mtuandrew wrote:Duly noted about the frame - I mentioned that in my first post as well - but again, that didn't stop the Santa Fe. I'm honestly curious why it was economical for ATSF to rebuild 233 F units (built 25 years before the CF7 program started, plus or minus 5 years), but you don't believe it would be economical for Amtrak or a third party to rebuild 200-some P40DC and P42DC units (currently 21 years old and younger.) Are the Geneses that worn out, has technology advanced enough to make it a fool's errand (particularly re: fuel use and DC traction), or would it just be too tough to fit 269,000 lbs of used GE passenger locomotive into an NEC-sized semi-unstreamlined HEP-equipped box?
Related to my last thought, if Amtrak ordered a new dual-service fleet to replace the BWHs, what components from Amtrak's existing locomotives do you think would warrant reuse?
I'm intrigued by your idea to refit a new prime mover, MEC407. Personally I doubt Amtrak would take that step, but another passenger carrier might see a reengined Genesis as a cheap way to bulk up its fleet.
MEC407 wrote:To put things into further perspective: UP also auctioned off a few EMD MP15DC switchers, and those fetched between $180K and $210K each. That's a direct reflection of where the demand is right now: small switchers of moderate horsepower.
I'm very curious to find out who purchased those UP Dash 8-40Bs. Whoever it was certainly got a bargain. The "what-if" part of my brain has visions of GE snapping them up, rebuilding them with I-6 GEVO engines, and reselling them as ES22Bs to compete with the GP20ECO and the various genset units.
v8interceptor wrote:MEC407 wrote:To put things into further perspective: UP also auctioned off a few EMD MP15DC switchers, and those fetched between $180K and $210K each. That's a direct reflection of where the demand is right now: small switchers of moderate horsepower.
I'm very curious to find out who purchased those UP Dash 8-40Bs. Whoever it was certainly got a bargain. The "what-if" part of my brain has visions of GE snapping them up, rebuilding them with I-6 GEVO engines, and reselling them as ES22Bs to compete with the GP20ECO and the various genset units.
CSX has purchased quite a few units from UP. There is a recent thread on the CSX forum of this fine site about it:
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=152326
I suspect they will downrate the units to 2,000 HP, as they are already doing with their existing B40-8 fleet. Not nearly as fuel efficient as rebuilding/repowering them but I guess the price is right and they are very familiar with the model...
v8interceptor wrote: After further review it would seem that CSX has not bought any second hand B40-8s from UP (at least there has been no verification of this from any source)so I retract my above comment...
MEC407 wrote:To put things into further perspective: UP also auctioned off a few EMD MP15DC switchers, and those fetched between $180K and $210K each. That's a direct reflection of where the demand is right now: small switchers of moderate horsepower.
I'm very curious to find out who purchased those UP Dash 8-40Bs. Whoever it was certainly got a bargain. The "what-if" part of my brain has visions of GE snapping them up, rebuilding them with I-6 GEVO engines, and reselling them as ES22Bs to compete with the GP20ECO and the various genset units.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests