csx sd70ace

i was wondering will csx purchase any more sd70aces beacuse i heard that they only have 20

Simply put, no.

Uggh, they're horrible.

o ok people thanks

CSX Conductor wrote:Uggh, they're horrible.

Agreed - noisy cab and kludgy computerized engine/traction controls.

I had a trip in a well-preserved SD-60I a few days ago...and it's hard to believe that the same builder that had done so MUCH for crew comfort in the 1990s, that was at the time so far ahead of GE and its products, could have slipped so far so fast.

The SD70ace is a giant step BACKWARDS in terms of use and comfort.

agreed!

jordan1210 wrote:i was wondering will csx purchase any more sd70aces beacuse i heard that they only have 20

Nobody knows whether the railroad will aquire additional SD70ACe's or not. It is possible that they will but only time will tell. Someone simply saying "no" just because of what a crew might have said is totally assinine and is based strictly on opinion rather than fact.

Bryan Jones
Broooks,KY

Bryanjones wrote:Someone simply saying "no" just because of what a crew might have said is totally assinine and is based strictly on opinion rather than fact.

As you said, it's just our opinions. Just curios, have you ever been in one of these? Or run one? I didn't mind the one I ranthis summer, but would do my best to avoid them.

CSX will probably purchase some EMD products into the future. The one thing CSX and the rest of the carriers don't want is for EMD to go out of business leaving them at the mercy of GE in the power market. However, at the present time, EMD engines are leaving a bad taste in the mouth of all that have to work with them. The crews have their reasons for disliking them and management types also have their reasons for dislikeing them. EMD needs to make a quantum leap in virtually all areas of their product to catch and surpass GE, whether they will ever surpass GE is a very open question.

As a point of reference I have disliked GE engines since the first of the U boats began to appear, however, GE have improved their product over the years and General Motors let the EMD product stagnate until they sold off the company. The new owners of EMD have a large mountain to climb.

CSX Conductor wrote:

Bryanjones wrote:Someone simply saying "no" just because of what a crew might have said is totally assinine and is based strictly on opinion rather than fact.

As you said, it's just our opinions. Just curios, have you ever been in one of these? Or run one? I didn't mind the one I ranthis summer, but would do my best to avoid them.

I can't believe even I would say this, but I would rather have a GE! No opinion needed, the SD70Ace is a certified pile of poo. As also mentioned they are super loud - like sitting inside a bass drum - they're worse than a worn out GP38. They're so bad, in MY opinion, they look very appropriately painted brown instead of CSX's rebel blue and yellow paint to match the character of the railroad. I had one of thee honeys a couple of months ago and hope not again for a long while.

The 20 that CSX got are preproduction prototypes. The SD70ACe production models can't be all that bad, BNSF & UP have substantial amounts of these locomotives. KCS isn't too far behind either. BNSF has recently begun delivery of isolated cab models.

I would bet that the ones who make the purchasing decisions are the ones who are least likely to actually use or inhabit the equipment they buy. This goes for the finance department and the engineering department that provide the specs and approve the money being spent. I'm sure who ever these individuals are have rarely if ever been on a locomotive. If it wasn't for collective bargaining these engines would be equipped with milk crates for seats and a 5 gallon bucket for a bathroom. They have made minor improvements over all with somewhat better seats. But thats where it stops. The conductors seat is bolted directly to the floor and transmits, quite well, every vibration, sway and bump directly through the conductors body.

Two of these beauties found their way up here today, with Q117 being unlucky enough to have one as a leader. They were moving right along, probably trying to get to Buffalo to get off the damn thing!

csxchris wrote:I would bet that the ones who make the purchasing decisions are the ones who are least likely to actually use or inhabit the equipment they buy. This goes for the finance department and the engineering department that provide the specs and approve the money being spent. I'm sure who ever these individuals are have rarely if ever been on a locomotive. If it wasn't for collective bargaining these engines would be equipped with milk crates for seats and a 5 gallon bucket for a bathroom. They have made minor improvements over all with somewhat better seats. But thats where it stops. The conductors seat is bolted directly to the floor and transmits, quite well, every vibration, sway and bump directly through the conductors body.

All true...but I do believe that dissatisfaction trickles up the grapevine - even on CSX.

It will show in crews shopping or even sabotaging unpopular equipment; in crews spending time to find ways not to use or lead with the equipment (reasons to take time wye power, for example).

After all, we did get rid of those horrid 5/8ths scale seats, didn't we? Only took nine years...

We'll probably get more EMD units, but I don't think they're going to be anyone's favorite choice within the company. Not even Purchasing's.