Retirements and Disposition of CR Equipment

GP40MC1118 wrote:Your getting close...

D

Ate the crank? Dropped a cylinder? Stress failure of the block?

Crank-case button pops seem to be the most common failure on the screamers these days. That is probably the reasoning behind the failure.

When the crank case button pops, it is the safety protecting a large failure. It does not mean there is a failure, just an issue. In the case of the 1014 the button did not pop. The engine did...

Ouch!

We lost one loco right right before the winter fully and truly sets in. We need all the power we can get.

And then there were 16.....

They were working on the 66, but I see its out back again behind the 2001.

Winter will be very interesting indeed....

D

I guess from this point forward whenever a screamer or geep has a severe mechanical failure they won't ever break down again, so to speak.

Anyone know the nature of the failure? Did it throw a rod? Window in the block? Etc.

Jake: "What was that?"
Elwood: "We threw a rod."
Jake: "Is that bad?"
Elwood: "Yeap."

I couldn't resist.

Has the MBTA considered picking up NJTs OOS F40s/GP40s to help stem the shortage?

beanbag wrote:Has the MBTA considered picking up NJTs OOS F40s/GP40s to help stem the shortage?

The shortage isn't (knock on wood) as bad as it was a few years ago when the Geeps were still out for overhaul. So it's not critical yet, although the margins are getting distressingly thin. If the MARC engines were truly kaput the lease would've ended and they'd have been returned to MPI. They just haven't been a priority to repair yet with BET overwhelmed by new coaches and band-aiding other regular equipment. I'm sure the prep for service has been done on the side and as near-free as possible with whatever spare parts and rolls of duct tape are already onsite. If it comes to the point where they absolutely must go back into service they can step it up, buy some parts, and be done with it. But unless those things are truly and utterly defunct with terminated lease they shouldn't have any need to go scouring for more secondhand units. It's only a few months (hopefully) to go before the HSP-46's start inaugural revenue service. They won't need rentals or secondhands by next Fall, and acquiring them now likely means they will have to hold onto them for 2+ years. They don't need or want that.

Hopefully the other units out short-term for windshield replacement and other minor work will be back by the time snow flies, or they can defer the next batch of units going out for that minor work until Spring if they're that worried about their winter reserves.

beanbag wrote:Has the MBTA considered picking up NJTs OOS F40s/GP40s to help stem the shortage?

Although I honestly don't see this happening, it wouldn't be a bad idea at all. It would be in decent condition and pretty much ready to go, and likely cheap as well.

However, one issue with this is that most or all of the retired GP40s and F40's will not be with Transit much longer. Offers for their sale are due on Friday, and their future likely depends on who ends up grabbing them. If a company in the leasing business were to pick them up, then it would be easy for the T to get them. If the buyer plans on scrapping them all, perhaps they may not be interested in leasing them out.

We can be almost certain that the T will not be buying any directly from Transit, because Transit is trying to get rid of all of them at once, and it's way more units than the T would need. As much as I would like to see some of the retired Transit units live on in service with the T, I just really don't see it becoming reality.


On a more on-topic note, it's now less than two short weeks until the 511, 1525, 612, 1710, and 1016 become one step closer to going bye-bye forever...

ns3010 wrote:

beanbag wrote:Has the MBTA considered picking up NJTs OOS F40s/GP40s to help stem the shortage?

Although I honestly don't see this happening, it wouldn't be a bad idea at all. It would be in decent condition and pretty much ready to go, and likely cheap as well.

However, one issue with this is that most or all of the retired GP40s and F40's will not be with Transit much longer. Offers for their sale are due on Friday, and their future likely depends on who ends up grabbing them. If a company in the leasing business were to pick them up, then it would be easy for the T to get them. If the buyer plans on scrapping them all, perhaps they may not be interested in leasing them out.

We can be almost certain that the T will not be buying any directly from Transit, because Transit is trying to get rid of all of them at once, and it's way more units than the T would need. As much as I would like to see some of the retired Transit units live on in service with the T, I just really don't see it becoming reality.


On a more on-topic note, it's now less than two short weeks until the 511, 1525, 612, 1710, and 1016 become one step closer to going bye-bye forever...

Hmm. Interesting. Thanks guys. I have more questions on the NJT stuff Joe , but thats not for here. See the remaining F40 thread in the NJT forum for my remaining questions

Well, the 1008 just went down tonight on 435. The severity is unknown, but apparently
not as serious as the 1014. We'll see...

Maybe we need better quality chewing gum and bailing wire....

Just a thought...

D

Imber the 1008 was dead for a pretty good portion of the summer. Hopefully we aren't down to 15 screamers now.