Super Seis wrote:Generally, the cost of parts from the OEM coupled with the dearth of aftermarket suppliers (both compared to EMD)conspires against railroad shop rebuild projects for GE units.
If GE parts are so expensive how can they compete in the EMD parts business with their own version of EMD new parts such as complete power assemblies, turbo chargers,fuel injectors, blowers, exhaust manifolds and possibly complete engines. The GE parts are designed as upgrades such as piston rings to reduce oil consumption as part of pollution control.
I refer to ASME paper ICES2006-1309 and specifically NTRD 2004-1 contract No. 582-565591-009 paid for by GE,that reports how they got a GP 38 tier 2 certified as far as NOX is concerned. It requires disabling a blower during idle and run 1 and 2. For the purposes of this test they only disconnected the blower and locked it so it wouldn't rotate instead of developing a mechanism to do this operationally. But the point is that GE is spending a lot of money to invade EMD's parts business. Its a mystery to me why its not economic for pirate parts makers don't bother to compete in the more lucrative GE or particularly CAT parts business.