Railroad Forums 

  • odd ball GP35 found on e-bay.

  • Discussion of Electro-Motive locomotive products and technology, past and present. Official web site can be found here: http://www.emdiesels.com/.
Discussion of Electro-Motive locomotive products and technology, past and present. Official web site can be found here: http://www.emdiesels.com/.

Moderator: GOLDEN-ARM

 #279252  by scharnhorst
 
humm I created a monster but its geting intresting on here. I'm Geting loads of ideas here for some remodels/rebuilds.
 #279444  by Justin B
 
The BNSF has BN/CBQ heritage GP30s that were rebuilt into 39-2s by MK. They also have a good pile of ex-ATSF GP30s and 35s, but I don't know if they are still original or have been converted. I have looked for anything painted on the unit that would give me a clue, but if it was originally there, its long gone now. The power BNSF uses on its locals (expecially that of ATSF origin) puts junk power gives junk power a whole new meaning.

Does anyone know what kind of guts are in the ATSF 30s and 35s? Some info I have found says that they were rebuilt with a V12 645E3, some says they have converted 645D primemovers, some say that there are still 567s inside them. Any ideas?

 #279474  by dansapo
 
Let me see if I can digup the Diesel Era article. :-)

 #279600  by dansapo
 
Taken from the wikipedia website. The Burlington Northern Railroad was the most extensive rebuilder of GP30s. Finding a need for modernised units of lower power, it sent GP30s—both its own and purchased from others—to be rebuilt. Some (70 units) were sent to EMD to be rebuilt with EMD 645-series engines, new generators, and Dash-2 modular electronic control systems; they are rated at 2,300 hp (1,720 kW), and are designated GP39E. Others (65 units) were sent to Morrison Knudsen (now MotivePower Industries) for similar work; these are rated at 3,000 hp (2,250 kW) and are designated GP39M. These units are still in service on local and smaller lines throughout the BNSF Railway system.

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, meanwhile, performed a similar upgrade in its own Cleburne, Texas shops, stripping the locomotives down to bare metal and rebuilding with new equipment. EMD 645 engines rated at 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) replaced the old; the generators and traction motors were also upgraded; control and electrical equipment was replaced. The trucks were upgraded with Hyatt roller bearings and new brake systems. Rooftop air conditioners were added, and new horns. The locomotives were repainted in the blue and yellow Yellowbonnet scheme, and designated GP30u (for upgraded). 78 of these survived until the BNSF merger, and most are still in use on secondary service.

 #280165  by GN 599
 
I read an article from a magazine which is out of press but I cant remember the name. It was from 88 or 89 when the program was in full swing. I thought they rebuilt the 567's but I guess they used 645's with Dash 2 electricals? So I guess you could almost call them GP30 and 35-2's. Except I think the horsepower is 2300 on all models wheras say a 35 was 2500. I had the 2826 on a geometry test car about a year ago. With the two test cars in tow I kept er at a steady 72 mph. Nothing like passing cars on the highway in an ex CB&Q GP30 (it originally the Q 955). That 60's styling was built for speed :P . They had a lot of components from trade in FT's and F3's so chances are some still have a horn thats 50+ years old. I had a rebuild CB&Q GP40 with a brass bell. Pretty cool. :-D

 #280524  by trainiac
 
A few power plant corrections and clarifications... The GP39E's and GP39M's kept their original 567 blocks but had 645 power assemblies (cylinder liners and heads) installed, increasing cylinder capacity to 645 specs. They're referred to as "16-645D3" engines because they are modified versions of the 16-567D3 (the actual production successor is the 16-645E3). Both models are rated at 2,300 horsepower--which is why they are named "GP39"--and the reason they don't make the 3,000 horsepower of a true 645 is because of the strength of the 567 block and the capacity of the 567-series turbocharger.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 4a14c4eb27
http://www.buriton.demon.co.uk/bnsf.pdf

 #280703  by GN 599
 
Ah that makes sense. I thought they used the original blocks.

 #281461  by Tadman
 
Didn't the GP35 suffer from electricals that were too advanced for its time as well? I seem to hear about GP35's being rewired or retired because of either the turbo or the electrical system.

 #281507  by trainiac
 
The following describes the GP35 elelctrical system well, taken from http://www.trainweb.org/screamingeagle/ ... _gp35.html
The GP35's had what was often referred to as the "bas---- transition system." These units had numerous steps of transition, over 17 of them for sure. I cannot recall now exactly how many steps there were. The wiring systems on them were also nightmares for Electricians who again, hated them with a passion. As these units aged, their electrical systems became suspect and prone to failure. It became rare to see them on the Z trains." (Tuch Santucci)

 #282233  by Nelson Bay
 
The GP35's had what was often referred to as the "bas---- transition system." These units had numerous steps of transition, over 17 of them for sure. I cannot recall now exactly how many steps there were. The wiring systems on them were also nightmares for Electricians who again, hated them with a passion. As these units aged, their electrical systems became suspect and prone to failure. It became rare to see them on the Z trains." (Tuch Santucci)
[/quote]

True, the 35's had complex transition circuitry. The "real Electricians", those who could read a wiring schematic, managed to sort the problems out. The "light bulb changers", who couldn't read a schematic, were totally lost and, of course, hated the 35's with a passion. The light bulb changers remained in their lost state when the 40's with much simpler circuitry arrived.

 #282405  by Allen Hazen
 
"Z-trains" is ??? Santa Fe ??? nomenclature? So Tuch Santuccio's account refers to (unrebuilt) Santa Fe GP-35?
I have a vague feeling I remember reading that Santa Fe's rebuilding of their GP-35 (and GP-30) involved replacing the DC generator with an AR-10 alternator (the EMD alternator used on 40-series locomotives), and so eliminating the need for the complex and failure-prone electrical control system (with more steps of transition and field-weakening than you can shake a stick at) that EMD's DC generator needed at 2500 hp ratings. Is this right?
--
And didn't Alaska Railroad rebuild a GP-35 with an alternator and 3000 hp rating?

 #282541  by SOU2645
 
I recently ran and heavily examined BNSF GP30U 2423 while we had in it local service on NS. The 567 block is intact - whether 645 assemblies have been added I cannot tell. They have definitely been rewired to 4 stages parallel transistion (Chessie reworked a number of GP30's the same way but derated them to 2000hp). Supposedly all ATSF units got D77 traction motors but the D32 generator is intact. The control panel and control stand have been modified slighty but overall much as it was in the 1960's is still the same today.
Larry