Single Geep hauling long train.

Today June 10, I saw a single CSXT GP38-2 hauling DTE Energy and Coke Express cars down the Toledo subdivision at approx. 0645. I thought that single geeps could not handle the load. It was just a road slug, and yet had at least 40-45 cars, all empty, but yet when they are loaded there are more like 3 on the front. the grade from Plymouth Diamond to Monroe Yard is level, with other connecting yard at Newburgh Rd. Any question why just a single GP38 could haul such a big load with no helpers??

Little unclear,was the GP38-2 hauling 45 loads or 45 emptys ? 45 loads would definately be a large load for it. Joe

Engineer James wrote:It was just a road slug, and yet

road slugs dont have prime movers, you wont see a single road slug pull anything, ever

and there is no reason a single GP38-2 would be unable to pull a 45 car train of empties on level track...

It was a GP38. But, I always thought (with back-up from other forums) bthat a single GP could not haul such a load specially when right afetr the sopt it was seen at there is a very steep curve, but the Geep was haulin' down right fast, the top speed limit is 45 along there, and it looked like it was doing more than that.

If it was a GP38, then it wasn't a CSX unit. Maybe leased power from somewhere else, but CSX no longer has GP38 units on its active locomotive roster.

GP38-2 and GP39-2 units, but no remaining GP38 units.

ACLfan

ACLfan,
Are you sure?? I own a diesels spottoers guide and it looked and matched up with the GP38 characteristics, and even the same trucks. But, I have never heard of a GP39-2 before?? Tell me more about it.

I've pulled 100+ cars with a single GP38 before, didn't set any speed records of course. If you curious of the circumstance, I had a pair of 38's and the lead one stopped loading.

Engineer James wrote:ACLfan,
Are you sure?? I own a diesels spottoers guide and it looked and matched up with the GP38 characteristics, and even the same trucks. But, I have never heard of a GP39-2 before?? Tell me more about it.

The GP39 and GP39-2 have a turbocharged twelve cylinder 645 prime mover instead of the GP38/GP38-2 normally aspirated sixteen cylinder 645. Also, the 39 series (GP39, GP39-2, SD39) are rated at 2300 HP instead of the 38 series 2000 HP.

As with all turbosharged EMD locomotives, there is the one fat turbo stack behind the blower dustbin on the roof. Also, there aer differences in the arrangement of the doors compared to the 38's. But like the 38's the 39's have two cooling fans, as opposed to the three on the 40 series locomotives.

Stuart

Engineer James,

Your copy of the Diesel Spotters Guide should have a photo and info about the EMD GP39-2 locomotive.

As mentioned above, the GP39-2 is a turbocharged unit, and rated at 2,300 hp.

The CSX units were originally Reading RR units, built in 1974. They went to the Delaware & Hudson, then were folded into the Guilford System when Guilford took over control of the D&H. Canadian Pacific ended up with the units, didn't want them, and sold them to CSX.

When the units arrived on CSX property, most were still in their former D&H "lightning bolt" color schemes, while others had been repainted in the Guilford gray w/ orange band color scheme. Some of these units kept these colors for around 6 years before they were finally repainted in CSX's "hockeystick" color scheme.

I have had access to current CSX locomotive rosters, and the GP38 units have been off of CSX's active duty locomotive roster for about 4 or 5 years. The last to go off service were a few GP38 units that were assigned to Maintenance of Way service and painted orange (known as "Pumpkins"). Although quite a few units were scrapped, a number of former CSX GP38 units are still active on shortlines. Other units, having been rebuilt and upgraded with dash-2 and dash-3 technology, are currently operating on some major rail systems. One of the orange "pumpkins" is still sitting in Waycross, GA, crudely lettered "BLDX".

There is a good Locomotive Roster booklet that is produced on an annual basis by Jim Kerr. You can obtain a copy at most hobby shops that carry railroad stuff. It's also advertised in Trains magazine. This booklet is hip-pocket sized, and provides you with info. about locomotives on the major railroads and a lot of the shortlines in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

ACLfan

ACLfan,
Really?? Wow, come to think of it I did see many years ago a Guilford?CSX paint scheme. But, Did the corperation of CSX come from SEABOARD, Family Lines, and Chessie System?? Jaust a question, and yes, i did look at the book again and I'll agree the GP39 lookis alot like the GP38 with a few exceptions.

Engineer James,

The CSX Transportation Company is the combination of the Seaboard System (that included the former Seaboard Coast Line, the Family Lines, Clinchfield, and L&N) and the Chessie System (former C&O, B&O and the Western Maryland).

The most prevalent explanation of CSX, is that it is a representation of:
C = Chessie System
S = Seaboard System
X = combination of the above two systems into one integrated system

The corporate headquarters are in Jacksonville, FL, as is the master system-wide dispatching center.

ACLfan

ACLfan,
I knew that those railroads had formed into the CSX, but from an earlier post it sounds like the CSX got all of its motive power from the CN/CP, but thats why I asked, to amke sure. I KNOW FOR SURE: the B23 and U30's did NOT come from the CN/CP, they do not use them.

Engineer James,

My comment about the CP was limited to the GP39-2 units. These were the only units that CSX acquired from the CP. CSX has not acquired any units from the CN.

The split-up of Conrail resulted in former Conrail units being allocated between the CSX and NS, along with a group of locomotives being assigned to Shared Assets. The last GP38 units on CSX were the former Conrail units that came from the Conrail split-up, but the last of them left the property around 3 years ago. This circumstance is why I said that you could not have seen a CSX GP38 unit, because there are no GP38 units on CSX's roster. However, there are a lot of GP38-2 units still operating all over the CSX system. Perhaps you saw one of those units?

ACLfan

ACLfan,
That is what I ment. But, still I get conflicting reports that the GP38-2 cannot support a long train at a high rate of speed approaching a medium-sharp curve. I thought it was going too fast, the speed limit is I believe 25, but it had to be doing between 30 and 40 mph.