the dynamic brake blister, it looks like there are two fans like an SD38 or 40 would have. There is also some space between the trucks and the fuel tank but it just may be a small tank.

Even if this locomotive was born as a Geep, is this possible?

And now, the linked photo...
http://nerail.org/showpic/?photo=200505 ... ydate%3A11

What appears to be the forward dynamic brake fan is in fact the exhaust hatch for the turbo.

Stuart

[ACLfan]

Years ago, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad converted their Alco RSC's from C - C units to A-1-A A-1-A units by removing the middle wheels and their traction motors.

ACLfan

[Justin B]

Yes, that bump is the exhaust hatch coming from the turbo. SDs and GPs have very different frames, and I think the mounting structure for the trucks is different enough to prohibit any economical BB to CC re-trucking. You would have to re-wire the entire locomotive too. I think its just a combination of the small fuel tank and the angle of the photo. If a railroad wanted a BB unit they could go buy a used one for cheaper than to convert one of their CC units.

[n01jd1]

Alco RSC's were built with A1A trucks. They are six axle trucks, but the center axle isnt powered. RSD's were C-C units. BTW you just cannot remove the middle axle from a A1A or C truck, It simply wont work.

Years ago, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad converted their Alco RSC's from C - C units to A-1-A A-1-A units by removing the middle wheels and their traction motors.

ACLfan

[Allen Hazen]

Toronto commuter train operator GO Transit had a fleet of what were called GP40TC locomotives: basically GP40 (including BB trucks) with an auxiliary diesel generator set to provide hotel power to their trains. To fit the extra stuff (it was in a hood extension behine the radiators), a longer than normal frame was used: I think it was basically an SD40 frame (overall length was the same as an SD40, but the truck separation was a bit different).
CN (and the joint CN/CP subsidiary NAR) had a bunch of light (1000/1200 hp) roadswitchers: An MLW critter virtually the same as an Alco RSC-1, a CLC thingy with a six-xylinder Fairbanks-Morse engine, and a General Motors model called the GMD-1. The first two were all A1A-A1A, the GM (basically an SW1200 on elongated frame with a short hood) came in both BB and A1A-A1A versions (the A1A version having a truck very similar to that used on SD types). Some of the GM ones **may** have been retrucked ftom A1A to B-- I'm not sure. Some of the MLW ones were converted to BB by deleting the center axle from the trucks and adding a new equalizer bar connecting the remaining axles.

[DutchRailnut]

switching 4 axle and 6 axle trucks just is not as simple as it looks. for six motors you need additional contactors and electric gear.
traction motors work in pairs so to go from 2 pair to 3 pair requires a lot of cabeling and gear.