GP40-2LW's

It is partially a cost-cutting measure, and partially a throwback to an old B&M policy banning the use of dynamics.

Sorry if this was answered before. Why was it against B&M policy to have dynamic brakes? I also thought dynamic brakes saved money by reducing wear and tear and fuel. And also, isn't it safer to have dynamic brakes in addition to regular brakes?

Legend has it that there was a particularly bad derailment on the west end of the B&M. After investigation, they determined that it was caused by the use of dynamic brakes. That may or may not be true, and some folks (including railroaders) have speculated that the wreck was actually caused by a combination of bad track conditions and poor train handling. Nevertheless, the decision was made by B&M to abandon the use of dynamic brakes, and future locomotives were ordered without them.

If anybody else has heard this story and knows more about it, or if I got it wrong (things get screwed up in translation), please chime in.

Thats strange,

Amtrak trains between Boston and Portland use DB as well.

Amtrak uses the Dynamics on the Downeaster? That is odd, Something I didn't know and yet I rode on it. Anywho.
This topic has gotten further then I thought. Very interesting reading all the reply's about this, Thanks you guys for confirming it for me.

As for the B&M Locos, noticed that the GP40-2's did not have them. and it seemed strange that the Guilford ones have them but are not workable.

On the Downeaster as well as on all other eastern and northeastern trains
Amtrak engines are equipped with what is called a "blended" brake.
Instructions are generally that the power be shut off (throttle in idle)
before use of brakes is initiated. When the brake is applied the engine
brake is allow to apply too but instead of air brakes on the engine, the
dynamic brake is applied and remains applied untill a very low speed has
been reached when as the dynamic brake starts to fade, the air brake
(on the locomotives) builds up brake cylinder pressure to finally bring the
train to a smooth stop. Amtrak might use dynamic brake out west on
mountain grades but there are not too many places in the northeast where
it would really be necessary to use it.
The New Haven Railroad stopped using dynamic brake on just about
everything in the 1950's for the most part although some engines still had
it in the early 1960's. They finally issued instructions to engineers not to
use it under any circumstances and disconnected it on the remaining
engines where they had not already done so. The ex Virginian electric
motors arrived with dynamic brakes in working order but it was eventually
disconnected on these engines as well. The U-25b's and C-425's of the
late days of the NHRR were never equipped with dynamic brakes in the
first place.
For the New Haven Railroad, they simply did not want to maintain the
dynamic brake equipment on the locomotives in the first place. One
reason dynamic brakes were disabled on the NHRR was the fact that the
main place where they were really of value was the Maybrook line and
for years, the engineers just dragged the trains down the grades there.
On the Boston and Maine, the grades between Boston and Mickeyville
were probably somewhat less than the grades on the Maybrook Line and
the B. & M. had already ordered two different series of new power without
them in the 70's.
Probably Guilford takes the same position that the former B. & M. did, that
they can get along without them.
There were other railroads that owned a good number of locomotives that
were not even equipped with dynamic brakes, among them the New York
Central, Missouri Pacific and the Florida East Coast.
I don't think the Boston and Maine has any grades where retainer valves
have to be used and today's air brakes are a lot better than the ones were
even 40 years ago. Pressure maintaining on locomotives and the modern
brake equipment on freight cars has made freight train handling a
different matter than it was years ago.
Noel Weaver

The SD-40-2's that the MMA leased from WLE are not used by them during the winter but are needed during the summer months on their system. So with the MMA being a sister road only having 8 running locos, a short term lease was arranged for the stored power to be put to good use in Maine, but were needed back on the WLE by x date if the MMA still needed them or not.

Back on GRS, I can vouch that the 500's are not as good as the striaght 40's for switching but if paired with a 300 they work a little better. On any note they are really not bad switching locos compared to other stuff on the market and are in much better condition than the rest of the fleet.

I don't know what this fuss is all about with the 500's. I have run them several times. I work for a line that now owns some of the origional B&M 300 class. I did not notice anything which differs from other GP40-2s. I generally do not like that style cab. It is very hard to see a trainman on the front steps.
As for the single shoe brake rigging, that is now just about standard. I just have to adjust to the handling.