What road # was CNW’s SD-CAT? I got a CD from the CNWHS that has recordings and it’s awesome. One neat one is of the SD-CAT. Anyone know when, where, how it was used? Any details would be appreciated. Especially any “odd” ones.
- Was used from 1986 to 1990. It was used to see if a SD45 Rebuilding Program was justifiable which it wasn’t.
I only operated the 6000 a few times.
For an engineer that spent 99.98% of the time running EMD equipment, I just could not get used to the sound the 6000 made. It sounded good, but the sound was strange. It didn’t rev up or down the same way an EMD did. The sound threw me off only a tiny bit, but just enough to make me notice.
How did it’s HP and performance compare to SD 40/45’s?
The SD-CAT left Oelwein on Feb 3, 1986 with a 12 cylinder Cat 3600 engine, which produced 3800 traction HP. It was formerly C&NW 6547, ex Conrail and Penn Central 6224.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=44723
I always had one or two other units along with the 6000, so any differences were too subtle for me to notice. Other than the sound.
Why did CNW choose a CAT versus an EMD rebuild?
Because cat could produce the same horsepower for 8 few cylinders, much better fuel economy in theory.
C&NW tried three different rebuilds, the SD-Cat(C&NW 6000), a Dash 2 rebuild (C&NW 6500), and a SD40-2M version (C&NW 6564). The Cat version was way too expensive for the resulting locomotive, and had teething troubles. The other two rebuilds were not cost-effective either. C&NW basicly just did overhauls of their secondhand SD45s and invested in new power from EMD and then GE instead.
Wisconsin Central just get lucky then? They did alot of upgrades to they’re SD45’s, basically -3 standards and they loved them. Heh, or maybe they’re just stubborn.
So the SD-CAT was an SD-45 then? Or was it an SD-40? I’m confused…lol.
It was an SD45 until they installed the Cat engine. Originally built as Pennsylvania RR SD45 6224.
The engine, while designed to have 3,800 horsepower, was downrated to only 3,000 hp because of problems with the EMD alternator working with the CAT engine.
Incidentally, GE tested this engine in mid-1993. Anyone have a reason why?
Love the sound of a Cat diesel
The early SD-45’s were not as reliable as they should have been. EMD fixed a large share of the headaches with the SD45-2, but there were still issues. ATSF put 12 Cylinder 645’s, Sulzers and Cats in SD45 rebuilds with mixed results… ATSF did manage to solve most of the bugs with the SD45/-2’s over time and got a reliable locomotive, but the process of de-bugging the 20 Cylinder beasts was was a lesson not soon forgotten or fondly remembered.
CTC Board did an article,OOP (out of print) on this unit.I have this issue,and would be glad to share the article with anyone.
I used to see the SD-Cat unit here in Green Bay pretty often during its life. It would be mated with one or two other 6 axle road power on trains from Proviso to Green Bay. I thought it was pretty interesting that the small yellow lettering on the side of the cab, where CNW had the model designation, said “SD-CAT” on that unit… vs. SD-45 or the like. That was back in the good old day before the Fox River Valley RR spin off when you could still see green and yellow SD-45’s, 40’s, 40-2’s, GP-38’s, GP40’s, GP-50’s, GP-7’s, SD-24’s, SD-50’s & 60-'s… etc… etc. all from CNW in Green Bay.
It seems like some of the SD-45’s had a notation on the cab side that said CN Pool. Anybody know what that was for?
Maybe they were leased from CN.
No, those were for pooled pota***rain service with the CN/DWP.
The Canadian Regulations require an Alertor and a Stretcher among other things. The locomotives marked “CN Pool” had these items to lead in Canada.