LIRR F40PHs

[Pensyfan19]

I was browsing around the internet and saw a F40PH in the MTA Phase IIb (blue and white) livery. Thinking this was a custom paint scheme by a railfan, I clicked on the link and it showed me a roster of the LIRR's diesel fleet, and that F40s were originally supposed to be ordered for the LIRR in 1976 in the blue and white livery (hence the sketch). Specifically, they were to be classified as class E-30s and would be numbered 250-279.

Anyone have more information about this?

http://www.trainweb.org/willstrainart/Long_Island.htm

[DutchRailnut]

LIRR never had F40PH's so finding one on a fantasy page means nothing , the F40PH would be to high for to much LIRR territory.

[Pensyfan19]

LIRR never had F40PH's so finding one on a fantasy page means nothing , the F40PH would be to high for to much LIRR territory.

I think the LIRR was originally going to order F40s in 1976, and there were sketches of an LIRR F40 in the blue and white livery, but the order was cancelled probably due to the reasons you mentioned. The sketch I found at first was a digital remaster of what the blue and white scheme would have looked like on an F40 if the LIRR ordered them.

[jwhite07]

While the linked rendering does appear to be an unofficial "woulda been nice if" rendering, it is not unusual for conceptual paint scheme drawings to be developed if a railroad is contemplating purchase of a particular model of locomotive, even if they don't in the end. Years ago I got to see official renderings of an F59PH in MBTA livery, because they had briefly considered buying that model but never followed through.

The overall height of an F40PH varies depending on data source and individual railroad's specifications, but is within two to three inches of the GP38-2s that LIRR actually operated.

[MACTRAXX]

Everyone:

Another prime reason that the LIRR did not order F40PH locomotives is that they would
not be compatible or necessary with the 600 series power units + MP72/72T and MP75 coaches used in service.

Had the LIRR ordered new Comet-type cars requiring HEP a fleet of F40s would have made sense to fully re-equip the diesel services.

Instead the LIRR went with the "off the shelf" purchase of the GP38-2 locomotives
at a lower cost with wider utilization than F40s would have offered...

MACTRAXX