MP36s Engine Conditions

Figuring that Metra has the MPI Mp36 Engines running as a coverage for the GP39s and any older engines. I was wondering how are those engine hanging around there???

FYI, Metra has never run any GP39's, these units were acquired to replace the [url=http://.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_F40C]F40C's.[/url]
As for the MP36's, they don't seem to be failing quite as often as they were when first delivered, but they're still having issues nonetheless. And with winter coming up, periodic failures are likely to continue...

Sorry about that I was thinking about MARC which has GP39 and GP40WH-2 Engines that they use for Passenger Service. But they are getting some MPI MP36PH-3C Engines that are replacing them!!! While I'm posting how you are the F40C Engines doing, because having really browsed around???

Getting worse and worse went up to the office on 2139 and we had MPI-36 417, Dead Battery at destnation and she had duck tape on the doors for the sanders on the nose, to keep those thing running they need some Marine or navy Mechanics from the 40s that fought in the pacific to keep those thing running becuase soon they will be usiing or using bailing wire and chewing gum or shoe leather, i say if the body starts falling apart on these things they could use beer cans. to weld onto the fuselage of the crate.

In the last month I ran several of the 400's. None of them made it over 3100hp. Gotta wonder if the hp was tweeked down on purpose. And why?

Just out of curiosity, when you last ran an F40C, how much h.p. did you get? Its kind of like apples and oranges since the MPs are supposed to be 3600 h.p. and the F40Cs are only 3200 h.p., but I'm interested in seeing how close to the ratings they got.

The F40C's don't have a computer, so I don't know the true HP. But both 611 & 614 ran very well.

bones wrote:In the last month I ran several of the 400's. None of them made it over 3100hp. Gotta wonder if the hp was tweeked down on purpose. And why?

is this the BHP from the prime mover.. or the wheel HP? if it's wheel hp, then obviously you have to factor in the HEP load.... but if not... then i don't know.

The way I understand it is that the HEP pulls 400hp, so that should still leave 3200 wheel hp. I'm sure someone out there knows better than I do, so please correct me. I'd like to understand better.

All I know is that at one time the 400's were doing 36, 37, and sometimes 3800 hp. Now you're lucky to get 3100 HP.

bones wrote:All I know is that at one time the 400's were doing 36, 37, and sometimes 3800 hp. Now you're lucky to get 3100 HP.

then the most likely cause is that METRA downrated them in favor of fuel economy or something....

Once again terrible in this weather MetraNorth line 2129 passed libertyville with MP-36 411, "Christine or the real one is painted green and yellow running about 20 minutes late with darken coaches and both doors open on 411 and a window open on one of the coaches, I think that the pile of tick turd lost its headend power.

I'd really like to see EMD design an F70PH, F70C or an "E70PH" (A1A trucks), put it out there and see if there's any interest. Transit agencies don't have much of a choice when looking for motive power. Although the MP36PH-3C and MP40PH-3C models may be fairing better. But the MP36PH-3S's are a disaster.

An F70-something actually was proposed by EMD when the RFPs came out for what resulted in the first order of GE Genesis units, in the early 90s. Not with A1A trucks but with the 710 engine, etc. They lost that little contest - and management was real mad about it too - and finally gave up on passenger units after the LIRR DE30ACs assembled at Super Steel in NY wound up being lemons with an unsatisfied customer.

I've always thought the best EMD unit suitable for passenger these days is the export JT42. It's smaller and lighter weight, so it would fit anywhere a passenger train has to go in the country, it has a rear cab that could be turned into an HEP locker, and the C-C trucks could go A1A-A1A. Best part is, it's essentially an off-the-shelf piece using SD70 components in a different body.