The Horror

From Railpictures.net....

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=163528

Thats really sad to see all of those units.......

in such a scrap heap.....

scrap heap ??? LTEX maintenance complex.

Maintance? Well, ok, I'll give you that. I like the FP45 shell from the WC in the background.... thats looks to be in good condition....

Don't be all "doom and gloom", junior hogger. The place you found a picture of, fixes and leases locos. Also, don't judge a loco by how it looks. The oldest, rustiest looking junker in the yard, might have brand new everything, under the hood and frame. The shiniest loco in the museum, might not even have a diesel under the hood. Use this, and research, sometimes. Might actually be fun for ya......... www.dogpile.com.. type in anything you want to know, and you will find something. Regards.............

What problems do a fair amount of the units have? Bad O rings, bent piston (or more, blown turbo charger, etc.

If you can anme it, it can go bad. "bent pistons" isn't really a common ailment LOL. One thing that can doom a loco is repeated electrical problems, especially the type that defy diagnosis. Obviously wreck damage is a biggie. Other than that, just wear and tear. If you have a nice beautiful GP whatever with great paint, it might look good but obviously newer models put out more power and get it to the rails more efficiently. Maybe you need to replace the pistons, liners, rods and heads - usually called a power assembly. You can figure somewhere about $2500 each. So there's $40 grand to start with. How are the wheels? Worn pretty close to condemning limits? Depending on whether you replace the traction motors too you can go anywhere from $15,000 up. Now while you have the trucks out, how about all the pins and bushings in the brake rigging? Reach for your wallet again. Draft gear worn out on the couplers from all those years of work? Ka-ching! And we have not even talked about the turbo yet - I have to admit I don't have a price to quote you on that but it's probably more than you have in your pocket at the moment. Air compressor getting a bit tired? Add all this up and see if it doesn't make you think about getting something newer and less worn out. And labor costs are big, don't forget you need a shop with the right tools and equipment.

Thank you so much Aji-tater.

You're welcome.

It all depends on the market. In some cases it makes sense to take in old worn out units and dump a ton of money into them. In those cases it is probably more common to "re-manufacture" the units, go through and replace almost everything, and in the process upgrade various components to more modern standards. more advanced wheel slip systems, newer wiring and electricals and so on.

Unfortunately from a railfan perspective, sometimes the demands of the marketplace just don't warrant such investment. There always is a demand for "RTO" parts, "Running Take Out". If a dealer has some engine with major problems, but it has a good 645 in it, that's a good source for a power assembly if your loco needs one. Pretty much like an auto junk yard - strip off what's reusable and scrap the rest. It's too bad but it's a business and money talks.

Don't be sad - when it's their time, GP frames will be re-incarnated as Green Goats!
Railroad Theology 101