CSX Gensets?

WANF-11--->Chaser wrote:In short it's another case of corporate welfare. Probably what happened was some lobbyist for CSX called up the DOT and spoke Astrid Glynn ( DOT Commish) and said "hey what does it take to get 20 mil for some new locomotives?"

Our bureaucracy, being all too willing to fall over themselves to "support business" in NYS writes the check.

[...]CSX made $240 Million in 1Q 2007, at that trend they'll make nearly 1 BILLION dollars this year!!!!! And they won't spend 20 mil. on new locomotives? I like and support railroads, but if they want to try new equipment....they should pay for it out of their own deep pockets!

Have we even confirmed that NYS has purchased these locomotives? I can't seem to find a press release or announcement to that effect.

Its a RP20BD.

I got the following info from:

http://www.trainweb.org/greengoats/rprx/5400.html

which seems to be down at the moment..(looks like all of trainweb.org is down)

so I pulled the info from the google cache:

Owner: Railpower, Inc. Number: RPRX 5400

Built: May, 2006
Hybrid History: RPRX 5400 (May, 2006-present)
Converted at: Super Steel Schenectady, NY

Donor Unit: RMPX 9637 (GMD GP40-2LW) Built: 1976
Build No.: A3432 Frame No.:
Unit History: Canadian National (CN) 9637 Railcar Limited (RMPX) 9637 (in GA, 2002)


Notes:
A RP20BD Prototype under construction at Super Steel Schenectady. From Extra 2200 South, #128, Pg. 21.

B Prototype design finalized and expected to be ready by the end of 2006Q2. From Railpower 2006Q1 report.

C Rolled out May 10, 2006 at Schenectady, NY. From Trains Magazine newsline, May 10, 2006.

D Donor unit reported by Railpower, in conflict with earlier reports that CN 9637 was to become the RP20BH prototype.

E Railcar Limited (RMPX) is a division of Progress Rail. 9637 was photographed along with several other ex-CN GP40's in Waycross, GA in 2002. From various internet sources.

F Donor unit history from RRPicture Archives roster page.

Photos: RP20BD Prototype RPRX 5400, Glenville, NY. May, 2006. Railpower Photo.

RP20BD Prototype constructed at Super Steel Schenectady. Constructed using CN 9637 (GMD GP40-2LW)

So this is the RP20BD prototype unit!
the first one..
according to the roster on that trainweb.org page, about 35 have been built so far, and UP has placed an order for 80 more.

Scot

RussNelson wrote:It's the environmentalists. First, they're leftists and they want to pay more taxes...

um... it's a potential $ saver & tax write-off for everyone involved. to imply that "environmentalists" or "leftists" are commanding the railroads to invest in hybrid technology is absurd.

amoreho1 wrote:thats a road hybrid from railpower not a genset

RRPX #5400 is indeed a GenSet unit and not a hybrid. RRPX #5400 is an RP20BD powered by 3 diesel/generator sets and is strictly diesel powered, making it a GenSet unit. A Hybrid unit uses either strictly batteries such as the GG20B or the RP20BH which is powered by 2 diesel/generator sets and 1 battery bank. Sofar there is only 1 RP20BH and that is a demo unit also numbered in the 5400 series.

Bryan Jones
Brooks,KY

thirdtrick wrote:

RussNelson wrote:It's the environmentalists. First, they're leftists and they want to pay more taxes...

um... it's a potential $ saver & tax write-off for everyone involved. to imply that "environmentalists" or "leftists" are commanding the railroads to invest in hybrid technology is absurd.

Not entirely so...I recall there being an article in Rochester's Democrat & Chronicle blatantly bashing CSX for leaving their diesels running all the time (they claimed there was a major "soot" problem in the yard...I don't think there's been a soot problem since the steam days!). I don't remember the parties involved off-hand, but I do know they're having CSX test out a new hybrid unit. So, to make a long story short, yes, they have had some influence here, though I doubt taxes were the first things on their mind when they came up with such a proposition.

Mike Roque wrote:Have we even confirmed that NYS has purchased these locomotives? I can't seem to find a press release or announcement to that effect.

Perhaps Railpower still owns the engine and they are using CSX to test the engine in a real-world environment?

Bryanjones wrote:

amoreho1 wrote:thats a road hybrid from railpower not a genset

RRPX #5400 is indeed a GenSet unit and not a hybrid. RRPX #5400 is an RP20BD powered by 3 diesel/generator sets and is strictly diesel powered, making it a GenSet unit. A Hybrid unit uses either strictly batteries such as the GG20B or the RP20BH which is powered by 2 diesel/generator sets and 1 battery bank. Sofar there is only 1 RP20BH and that is a demo unit also numbered in the 5400 series.

Bryan Jones
Brooks,KY

my mistake i got RRPX 5400 confused with RRPX 5401

Mike Roque wrote:

Mike Roque wrote:Have we even confirmed that NYS has purchased these locomotives? I can't seem to find a press release or announcement to that effect.

Perhaps Railpower still owns the engine and they are using CSX to test the engine in a real-world environment?

RRPX #5400 is still owned by Railpower and is a demo unit, which is used by railroads to test that specific model of locomotive that is being offered. Thats the purpose of a demo unit, to allow the railroad to test the product in hopes of an order being placed. Try before you buy.

Bryan Jones
Brooks,KY