C39-8 survivor.

[scottychaos]

Among the last of her kind, 20 year-old Norfolk Southern C39-8 #8202 idles away the weekend in Sayre, PA.

She was built in 1986 as Conrail 6004.

Recent reports say only 13 C39-8's are still operating, and all of them with NS. anyone have recent data on their status?





















thanks,
Scot

[Bryanjones]

Among the last of her kind, 20 year-old Norfolk Southern C39-8 #8202 idles away the weekend in Sayre, PA.

She was built in 1986 as Conrail 6004.

Recent reports say only 13 C39-8's are still operating, and all of them with NS. anyone have recent data on their status?

latest report from Chris Toth, the NS locomotive guru, there are a total of 67 C39-8's still operating on the NS. 13 of those are former Conrail units while the remaining 54 are original NS units.
and for what its worth, the Savage Alberta RR in Canada has a fleet of 11 C39-8's, 2 of which are former NS units and the remaining 9 former CSX (originally Conrail units).

Bryan Jones
Brooks,KY

[MEC407]

Those things are so funky lookin', I can't help but love 'em. So many random bulges/humps/bumps... they're almost Alco-esque.

[SOU2645]

Those things are so funky lookin', I can't help but love 'em. So many random bulges/humps/bumps... they're almost Alco-esque.

That aint all that's funky. The fumes and awful ride quality of those beasts goes along with it. They were/are highly unpopular with train crews and wont be missed once the're gone.
Larry

[MEC407]

That aint all that's funky. The fumes and awful ride quality of those beasts goes along with it. They were/are highly unpopular with train crews and wont be missed once the're gone.
Larry

Like I said... Alco-esque. LOL

[es80ac]

Those things are so funky lookin', I can't help but love 'em. So many random bulges/humps/bumps... they're almost Alco-esque.

That aint all that's funky. The fumes and awful ride quality of those beasts goes along with it. They were/are highly unpopular with train crews and wont be missed once the're gone.
Larry

Why would they ride any different from other Dash 8 or Dash 7 for that matter? They all have the same type of trucks.

I wonder why do the hump back dash 8 retire so early, seeing that there are some dash 7 running strong out there. Maybe it is because they are so unique?

[scottychaos]

Those things are so funky lookin', I can't help but love 'em. So many random bulges/humps/bumps... they're almost Alco-esque.

That aint all that's funky. The fumes and awful ride quality of those beasts goes along with it. They were/are highly unpopular with train crews and wont be missed once the're gone.
Larry

Why would they ride any different from other Dash 8 or Dash 7 for that matter? They all have the same type of trucks.

I wonder why do the hump back dash 8 retire so early, seeing that there are some dash 7 running strong out there. Maybe it is because they are so unique?

seeing that there are some dash 7 running strong out there.

well.."some" is relative..there are also "some" GP7's still in service!

what percentage of -7's are still running compared to what percentage of -8's?
I dont know..but probably a higher percentage of -8's, as compared to the percentage of total -8's built, are still running today simply because they are newer...the "service life" of -7's and -8's is probably about the same. I have never seen any indication that -8's have been "retired early" significantly more than -7's..

IMO, these -8's are pretty sucessful..lots of other diesel classes were totally retired before they ran out 20 years in service..
latest numbers say 77 C39-8's are still opearting, out of 161 total built..
thats just under 50% still in service after 20 years..
probably an average service life for just about any diesel type.

I bet less than 50% of SD50's from the class of 1985 are still running today.

Scot

[Pilbara Rail]

4 were also built brand new in Australia for BHP / Mt Newman Mining, but got the designation of CM39-8 for the modified 'Pilbara' cab, these units numbered 5630 to 5633 are still in service running the iron ore trains and are very much liked by the crews.

[Chessie King]

Just wanted to point out that out of the 427 SD50's built I have found roughly 400 of them still in service by class I's and leasers alone. Plus there where 80 SD50's bought in 1985 and all of them are still in service. All in all very few Sd50's have been parked compared to the descent number of GE's from the same era. GE's locomotives have never been able to perform as long as EMD's have thus far. Only time will tell when it comes to SD70/80's vs. AC4400, Dash-9's, and GEVO's.

[sallenparks]

Scot 8202 is still in Sayre and I say still because she was their last Thursday with a BNSF C44-9. 8200 was also rumored to be floating around the SouthernTier some where as well.Haven't seen her though.

[NorfolkSouthernSean]

The last time that I saw the 8202 was February 24th, 2006. It was in the CSAO Morrisville Yard with a C40-9W.

[crazy_nip]

I bet less than 50% of SD50's from the class of 1985 are still running today.

would you care to bet money on that?

[scottychaos]

I bet less than 50% of SD50's from the class of 1985 are still running today.

would you care to bet money on that?

Scroll up four messages..

Scot

[NorfolkSouthernSean]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the GE's have four-stroke engines whereas the EMD's have two-strokes. A four-stroke should last longer than a two-stroke. The only bad thing about a four-stroke is that they are harder to work on due to the fact that they have more parts.

[ToledoTerminalRy]

well.."some" is relative..there are also "some" GP7's still in service!

what percentage of -7's are still running compared to what percentage of -8's?
I dont know..but probably a higher percentage of -8's, as compared to the percentage of total -8's built, are still running today simply because they are newer...the "service life" of -7's and -8's is probably about the same. I have never seen any indication that -8's have been "retired early" significantly more than -7's..

IMO, these -8's are pretty sucessful..lots of other diesel classes were totally retired before they ran out 20 years in service..
latest numbers say 77 C39-8's are still opearting, out of 161 total built..
thats just under 50% still in service after 20 years..
probably an average service life for just about any diesel type.

I bet less than 50% of SD50's from the class of 1985 are still running today.

Scot

Better yet How about SD45's? they were horrible right from the gun because the long crankshafts kept breaking and were sold off pretty quickly, also had an oddball motor in them compared to the engines of the time.

Ryan