PAR Locomotive Fleet - General Discussion

KSmitty wrote:They could also, if desperate for 4 axle power, buy SD40-2's and transplant the guts into dead GP40's.

Why would they do that? If they bought more SD40-2's, that would free up the currently running GP40's for whatever they needed them for on the eastern end of the system.

690 wrote:

KSmitty wrote:They could also, if desperate for 4 axle power, buy SD40-2's and transplant the guts into dead GP40's.

Why would they do that? If they bought more SD40-2's, that would free up the currently running GP40's for whatever they needed them for on the eastern end of the system.

Thats why I said, "if desperate for 4 axle power." A situation where purchasing additional 6 axle power isn't going to release additional 4 axle power into secondary service. Not saying it makes sense to buy a running locomotive and rip it apart in their current situation, but if they really needed GP40's this would be one of the cheaper ways to rebuild deadlined units.

Despite this photo at Rigby on Thursday (3/6) PAR is short of locomotives.
Thanks to Dan Comick for the photo.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... ate&page=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

From the available roster information that appears courtesy of the Pan Am Yahoo group, it does seem that PAR seems to be able to keep what is running on the rails. There doesn't seem to be a huge amount of GP40's being added to the deadline.. The 343, 345 may be all done, the 507 with the fire ? Stranger things have been known to happen.. the 509 was sidelined for almost 4 years before coming back to life.

Anyone know what failures the 343 and 345 suffered? I shot them both coming west outta Keag 10/10/2012. Seems like they died shortly thereafter.

On the subject of rebuilding what they already own: this is another thing I've advocated for a long time. Other railroads, large and small, do it... so there must be something to it. Over the past couple of days I've been researching this subject further. I was fortunate to be able to discuss it with some people who work in the locomotive rebuild industry.

The general consensus that my sources were able to come up with is that it would cost around $275K* to take a stock GP40 (currently running/operable) and fully rebuild it into a GP40-3. This is based on the following: completely replacing all of the wiring; new wheelsets; rebuilt traction motors; rebuilt alternator/generator; adding a microprocessor control system; requalifying/refurbishing everything else as needed (including the 645); and a one-color paint job. That figure is also based on doing the work in-house, rather than sending locomotives away to a rebuilder. Obviously the cost would be higher if we're talking about rebuilding a unit from the deadline which has multiple parts missing; how much higher depends on which parts need to be replaced.

What you end up with is pretty close to a brand new locomotive.

This can certainly be considered a bargain compared to actually buying new locomotives; on the other hand, it's easy to see why PAR has thus far preferred to say "Let's go with SD40-2s for $100K, Alex."

Whether or not that's a good long-term solution is something I'll let all of you discuss.


*This is just a rough estimate that was given to me by two industry sources who are not affiliated with PAR. PAR's actual costs could be different.

Thanks for that number. Just a little higher than I had figured (200K) in my back of the notebook, uninformed math. Its competitive with a the going price for a running EMD 4 axle, which seem to be going for 250-350K.

I wonder if we'll see Pan Am put some of their GP40's through a capital rebuild program and go -3. A like new GP40-3 that could go them another 40 years would be an asset.

KSmitty wrote:Thanks for that number. Just a little higher than I had figured (200K) in my back of the notebook, uninformed math. Its competitive with a the going price for a running EMD 4 axle, which seem to be going for 250-350K.

I wonder if we'll see Pan Am put some of their GP40's through a capital rebuild program and go -3. A like new GP40-3 that could go them another 40 years would be an asset.

If history is any indication of PAR management thinking, you'll never see a GP40-3 capital rebuild program. At the moment, the best you can hope to see is the current GP40-2W refurbishing program and possibly additional lease units and/or used SD40's if demand screams loudly enough for them. However if there were to be a major shift in policy and attitudes, anything could be possible. We have no idea how events will reshape the face of Pan Am in years to come. It could be interesting!

CSX has underway a program to upgrade 120 GP38-2s and GP40-2s
to Dash 3 standards. BNSF announced that it will be purchasing 500 new locomotives,
along with hiring 5000 new employees. NS acquired 80 SD40-2 locos from Helm
Leasing in late 2013.

These three Class 1s must see continued increases in traffic
coming in the short and long term. This could up the price for
used locos and even leasers rental costs, which will be felt by
PAR. The shop crew at Waterville will be busier than ever in
working to keep as much of the fleet as possible out on the road.

Just a random observation, and I admit it's a bit foamer-y, but it sure is nice to see flared radiators on this railroad once again...

Photo by David Hutchinson

Photo by Derek Carpine

Photo by David Hutchinson

Photo by Bob Sprague

Are the radiators new?

Not that I'm aware of; what is new is to see the SD45 style of radiator (flared/slanted) back on this railroad after several years of it being absent (after their "real" SD45s were retired and scrapped). It doesn't mean anything from an operations perspective; I just like the way they look.

Gary Young of GuilfordRailSightings reports that a GMTX switcher/slug set are en route to East Deerfield for the hump switcher.

Photo by Mike Mautner:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=471741" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

On a somewhat related note, is that GMTX GP15 (406?) still kicking around East Deerfield?

There is a picture from May 2014 that contains the ex-MEC U23B #288 (now Quebec Central DG4, or what's left of the QCR). The U-boat is behind the covered wagons in this photo by Frank Jolin. It doesn't look good for the old gals.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=482361