Allen Hazen wrote:China and Brazil both have General Electric locomotives with GEVO-16 engines: model numbers are, I think, ES-59 and ES-58. Anybody have any word on how they are doing?
The Chinese GEVOs are doing fine. The first HXN5 as they are classified had various issues, not with the GEVO engine but with various other components especially the running gear. That was not really GE's fault as the customization ordered by CNR is where the problem is. For example the trucks is really a cheap looking bolsterless design previously used by New Zealand export versions, which might be fine if HXN5 GEVO is not used in a heavy haul setting on CNR where a single engine is expected to handle up to 6000 plus tonnes regularly. There were many issues with the stress fractures in the trucks and worn flanges. There were also a host of other issues outside of the trucks.
A new version of the HXN5 called HXN52000 has been produced. It is a double ended hood design, similar in appearance to the new GE exports to India, but only taller and bigger. The trucks have been redesigned, and I heard many of the issues have been resolved. But I still think they should have used the original proven Hi-AD trucks.
On the same topic, the EMD 6000HP version is also seemingly doing much better on CNR than on the American railroads. Classified as HXN3, they are used primarily to haul coal trains in Inner Mongolia. For a while that operation used a single HXN3 to haul a loaded 113 car coal train weighing 10000 metric tonnes, which has to be almost a record for a single locomotive.