CN buys used power

[CN Sparky]

I hear it's already had a traction motor change out.. wow, reliable like the rest I guess!

2105 is also running around somewhere..

[ENR3870]

2125 at North van.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/ ... 251024.jpg

[gp9rm4108]

2127 was in Winnipeg the other day.

[pacirr]

All we need ...more junk engines to run. Can't you just see UP going out and buying 20 year old engines from CN to run on their mainlines?! And of course they are not putting air conditioning on them.... once again CN not living up to the BLET contract.

[jwhite07]

I don't get it either. According to Canadian Railway Observations, CN is retiring the ex-IC 6100-series SD40-2s at the same time they're picking up the C40-8s. Is the extra 1000hp that important that they would forego perhaps one of THE best locomotives ever built by any measure, in favor of a good, but nowhere near great locomotive?

I bet those SD40-2s will very quickly find buyers more than happy to get them. Perhaps that's the gambit - buy low, sell high?

[CN Sparky]

..or is CN putting their money on the chance that UP and BNSF have maintained these Dash 8's better than CN has maintained anything in the past 15 years...?

It seems like everything in our fleet is neglected to the point of imminent failure. And training, parts, etc... are impossible to come by. Maybe it's just our shop...?

[atsf sp]

Most things are better maintained than IC engines.

[Tadman]

I bet the C40 has about the same fuel economy as an SD40, or darn close. It's a 20 year newer design. I may be totally wrong, but think about the big picture: industry is slow with lots of stored power. Retire fuel hogs, buy efficient engines. Economy picks up in a year, so does oil prices. Guess who snapped up fuel efficient engines when they were cheaper?

[CN Sparky]

I'd put my money on it... with Tier emissions compliance going to be a big issue in the coming years... CN might be onto something here. You can't make an SD40-2 any better... but you can take a Dash-8 and stick EFI on it.

I believe some of these ex-BNSF's and ex-UP's already have the EFI mod done.. just like all the BCOL dash 8's.. actually, they're all upgraded to Dash-9's, making 4400 horsies.. but I digress..

[Super Seis]

CN cancelled an order for 25 GE's ?

A nickel on the dollar for late model used power is hard to beat-

BTW, the Dash-8's have only a single pass intercooler-which implies a very expensive emissions kit for stateside operation.

Makes sense that they were sold to CA

SS

[Montrealrail]

C40-8 are looking special,I use to see taht kind of locomotive with widecab

And the last livery have no widecab making different than the usual

[CN_Hogger]

CN 2128 has a bad order crankshaft already....some deal the CN got!

[CN Sparky]

Word on Canadian Railway Observations is that CN paid $100,000 for each unit. That's a steal, even in parts! So what if a few eat it.. just as reliable as the rest of the poorly maintained fleet...

[CN_Hogger]

I remember hearing somewhere that GE's response to the above average failures with Dash 9's was that the CN is using them too much!

Word on Canadian Railway Observations is that CN paid $100,000 for each unit. That's a steal, even in parts! So what if a few eat it.. just as reliable as the rest of the poorly maintained fleet...

[Deval]

That makes no sense. Locomotives are designed to be used constantly; every railroad does that.

I'd look at CN's high quality preventative maintenance program...

I remember hearing somewhere that GE's response to the above average failures with Dash 9's was that the CN is using them too much!