Make your predictions on the P40 future. What railroads do you think might purchase a P40?
Simply? None. The -8 line has outstayed its welcome. EPA regs say that you have to buy something more environmentally friendly, and GE hasn’t even produced a P40/42 for quite some time!
Some will be displayed, some made to be cleaner (although I can’t see someone buying one instead of a new locomotive), some made into slugs, and the rest will see the torch. Sounds alot the the F40PH, dosen’t it?
Maybe Amtrak California might purchase one of them just like when Amtrak California purchased two Superliners from Amtrak.
I think the best chance for the P40s would be a commuter railroad. They aren’t that old, so I can’t see them just sitting around forever!
A bit unlikely since most suburban operators use motive power with EMD engines and the MPXpress line by MPI uses EMD engines.
I think that we will see them recycled into toasters into the future. Personally I think that they are the ugliest locomotvies of all time. I will be interested to see what the new power for Amtrak will look like with both EMD and GE dropping passenger power. MPI would be my best bet for new power but who knows.
It’s hard to believe that the P40s are not 15 years old yet,and they are already all out of service.It doesn’t give much hope for the longevity of the P42s does it?
The P40’s are out of service because they are surplus power. Excess motive power was purchased in anticipation of additional mail & express schedules that were never established after David Gunn discontinued the express operation.
I heard that MBTA is going to purchase new locomotives and cars. Maybe they might purchase a P40DC from Amtrak.
It would look horrible with our bilevel coaches.
Also, we’re still using the f40s, with a number of recent rebuilds.
Amtrak can keep the p40s, we don’t want em!
Besides, with the quanitiy of replacement locomotives that the MBTA needs, it would be more worth the money to buy new locomotives.
I would think that MBTA would not purchase any P40’s primarily because they don’t have 645 or 710 engines inside them. MPI will probably get any order for replacement power.
Enough of the rumor mill, time for some actual facts.
New Jersey Transit has at least 5 former Amtrak P40s already in New Jersey Transit colors. Take a look:
If they don’t weigh more than 263,000 lbs, they might find a new life in Metra UP North and Northwest services. UP maintains GE locos in Chicago, so compatibility wouldn’t be an issue. The extra horses would be helpful with longer 8-10 car trains, especially on the NW Line with sustained 3/4% grades.
P40s would provide some much-needed variety from a Chicago fan’s standpoint.
North Western Station and Galena Subdivision could handle a Class-H with 288,000 lbs on drivers; so anything Metra could get would work on the West Line.
The weight restrictions on the North Line would preclude operation on any of the former C&NW lines if the P40’s are heavier than the weight mentioned above. Suburban equipment for all three lines is in a common pool which is why you don’t see MP36’s on the West Line.
The “Common pool” argument is bogus. I have noted previously that UP GE locomotives are serviced here. RTA has moved cars and locomotives before; and has not refrained from operating mixed fleets of MPI and EMD locomotives.
Furthermore, Amtrak’s universal cab signaling provides for both the xCNW and UP systems, should UP ever upgrade the former to four the aspects of the latter.
What about these, were they P40’s or P42’s ?
Seams I recall reading that the Genesis series was lighter than the F-40 series, so weight restrictions should be less of a problem where lines are or have run F-40s?
Those NH ones are neither plain P40s or P42s. I forget exactly what they’re called, but they are like FL9s in the sense that they can run on either diesel or electric power from a third rail.
The common pool argument is the fact that engines on the UP North, Northwest and West lines are all out of the same engine pool. The P40’s are too heavy for the North line, so they can not be included in the UP pool. If the common pool argument was indeed “bogus” you would have seen MP36’s running on just the West line by now.
Metra doesn’t gain that much with an MP36 or P40 to matter on the Union Pacific West Line which has few expresses or the longest trains. Regardless, P40’s could be employed on the UP West Line which answers the the initial question of where.
Just because Metra and UP choose to not include MP36’s in the “pool” doesn’t mean they can’t. How come it’s so bad for the UP and perfectly okay for other diesel lines? Why not put all the MP36’s on the Milwaukee District for example and move the F40’s to the other lines? The argument of pooling is bogus because the principle is applied inconsistently.
The real problem as I stated before is the Northwest Line with the heaviest trains and grades where the more significant increase to 4,000 hp (25%) would be welcome. Unfortunately, the bridges at Division, North, Armitage, and probably Courtland-Ashland need to be rebuilt or strengthened first. At least one train runs with two F40’s.