CSX SD80ACs?

Hey guys,

I'm a very big fan of CSX and especially their SD80AC (or as some call SD80MAC) units and after searching around quite a bit here and other places and getting tid bits of information here and there I really just wanted to post just to get a better idea of their status. From what I have gathered CSX has placed many in storage and sold some to Mexico, or maybe just leased them? From what i understood there were three saved and left running for now being 4599, 4600, and 4602. I found it peculiar how CSX only chose to leave 3 running in service being such unique units but I'm glad for the few. Now what I noticed was that one of the three saved, number 4602 was recently (June 10th) spotted sidelined in Waycross, GA, after having served in service just a month before on May 21st. So this leaves only two units, the 4599, and the 4600 still in service. A CSX engineer reported that as of this weekend the two units were in Benning Yard, Washington DC. This is where many coal runs originate out of and the SD80ACs used to run out of Benning most frequently than anywhere else. Benning isn't a place where units would then get shipped off to Waycross because its power usually just runs the Popes Creek Line up and back and also grabs coal out of Brunsiwck via the Metropolitan. So do you guys think those two are at least saved, or is it only a matter of time before they make their way to Waycross?

Thanks in advance for any info!

Davis

4591 was reported yesterday departing Waycross,GA in brand new YN3 paint on a manifest. Perhaps Mexico is sending them back already:)

Awesome news, glad to hear she's rolling back out! Was that one of the units slated to go to Ferromex?

Davis

strench707 wrote:Awesome news, glad to hear she's rolling back out! Was that one of the units slated to go to Ferromex?

Davis

MANY of them call them sd80mac... sd80ac is incorrect. no one call them like that. Back in Day One, if I remember right (someone correct me if im wrong) is that CSX have computer system that only allowed 6 letters/numbers to be input into their system. So CSX dropped "m" I think. But everyone still call them sd80mac.

Mexicians weren't happy with them and they send them back to CSX right away. All Sd80mac are in csxland right now. Last time I heard was that all of them, except one rolled over wreck, were in service back in early/mid winter. and I have not heard anything more on these units since then. I would ASSUME that they all are running. Of course breakdown might put them OOS.

4601 was leading on a westbound grain train through here the other night.

The "M" designated an EMD with a wide cab body. Standard cabs were simply SD60, wide cab SD60M, and so on up the ladder of designations. The AC obviously stands for AC power.
Just as GE used "W" to designate the wide cab. IE: standard cab C40-8, wide cab CW40-8, and so forth. GE's newest the ES44's no longer carry the designation as I believe they no longer offer the standard cab.

Power CAN go from Benning to Waycross...all it takes is the 405 or 439, or 401-415 or somebody to pick them up.

As of Saturday morning (7-02-11) the 4599 and 4600 were both still in Bennings, being used in coal sets. Atleast one is due for a 90 day soon. The 5500 is also down here in the middle of a coal set.

The SD80 that rolled was the 4594, which happened after she went over a split-rail in Bennings back in early 2009.

On the Metro into DC I passed a set of engines on Friday morning. They were a few hundred yards North of their consist. It had some assorted engines, one was an SD80MAC, presumably ready to hit the Popes Creek again.

Thanks for all of the info guys and the clarification with the designation! CSX might still have that 6 character constraint or might have just made it an offical policy because it still says SD70AC and SD80AC on the side of the engines. Probably just stuck in their ways at this point and figure its not worth changing it.

Davis