Questions on how much 1 costs?

Always curious to know what a brand new EMD SD80ACe or SD70M-2 costs? I dont know if when purchased if you have any options like buying a car/truck. But lets just say its a fully loaded engine with a nice paint scheme like BNSF.


Also what is the sand for?

Just short of $3 million.

dammmm $3 million for just 1?? I dont know why i had it in my head that they were around $500k.

Sand improves traction on slippery, wet, oily rail....whatever the condition may be, sand is there for you and your train to get you up to speed in less time than whatever the alternative is...

$ 3 Million invested, the return can be much greater...Besides these things last a long long long time as long as it is well maintained and taken care of...

There are some railroads that have engines that are over 60 years old...

Sand also assist in better traction during braking.

wow, didn't know sand was for all that. Now i know.


now what is that ticking/spitting noise i hear all the time?

There is no SD80ACe, although that would be pretty cool.

Passenger units are even more expensive... about $4 million to $5 million.

Even a used GP38-2 can run you about $500K if it's in good shape. A tired GP40-2 can be had for around $300K. (There is higher demand for the GP38 types, that's why they're more expensive than the more powerful GP40 types.)

my bad on the sd80ace, i meant sd70ace. To bad you can't just roam the rails if you owned your own engine, like private aircraft. If i was super rich and it was possible i'de never be home. Be riding anywhere the rails take me.

2005Vdub wrote:wow, didn't know sand was for all that. Now i know.


now what is that ticking/spitting noise i hear all the time?

Pop valves...

Air compressor pop valves...

Or failing components...

Also heard them described as clean-out valves.

spitter valve

Automatic Drain Valves:
Valves that automatically remove moisture from the main reservoirs and the brake system in general.