i was looking at some pictures of MP15s, SW1500s, and GP15-1s when i saw that they all have the same hp. which is the best? is the GP15-1 overall better than the other 2 or does the MP15 hold that place? i just dont get why 3 different locomotives with 1500 hp are around
realy numerous differences…cab placement/visibility…trucks/gear ratio/max speed…dynamic brakes /no dynamic brakes
generally speaking the SW is a yard switcher gear for slow speeds max torq the GP is a road engine geared accordingly and cab so as to protect the crew and offer good visibility and the MP is really just a modern SW
The MP15 and SW1500 are switchers- designed to be used in yards, mostly, so have high visability.
The SW1500 is designed mainly as a yard switcher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_SW1500).
The MP15, though, uses Blomberg trucks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_MP15DC) instead of Flexcoil, rendering it something more like a Road Switcher- capable of higher speeds.
The GP15, now, were intended as either a road or yard engine, and specifically as an alternate to rebuilt engines (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_GP15-1).
The similarities you note are actually one of the reasons you don’t SEE many new yard engines built in the past couple of decades, although that is starting to change again with the new Railpower genset locos like UP is purchasing. Why purchase a limited-use switcher loco, when you can buy a multi-purpose road switcher?
For the past couple of decades, therefore, the most-common users of “switcher” engines would be industries, short-lines, and so-forth, which are 1) doing lots of switching and want the visability, and 2) like the lower-cost, and 3) don’t need the speed capabilities of a road switcher.
Brian Pickering
MP15 usually came standard with the flexcoil trucks…they were the replacement trucks for the AAR type A trucks under most EMD switchers…Bloomberg trucks were an option for raods wanting more flexibility…
You left one out…
The MK1500D, Blomburg trucks, great visability, and yes, they will do 70mph…
The key to understanding these three models is to understand when they were built. The SW1500 was the replacement for the SW1200 as the V12 powered switcher, it was built by EMD from 1966 to early 1974. Many railroads ordered their SW1500s with the Flexicoil light road truck for better tracking at speed, most railroads limited all switchers equipped with the Type A switcher trucks to 45 mph or less. Near the end of SW1500 production orders for Type A trucked examples had dwindled to none, and at the request of NdeM (Mexican National) EMD came up with a light roadswitcher variant of the SW1500 with a little more fuel capacity and space for a toilet , this model was called a SW1504 and 60 were built for NdeM it was equipped with the Blomberg road truck like most GP locomotives ( at least two are now operating in the US). The Missouri Pacific saw these and requested something similar for their use, and the result was the MP15 which replaced the SW1500 in the EMD catalog, an MP10 was offered but none were ever built. Seaboard System requested a variant built with an Alternator replacing the DC main Generator and also asked EMD to replace the belt driven cooling fan and the MP15AC was the result. With many railroads conducting large rebuilding programs for older GP7s and GP9s, EMD decided to take MP15 and repackage it as a replacement for rebuilt older GPs. The idea was that trucks, Main DC Generators and certain other components would be reused to hold down the price, but the railroad would get a more fuel efficent locomotive for only a little more than their rebuilds. The idea did go over to well and only MP and Conrail but significant numbers, The last 40 GP15s built for MP were equipped with the same Alternator as the MP15AC switchers. The final development for both the MP15 and the GP15 were turbocharged V8s rather than the Roots Blower equipped V12s of earlier production. C&O and Appilachicola Northern were the only buyers of the GP15T, while Seaboard System and Dow Chemical bought MP15T.
ah thanks for the help. yes… i forgot i posted this. the 2+ months of silence probably tipped you off.
so is that why the GP15-1 has a dash 1 in its name? because it was built with GP7, GP9, SW1200, etc parts? and why does it have what resembles a tunnel motor?
yeah now that i think about it, i cant name any road that bought a lot of GP15-1s. CNW bought, like, 10 or 11. not many. and i dont know what road the Wisconsin Northern got theirs from
C&NW had 25 at the peak but returned 4411-4425 to the leasor in March 1992.
Conrail had 100 GP15’s.
UP now has right about 200 GP15’s, 190 of them coming from Mopac (Both GP15-1’s and GP15AC’s)
At the time the GP15-1 was introduced, EMD’s product line was the Dash 2 (GP38-2, SD40-2, etc., and not to open up the other conversation again about is a Dash 2 a Dash nothing), but EMD called it the Dash 1 because in reusing parts, it would not have the same Dash 2 mechanics (I believe I recall).
Looks like a gigantic grasshopper or cricket to me. I can imagine the view from that cab.
WHAT are those things on the flats? IM STUMPED.
The view is fantastic…note the same body on the UPs hybrids…Boise Locomotive, (Motive Power Inc) .
The things on the flats are the nacelles housing the generators for the GE/ Siemens windmills.
The blades attach to hubs, which attach to them, and the whole shooting match sits on a pylon.
Power from the wind.
Or wind farms, if you like.
We send five or six “windfan trains” a year out on UP and BNSF.
UP’s hybrid.
Blades and hubs.
I believe those are nacelles (housing) for the big wind power generators…
EDIT- beat me to it, Ed!
And we call our locomotives “Blue Gooses”, although they are no where near as much fun as the original Blue Goose would have been.
http://cwcdn.geimaginationatwork.com/@v=061704@/HTML/wind/page3.shtml
A link for more info…
Ive seen those fans on the Techcahpi (Spelling is butchered, sorry) Pass and thought they rock.
They need to put the dynamos down the poles themselves and gear the whole thing down so the entire thing works to generate instead of just a little pod.
Opps gone off topic have we? SOrry.
I would think we wont be seeing such CUTE little engines like those any time soon out on the big main. Oy! Maybe one day they will minaturize the power plant to run off a hearing aid battery and a dallop of solar power hauling coal out of WY to all points of the USA. How bout that.
The SW1504 had a steam generator so they could be used for passenger service, as well as freight service.
There are several SW1504s operating in the US, most are owned by Helm leasing(HLCX), and I think there are still 11 on the TFM. 3 of these units operate with a RailAmerica shortline known as Dallas, Garland and Northeatern (DGNO). HLCX 1521, 1524, and 1525 to be exact. There are some others on various other RailAmerica shortlines and regionals, but many simply call them SW1500s even though they are SW1504s.
No mention is made of any toilet in these units. But they do seem to have rather narrow doors, and the crews dont like that. I honestly dont know enough of the difference between trucks and the fuel tank.
Here are some of my pics:
Note the small box between the first exhaust stack and the cab.
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=298778
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=298760
Both shots at DGNO’s Mockingbird Yard, west end.
Beaulieu, is your first name Trace? If so, MST3K for life!
Long Island Railroad used their MP15ACs in passenger service too. I don’t recall if they were equipped with any sort of HEP, but I don’t think they were.
LIRR had HEP cars made out of old Alco FA1s and FA2s at the time (later they made some more out of F7As and F9As). So that would mean the MP15ACs wouldn’t need to have HEP… but I have some photographs I took of MP15ACs pulling passenger trains without an HEP car. Anyone else know how that worked?
The MP15AC replaced the FA cab cars, when working passenger services the locomotive provides HEP but no traction power, The alternators output is diverted.
For Gribble Siding, the SW1504s had no need for Steam Generators, Mexico hasn’t had a significant amount of branchline passenger service for nearly 40 years, their various Geeps provided more than enough S/G capacity for the few passenger trains.
John Beaulieu
The MP15 variants have space for a toilet but I don’t think anybody installed them.
Edgar,
Brian is correct. No MP units were built with Flexicoil B trucks. Those only came on SW units. Blombergs were standard fare on the MP15DC and MP15AC units.
wow. those things on the flatcars are wind turbine parts? wind farms seem to be popping up everywhere. the eerie thing was this was about when i was thinking about why we dont seem to have too many of them when they’re such a great source of electricity. they have to be popping up if trains keep hauling parts of them!
thanks for the answers to my questions, guys, it’s been a great help. looks like the goats and gensets are becoming the norm now. but is it common for roads to use GP38-2s for yard switching and local wayfreights from the same yard? Altoona has 2 pairs of geeps that they use for kicking cars and locals.
i saw another green goat picture, and it looked much different. i heard it was built from an MP15’s body. the nose was clearly higher. anyone know anything about these? it has a very ALCO RS look to it