Whats Going To Happen With All Of The P40'S

Thanks for the clarification.

Anyhow, I need to be more accurate in my terminology; those locos with cowls, shells and/or monocoque bodies would be called (as in the past) cab units; and, of course, there is no law stating that cab units are passenger locos strictly.

Speaking of P40's, #823 went to Toronto on Monday 6/21 with Train #63 - spotted it in Kirkville, NY at approx. 12:30 p.m. The Maple Leaf has been operating with P42's lately, typically in the low 100-series.

Jim D.

Yeah, I know, I remember taking that train back in April all the way to Toronto, and I remember seeing a low 100 series engine, 102 to be exact, but 103 (the next one up) has been also operating on the Downeaster out of BON.

Sounds like the remaining P40's are being purged from the system. :D

Rail4Life wrote:Sounds like the remaining P40's are being purged from the system. :D

According to this year's five-year plan (as well as last year's), that is not the case.

Figured. Makes no sense to get rid of 11-year-old units if they work well, besides.

Yeah, I know guys, I think those P40 units can last 25 to around 32 years, just like their predecessor F40PHs.

Robert Paniagua wrote:Yeah, I know guys, I think those P40 units can last 25 to around 32 years, just like their predecessor F40PHs.

I think not...

NO GE unit lasts 25 to 30 years...

no GE passenger unit to date has lasted even 20 years

most gone in the 10-15 year timeframe...

hmm the U34ch's lasted 20 years or more ??
the Amtrak P30Ch's lasted 20 years ?? getting your numbers confused ?? how bout the E60's ?

NO GE unit lasts 25 to 30 years...

Oh wow, that's not too good for what I though would be a good locomotive manufacturer, but I now have to say otherwise.

no GE passenger unit to date has lasted even 20 years

Wow, GE must be lucky to build such stuff, but only designed to last less than they first thought.

most gone in the 10-15 year timeframe...

Hmmmm, that ain't good for them, I guess GE, unlike other locomotive builders, can't seem to make durable lasting engines while EMD makes locomotives that last 25 to 30 years for example.

It has nothing to do with GE or EMD being better engines.
a two stroke EMD is rebuildable in field since the engine is servicable one cylinderliner at time.
The GE is more complex as a four stroke and needs a complete engine overhaul in a shop.
This advantage will slowly disapear due to EPA regulations on rebuilding engines and even EMD leaning towards four stroke engines.
And as I pointed out there are at least 3 types of Passenger locomotives from GE that I know of that lasted in 25 year or more.

crazy_nip wrote:

Robert Paniagua wrote:Yeah, I know guys, I think those P40 units can last 25 to around 32 years, just like their predecessor F40PHs.

I think not...

NO GE unit lasts 25 to 30 years...

no GE passenger unit to date has lasted even 20 years

most gone in the 10-15 year timeframe...

This is misleading - GE was not a major manufacturer of North American passenger locomotives until 1993.

Also, there are plenty of Dash 7 freight units that are over 20 years old ... and even a few U-boats ... that are still in everyday freight service on shortlines and regionals.

JD

While rightly I should defer to the GE Forum around here, sorry to say that during the "sixties and seventies", GE had one "whale of" a reliability problem.

For what it be worth, while some roads "swore by" them, most swore "at 'em".

I think I can say some thirty years after the fact, the only reason "my" road, the MILW, had any on the property was because the EMD salesman said to give 10% of the requirements to GE. How else did an order for 90 SD-40's (3000) having 10 U-30-C's (5000) dropped on the property?

How else can one explain how 150 SDP-40F's (500-649) end up on Amtrak's "property" and so did 30 P-30CH (700-729).

No question whatever, GE got the act together (disclaimer: author holds a position in GE), and now builds reliable motive power.

RailBus63 wrote:
This is misleading - GE was not a major manufacturer of North American passenger locomotives until 1993.

ever wonder why? Because they were junk. Look at the ATSF U28CG's that lasted in passenger service for less than 5 years, and then in freight service only a couple more years...

Also, there are plenty of Dash 7 freight units that are over 20 years old ... and even a few U-boats ... that are still in everyday freight service on shortlines and regionals.

JD

-7's are virtually GONE from class one railroads... especially the c-truck units, which are extinct from BNSF and UP (IMHO). And there are only a handfull left on CSX and NS, mostly on work trains

NS is already beginning to scrap their -8's too

shortlines cling to whatever they can get their hands on. But even then, you will be hard pressed to find a shortline with GE products

DutchRailnut wrote:hmm the U34ch's lasted 20 years or more ??

out of necessity I assume, NJT seems to run things into the ground before giving it up

the Amtrak P30Ch's lasted 20 years ??

actually just a tad over 15, and they were in sad shape by the time they left. They were NEVER reliable

how bout the E60's ?

yes, an absolute GEM of an engine... derailed on its trial run...