China orders 300 locomotives from EMDiesel (265H?)

[Sam Damon]

EMD locomotives made in China for export? I just know there’s a 'column A or column B' joke in here somewhere but I can't seem to find it. GE can make a locomotive in Erie, PA and still make a buck. So why would EMD need to shift from Canada to the other side of the planet? Not all too sure about that one.

OTOH, I'm told a great deal of GE's engineering for GETS has been outsourced to India. Interestingly enough, GETS reportedly kept the engineering team for the 12-cylinder engine stateside, but hired German engineers, and brought them over on green cards. Go figure.

As for EMD building in London rather than LaGrange, I'm told that GM received export tax credits that more than paid them to shut down production in the US. Problem was, they have no excess capacity to take on GE, now that the economy's picking up! Yet another example of "corporate rightsizing" gone awry.

[Ol' Loco Guy]

No secret that GE opened a corporate R&D facility in Banglore (India) and have been also outsourcing engineering for GETS to India, too.

German engineers ? Once again-contract labor- a la business in the 21 st Century. Probably sourced on the cheap based upon prevailing currency exchange rates.

Recall the EMD GM at the time citing the expected shift to 6000hp C-C units
(which never happened) as justification for the closing of LaGrange.

[Nasadowsk]

Given GE's heavy entry into finance, their talk of dropping lightbulbs and appliances....I wonder if they're Westinghouse, delayed 30 years?

[Sam Damon]

Given GE's heavy entry into finance, their talk of dropping lightbulbs and appliances....I wonder if they're Westinghouse, delayed 30 years?

Perhaps. But Westinghouse's management at that time was supremely incompetent.

Even so, the signs of trouble for GE ahead are here if we care to look. Westinghouse let their engineering slip, and then started to rely on financial engineering to keep Wall Street happy. The clowns in charge made some bad bets on foreign exchange and real estate, IIRC, and that's what sank the company. Only thing that served as a life preserver was Group W broadcasting, which is how Westinghouse morphed into CBS, which then was swallowed by Viacom, and now is being spun off from Viacom!

Without the radio bits, I should add. Sheese!

[Nasadowsk]

<i>Perhaps. But Westinghouse's management at that time was supremely incompetent.</i>

Well, yeah.

<i>Even so, the signs of trouble for GE ahead are here if we care to look. Westinghouse let their engineering slip, and then started to rely on financial engineering to keep Wall Street happy.</i>

That's what's going on at GE now. GE's losing their engineering prowess (?) quickly. Lots of 2nd/3rd rate crap comming from them now.

<i>The clowns in charge made some bad bets on foreign exchange and real estate, IIRC, and that's what sank the company.</i>

GE owns more comercial aircraft than anyone else. Why do you think they're always bailing out airlines?

<i> Only thing that served as a life preserver was Group W broadcasting, which is how Westinghouse morphed into CBS, which then was swallowed by Viacom, and now is being spun off from Viacom!</i>

Same could be said of NBC. No doubt NBC's sucessful. But GE's quickly losing their stance everywhere else, and the money grab could mean they'll spin themselves into a oblivion, like Westinghouse or AT&T did...

[MEC407]

GE's losing their engineering prowess (?) quickly. Lots of 2nd/3rd rate crap comming from them now.

Maybe. Maybe not. I've seen a few anecdotal reports indicating that GE's ES44AC performs better and has higher availability than EMD's SD70ACe.

In terms of other GE products, I've been looking at their "Monogram" line of kitchen appliances and they're very well made.

[Sam Damon]

Maybe. Maybe not. I've seen a few anecdotal reports indicating that GE's ES44AC performs better and has higher availability than EMD's SD70ACe.

I hear pretty much the same noises, so I'm with you on this one. Both probably have their share of problems. Nothing serious; just the normal things one might expect.

In terms of other GE products, I've been looking at their "Monogram" line of kitchen appliances and they're very well made.

Going slightly OT, the high-end GE appliances probably still are well-made. Anything less though... you will probably throw it away in three to five years. I just got rid of a GE Washer/Dryer. Mid-range in price. Two transmissions in the washer, one covered by warranty, the other not. Three or four washer lids, all which rusted out owing to lack of porcelain in the corners. Electric Dryer: thermostat died out after ten years.

Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on the dryer side, but the washing machine side has sworn me of GE appliances for life. I'm down to a Hotpoint range and GE dishwasher. When they go, they're being replaced by either Maytag, Whirlpool, or Kenmore (made by Whirlpool).

Of course, Whirlpool would have to go buy Maytag and screw up my plans...

[MEC407]

It's true. Stuff isn't made as well as it used to be. A few months ago I purchased a Sony Trinitron television, and aside from having more features and stereo sound, the picture isn't as good as my mother's 1984-vintage Trinitron. I'm fairly certain that mine won't last nearly as long as her's.

A few years ago when I lived in an apartment that had washer-dryer hookups, I bought a used Whirlpool washer and a used Kenmore (Whirlpool) dryer. Both were about 15 years old, and both performed fabulously... much better than the brand new, commercial-grade Maytag machines at the laundrymat down the street. I wonder how brand new Whirlpool machines would perform. *shrug*

[Nasadowsk]

Most TV repairmen will tell you - the 80's vintage Sonys were by far, trhe best TVs made. Even the older 60's and 70's ones are excellent sets - but the 80's ones are very well built, very reliable, very nice. They don't die easy, and the few things that do die are easy to repair.

Oh yeah - GE TV set? Junk. Always were - except for a few models, they're shunned by collectors because they generally are built like crap and don't work well. hey, these were the guys who brought you the SA chassis - a full B&W TV set with almost as few tubes as an AM/FM radio. They did this by making the design so bare bones there was nothing more you could remove and have it still work...

[boston774]

Most TV repairmen will tell you - the 80's vintage Sonys were by far, trhe best TVs made. Even the older 60's and 70's ones are excellent sets - but the 80's ones are very well built, very reliable, very nice. They don't die easy, and the few things that do die are easy to repair.

I still have a cassette walkman made in 1982 that works very well, and has as good cound quality as my ipod. Quality like this is why Sony products still command a noticeable price premium. Yes, Sony currently has troubles, but I have no doubt they will get through it.

I guess the lesson here is to never stint on making good quality products. People always remember quality, never what a "good deal" they got. Firms forget this at their peril, whether you are talking about electronics or industrial products.