New locomotives purchased for Greenbush?

Are/when were the F40's last rebuilt?

As for the F59's, aren't those the type of units that towed the ICE trainset around the States back in the 90's on AMTRAK?

As for electric engines, I say either ALP44's or ALP46's. Or buy dual mode's.

But I don't see them straying away from the current models.

CSX Conductor wrote:As for the F59's, aren't those the type of units that towed the ICE trainset around the States back in the 90's on AMTRAK?

As for electric engines, I say either ALP44's or ALP46's. Or buy dual mode's.

But I don't see them straying away from the current models.

I don't remember for the ICE what they used. I remember for the x2000 in boston they used two turbo units they were white with a blue stipe down the middle.

In that much maligned thread, I advocated going electric with the Fairmount line and then getting MU equipment for that line and for the Providence Line.

But for now, with only a Greenbrush addition, adding diesels makes more sense.

There's no agency with a glut of electric loco or MU equipment out there to buy from, and not currently enough electric miles on the MBTA system to justify an investment in electric equipment.

NJT's PL42AC seems to be further delayed (check that forum). Probably not a good idea for the MBTA to pick up an order of new duds.

ckb wrote:In that much maligned thread, I advocated going electric with the Fairmount line and then getting MU equipment for that line and for the Providence Line.

But for now, with only a Greenbrush addition, adding diesels makes more sense.

There's no agency with a glut of electric loco or MU equipment out there to buy from, and not currently enough electric miles on the MBTA system to justify an investment in electric equipment.

NJT's PL42AC seems to be further delayed (check that forum). Probably not a good idea for the MBTA to pick up an order of new duds.

Yeah, regarding the PL42AC, right after I wrote my earlier post, I caught up on my reading over in the NJT forum. Sounds like the PL42's are going on the same delivery schedule as the Breda Type 8..."Maybe next year (repeat every 365 days)." Looks like its gonna be more and more rebuilds for a while.

The biggest question I guess is whether EMD or GE will return to the passenger business, or will it permanantly be relegated to "rebuilder status." There are a LOT of EMD 40-series units in commuter service out there, at nearly every transit agency that runs commuter rail service. GP-40's and the like can only be rebuilt and rebuilt for so long before its no longer economical...the big question is will enough agencies need new power at the same time to warrant new models. My guess is no, since two with some of the deeper pockets (Metra and NJT) are already dabbling into uncharted teritory.

I still say they should grab up the old FL9's,
WHILE THEY STILL CAN!!!

The MBTA will never get FL9's with their maintance record. Sellers will never trust the T with historic equipment. The Flyers and PCC cars were bought before the T became crap.

Found an old pic of one of the 2 locomotives that Amtrak & Siemens used to tow the I.C.E. around. Is this an F59? It's been a while since I have seen one.

CSX Conductor wrote:Found an old pic of one of the 2 locomotives that Amtrak & Siemens used to tow the I.C.E. around. Is this an F59? It's been a while since I have seen one.

I can't remember what it was that they called them. There were only two built for Amtrak, and they were test units for, among other things, AC traction motors. I want to say they were F-69, but I'm just guessing. They were numbered 450 and 451 I believe, and apparently EMD's initial idea at an F-40PH successor. I think they were scrapped or otherwise exiled to a backshop somewhere after the ICE tour.

They're definately not F59's, as later produced.

They did build, of course, some late F-40's (the F-40PHM-2) for Metra using that carbody:

http://www.drgw.net/~f40c/locos/200.html

F-69's were used by Amtrak to pull the ICE train. They did see some service on some of the Amtrak routes. But I dont know what happened to them. Perhaps some one can fill in the blanks.

AznSumtinSumtin wrote:F-69's were used by Amtrak to pull the ICE train. They did see some service on some of the Amtrak routes. But I dont know what happened to them. Perhaps some one can fill in the blanks.

Ok, so I got the F69 part right. I believe the two were built in the early 90's, probably with the same 710 prime movers in the GP50's and/or GP60s.

How about some SDP40's which last saw Amtrak Action in Boston in 1982. They are most likely probably scrapped, like most FL9s.

The T should buy DDA40X's.

Or maybe an experimental locomotive that has both deisel and electric engines. If Amtrak allows the T to run electric locomotives on the Attleboro line this could work. And if there is a blackout in a certain area, the locomotive could switch to the diesel engine. But knowing how experimental things work in the T, I would say this would be a big no-no.

How about a steam locomotive.

" The T should buy DDA40X's"

OK, I'm just a silly New Englander, and a submariner at that, so please forgive me for my lack of certainty on this,
.....but weren't the DD-X things those huge, multi-trucked things built for service across the wide open praries on the UP?
Or am I thinking of the Navy's next destroyer class?

Cosmo wrote:" The T should buy DDA40X's"

OK, I'm just a silly New Englander, and a submariner at that, so please forgive me for my lack of certainty on this,
.....but weren't the DD-X things those huge, multi-trucked things built for service across the wide open praries on the UP?
Or am I thinking of the Navy's next destroyer class?

I think there was just a note of sarcasm in the prior post.

Here's a DD40AX: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=70890

Now, i think it would look good on the Needham branch, no?