GP38-2 2003

[metra 613]

Anyone know what up with 2003 its been at nre for like 6 weeks now

[MikeF]

If I remember correctly -- and perhaps PRRGuy can remember more correctly than I -- it had a cracked cylinder head. It's probably at NRE for overhaul.

[Scotty Burkhardt]

NRE?

[MikeF]

"NRE" is National Railway Equipment Company in Dixmoor, Ill.

[Scotty Burkhardt]

ahhhh thank you very much mr mike

[PRRGuy]

Yes sir, its indeed a cracked cylinder head. 2008 had something similar about a month ago, but they were able to fix it in Michigan City. No idea when 2003 is coming back though.

[metra 613]

well i dont see 2003 at nre anymore it might be back on the css

[PRRGuy]

Well, the 2003 been back about a week or so..parked outside the NICTD shops tonight..looks good. Now the NICTD 1000 is out of service awaiting parts to arrive..parked outside the CSS shop on track 9.

[Scotty Burkhardt]

how often is that unit used and for what? what kind of coupler does it have on it

[PRRGuy]

I'm guessing you mean the NICTD 1000. It's a GP40m I believe..possibly an ex DT&I unit from what info I've been able to get. It has regular knuckle couplers on it. It's used for MOW work, pulling dead cars around the yard and in and out of the shop, also we send it over to the southshore freight when they need extra locos and they use it out on the road or whatever work they need done.

[Tadman]

Doesn't GP40m mean de-turbo to GP38 specs?

And yes, I see the 1000 shunting around Burnham now and then with orange 2000's.

[Scotty Burkhardt]

how is it moving around nictd cars it it has a knuckle coupler on it? correct me if im wrong but i thought the nictd cars had those goofy couplers on them

[byte]

Sounds like it's mainly used for maintinence-of-way work, and if they need to use it to pull any electric railcars around, then they'll put an adapter on. If there was the non-standard railcar coupler on there all the time, then it would be a real hassle anytime they sent it over to the South Shore for freight service, because I don't think they can put a knuckle adapter on it so they'd need to change the coupler entirely.

[PRRGuy]

When they have to move a nictd car with the 1000 or with another loco, there's a adapter knuckle they use. It fits inside the coupler of the nictd car and locks in place, the other side is a knuckle so the loco can couple up. If always wondered how they came up with the design for those couplers, as now We've been having some problems with cars separating from the rest of the train.