EMD SD80MAC and SD90MAC series official thread

[D.Carleton]

Thats odd.. I thought that most of them were scrapped with few sold to leasers who lease them to few shortlines which send them back to leasers. I think Indiana RR have 2 of them.
What's the ACTUALY status of the sd90mac fleets? scrapped few, some or alot?? what leasers have them? what shortlines did actually bought them?

The original UP SD90's, 8501-8521, have been rendered into rebar and razor blades.

The second lot, 8522-8561 (and purportedly the original, 8500) were turned back to EMD at the end of their lease and have been seen around on short-term lease to various railroads. No true SD90's have been purchased or long term leased to any shortlines.

Who knows, if the SD90MAC to SD70ACe conversion is mechanically and financially successful maybe the rest of the lot has a future as 'kitbash' fodder.

[emdpower75]

The Indiana Railroad has SD90/43MAC locomotives

[Super Seis]

There is a group of 16 cyl. H engines sitting in the backyard at La Grange. Not hard to imagine that they could be overhauled and re-sold for marine or stationary applications.

SS

[RickRackstop]

The SD90's with the H engines are true orphans in that no operator except Union Pacific and maybe CP have the correct tools and engine manuals to work on them. In addition there is probably no parts commonality for the electrical parts either except possibly the SD 80. For regional railroads they might as well be Baldwins. That's why UP took apart the 20 H engine units they owned to cannibalize them for the SD9043MAC they still run.

[sd80mac]

While UP got rid of them, have CP sold their 4 sd90macs yet? Last I heard that they are still for sale...

And is CITX still running their 2 or 6 sd90mac?

[emdpower75]

According the the CPR website, it lists the 4 SD90MAC locomotives still available for purchase. It lists the closing date for bids as 11/30/10 and the location is Winnipeg, MB.

[Bryanjones]

While UP got rid of them, have CP sold their 4 sd90macs yet? Last I heard that they are still for sale...

And is CITX still running their 2 or 6 sd90mac?

CIT has a fleet of 4300hp SD9043MAC's, not the 6000hp SD90MAC-H.


Bryan Jones
Brooks,KY

[sd80mac]

[CIT has a fleet of 4300hp SD9043MAC's, not the 6000hp SD90MAC-H.
Bryan Jones
Brooks,KY

Thanks for correction. I thought that they did had 6,000 hp... I'm getting old...

[Mr.S]

I am in need of some information . I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this,if not please be kind enough to assist.

Some time back a few years ago I remember EMD produced some prototype demonstrator models of the SD90MAC,they were the SD9043MAC's and SD89MAC am I correct?

1- Did /does the SD9043 have a 710 which could be upgraded ?
2- Were there one or two SD89MAC's built ?
3- What became of EMD's 6,000 H.P. 265H engine ?

Mr.S

[MBTA1052]

I believe only one SD89MAC was built sure not of it's power rating maybe round 4,000 or so.

[sd80mac]

I believe only one SD89MAC was built sure not of it's power rating maybe round 4,000 or so.

I dont think it was ever built. "89" came from railfan rumor that I was told...

[MEC407]

Whether EMD actually called it "SD89MAC" may be open to debate, but the unit was in fact built. There are several photos of it on the web.

[MEC407]

I am in need of some information . I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this,if not please be kind enough to assist.

Some time back a few years ago I remember EMD produced some prototype demonstrator models of the SD90MAC,they were the SD9043MAC's and SD89MAC am I correct?

1- Did /does the SD9043 have a 710 which could be upgraded ?
2- Were there one or two SD89MAC's built ?
3- What became of EMD's 6,000 H.P. 265H engine ?

Mr.S

Yes, the SD9043MAC has a 710. That's why it was called SD9043MAC rather than SD90MAC: the "43" indicates that it has a 4300 HP 710, rather than a 6000 HP 265, and therefore they needed a way of differentiating it from a "real" SD90MAC. They were intended to be upgraded with a 265 at a later date, and were known as "convertibles" because of this, but due to the reliability problems experienced with the real SD90MACs (and possibly also due to the potential expense involved), no SD9043MACs were ever upgraded.

There was only one SD89MAC prototype built. It's still sitting at EMD; I'm told that it's visible via Google Maps and Bing Maps satellite view.

The 6000 HP 265 is still in production. EMD is using it in the 6000 HP locomotives they're building for China. I assume that means that they've worked out at least some of the problems it had.

[sd80mac]

Whether EMD actually called it "SD89MAC" may be open to debate, but the unit was in fact built. There are several photos of it on the web.

thanks for the confirmation.

[RickRackstop]

I think the problem with 6000 hp locomotive was that that amount of power was too much. That is to say the railroad decided that it was better to spread it out over more units, 3- 4000 hp units instead of 2- 6000 hp units for 12,000 hp total. The starting tractive effort isn't any better either. The trouble with all the systems on the 90 series locomotive was that they were untested before hand, a sure formula for problems. The convertible units both GE and EMD had at least an engine that the railroad was familiar with and had all the tools and parts in stock. The trouble with the H engine is that their is no market for it except with the Chinese order. EMD can get a test 710 to run at Tier 4 but their having problems with the H engine. They may decide to cut losses and drop it all together or transfer it to CAT.