Is it worth the money to purchase the 4 SD60MACs and convert them to SD60Is with D.C drive? Would it be possible to order a SD75I (or any modern E.M.D) without dyamic brakes? How could E.M.D enlarge the SD75I* cab and move the seam back to the windscreen? Also how would the SD75I be mounted on a SD80/90MAC frame?
As for buying the SD60MAC and converting them to DC:
I suspect it would be technically feasible, since an AC locomotive seems to differ from its DC sibling largely by having ADDITIONAL equipment. (I know a bit more about the GE design. The AC44 and the C44-9W have the same engine, producing AC current by turning the same (I think) main alternator and feeding it into the same, or at least similar, rectifiers-- after which the C44-9W sends the DC to the motors, and the AC44 sends it to the invertors.) So the conversion would involve (i) ripping out the invertors, (ii) replacing the traction motors, and-- this is the fiddly bit-- (iii) replacing the control system.
Is it worth doing? You'd end up with 4 locomotives with non-standard specs, and the big railroads would prefer not to complicate their maintnenace and record-keeping. But if you knew of a SHORT-LINE that wanted 4 SD60/SD70-ish units but didn't want to pay full price...
---
Can you get an SD70 without dynamic brakes? E.M.D. will sell you what you want, but these days even railroads with flat profiles tend to think of dynamics as an essential aid to train handling.
---
Are you, by any chance, a multi-millionaire who has secretly bought the Florida East Coast? Or were you questions asked out of pure curiosity? (Grin!)
It isn't very flat around Boston or the rest of New England for that matter. Bunker Hill in Boston, the Berkshires, the White Mountains, etc.
The A-1 (and later Berkshires) made their name, literally, on the Boston and Albany main. In the diesel years, the B&A was usually six axle territory. Not flat at all, look at some maps-
The Boston & Albany (the line from Boston through Worcester, Springfield, and Pittsfield MA to State Line NY) has a long history of being an operating problem because of the mountain grades (particularly, I think, west of Springfield). In steam, the New York Central assigned not only 284 Berkshires to it, but also their only 2102 types. And then decided to make it the first part of the system to dieselize. The B&A got dynamic brake equipped geeps (the rest of the New York Central did without). Later, under PC and then Conrail, Boston-bound freights regularly got six-axle GE power.
They have planted explosive devices on all SD60s and they will place the SD60s all in a big yard in Nebraska and blow them all up at the same time on November 1st. You can go on the internet and watch this phenomenon from space.
Joe,
Be careful, your first sentence will raise a red flag at Homeland Security Your comment contains all the terminology that will cause the system to
check your messsage
"explosive device"
"on an SD60"
"Nebraska"
Before you drive us all nuts with your questions, most of us also belong to other forums such as LOCO NOTES or diesel locomotives on Yahoo. Plus we read hard copy of Diesel Era, X2200 South and have several editions of Diesel Spotters Guide.
Maybe some kind hearted person will give you a copy of one of these magazines
Joe, Be careful, your first sentence will raise a red flag at Homeland Security Your comment contains all the terminology that will cause the system to check your messsage "explosive device" "on an SD60" "Nebraska"
Yeah, you're right, my friend. You don't want any COPS monitoring you, and then getting in "hot water"....................
And as for Mr. TerryC, you might not want to be "picking on us" here as Mr. WebInfo says. Just a friendly suggestion.