Is CP Ever going to buy EMD's In the Future???

Is CP ever going to go EMD again?? They are seemingly buying all GE.

I can see why it might seem that way. CPs most recent EMDs were 65 SD90MACs back in '99. They now have more AC4400s in service than SD-40s and the ES44ACs keep getting delivered. Long answer short: CP prefers GEs for now. Kinda like how they preferred the SD-40s back when. Get your pictures of the SD-40s while you can as they are being replaced by the GEs about as fast as the 40s can fail.

They might swing back to EMD when the GE's reach 20 to 25 years of age. From what I've heard, once they eventually become old and tired, they're not worth rebuilding. CP switched to GE quite late--1995 or so--so none of them are very old yet. A number have caught on fire, but that doesn't cause enough damage to warrant retirement.

If EMD can make another SD40-2, then yes.

If EMD can make another SD40-2, then yes.

I think they already did. It's called the SD70M!

Which sadly isnt Tier 2 complient.

I dont think CP would. Parts would be a factor. Certainly is here in Australia, why keep switching from builders? If you keep the same builder, you have ample supplies.

trainiac wrote:

If EMD can make another SD40-2, then yes.

I think they already did. It's called the SD70M!

I think the jury is still out on that

lets see some of them last more than 10 years before we annoint them the next SD40-2...

considering the fiasco with the H engined SD90, I would be surprised if they ever go back to emd with anything more than a token order

It seems unlikely that CP will be buying any more locomotives from EMD (well actually EMC now). They seem to pick a builder and a model and run with it. They did this with the SD40 vs. C630M/M630/M636 where the big MLW's won... until they proved to be a PITA. Then the SD40-2 ruled supreme. Now it's the AC4400/ES44AC.

The SD9043MAC's and the SD90MAC's were less that CP was hoping for. CP wasn't pleased with their performance in coal service in Western Canada and that pretty much killed any chance GM had at additional orders. But you have to figure that the SD90 series seems to have been a real failure on EMD's part, just as the AC6000 was not one of GE's better ideas. I often wonder had CP sampled the SD70MAC if the story would have the same ending. BN and BNSF seemed to be pleased with the performance of their units, buying something like 800+ plus units. It could have very well worked out that CP would have gone with the SD70MAC, or bought from both GM and GE. We'll never know, of course, but you have to wonder.

If CP hasn't been tempted by the SD70ACe yet, they likely never will. Still, you never know...

in January of 2008 CP did test afew BNSF SD70ace's and it never turned into an order

Everyone says that the anti EMD attitude came from the bad luck with the SD90MAC fleet. I think that this is stupid. The model with its H prime mover was still in its teething stages. If CP had gone with the 70MAC, I think that things would be different. BN/BNSF seems to have good luck with their several hundred. I never recall having any trouble with them.
GE has had some problems with the new ES series. This could be why CP tested the BNSF EMD units. We will have to wait for the economy to pick up. When that happens, we'll see what we get.

Engineer Spike wrote:Everyone says that the anti EMD attitude came from the bad luck with the SD90MAC fleet. I think that this is stupid. The model with its H prime mover was still in its teething stages. If CP had gone with the 70MAC, I think that things would be different. BN/BNSF seems to have good luck with their several hundred. I never recall having any trouble with them.
GE has had some problems with the new ES series. This could be why CP tested the BNSF EMD units. We will have to wait for the economy to pick up. When that happens, we'll see what we get.

One of my sons is a CP engineer and has encountered SD70MACs as run-through power a couple of times. Hated the things. Much prefers the 4400/ES44

steamguy wrote:

Engineer Spike wrote:Everyone says that the anti EMD attitude came from the bad luck with the SD90MAC fleet. I think that this is stupid. The model with its H prime mover was still in its teething stages. If CP had gone with the 70MAC, I think that things would be different. BN/BNSF seems to have good luck with their several hundred. I never recall having any trouble with them.
GE has had some problems with the new ES series. This could be why CP tested the BNSF EMD units. We will have to wait for the economy to pick up. When that happens, we'll see what we get.

One of my sons is a CP engineer and has encountered SD70MACs as run-through power a couple of times. Hated the things. Much prefers the 4400/ES44

Having run both new EMD and new GE locomtives on the CNR, I have to agree with him. You would not believe how many times I have uttered the phrase "not ANOTHER 8800(SD70M-2)."

I liked the SD70MAC when I worked on BN. I have been tole that the 1 inverter per truck (EMD) vs. 1 inverter per axle (GE) is a handicap. The new 70ace and -2 that I have run have seemed to be junk. GM and successors have really turned out garbage this time! I don't hold the same opinion of the original 70 series. I thought that they were well built. Like I said, i never had problems with the BN SD70MAC.

No, never! Long live GE!

The SD90s (both the true SD90s and the SD9043s) that CP has (or had in terms of the 6000HP units) are complete garbage. Compared to the GEs, they do not preform as well. The big problem with them around here is that they load incredibly slow. As a poster before me said, if there's a problem with a traction motor the entire truck must be cut out as opposed to a single axle like on the GEs. They also have some kind of software feature that causes them to put out lower and lower tractive effort until the unit eventually stalls. When moving slow (10MPH and under) under high throttle, they buck and jerk terribly; supposedly caused by that same traction control software feature. Last but not least, they simply will not pull like a GE. They are fairly comfortable though (except the middle seat) and are generally quiet.

I doubt that CP will be ordering EMDs anytime soon.