Just curious. I thought that CSX had only one pair of ex-Amtrak F40s. Recently I saw a photo that showed four F40s hauling a CSX business train. I’m probably out of date, as usual, but did CSX buy or lease any more of them? I thought that CSX generally prioritizes the purchase or leasing of hood units, I’m surprised that they would acquire more streamlined carbody locomotives. The last CSX business train that I saw had a GP40-2 in the lead.
Even though they’re equipped for HEP, a friend of mine that works for Amtrak told me the majority of Amtrak’s F40s had considerable wear and tear; especially since shortcuts in maintenance would be taken due to Amtrak’s shoestring budget. Though some were in good shape, a number of the F40s sold to commuter agencies needed several thousand dollars worth of work. I remember back in the 1990s speaking to a locomotive engineer named Paul who couldn’t wait for Amtrak to get rid of the remaining F40s. They were tough locomotives, but were being run into the ground. I remember seeing one sitting at a siding at Tampa Union Station. Had fried a traction motor.
There isn’t anything wrong with any of the ex-Amtrak F40s that can’t be fixed with a complete overhaul - a lot cheaper than buying a new P42! The F40s will drink more fuel than a P42 for the same work done, but that’s of little concern if all you’re using them for is a dozen or so charisma trips a year.
they are corp biz train only power… they are not used in day to day freight service… also… as far as the work they needed done… csx has shops for overall…nothing for them to fix any of the problems they might have had when csx took delivery of them…
Having all four of those units on one train (with 16 business cars in tow) is the very reason I put over 200 miles on the car that day to catch it. I doubt you’ll ever see them all together again unless they do another rare deadhead move like this. Here’s a video I took of this train on its way back to Jacksonville, FL.
I caught the 9992 on Q544 a few years ago in a deadhead move to Huntington for repairs. Too bad it was fifth out in the consist DIT. Other than that, they spend most of their timed parked in the office car tracks in Jacksonville.
Funny, as a railfan I’m very very glad that some of Amtrak’s F40s will live on. However from a business standpoint it makes me wonder.
I’ve read articles where CSX has been in a horsepower crunch for several years, is still pinching pennies but has budgeted to replace aging locomotives like their remaining SD40-2s and early Dash 8s. Yet, they still purchase high mileage, 645 series 4 axle locomotives that each drink more fuel than an equal number of GP50s. I understand that CSX’s maintenance shops have some very skilled craftsmen and technicians, but it just doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense economically.
Of course, if the intent was for “Image” for a business train the F40s are clear winners.
No kidding this is a company that gave a former CEO a 210 MILLION golden parachite rather than fix up its track or buy new locomotives. Of course NS just bought a set of F-9’s to pull its business train but they routinely win the award for best safety award for class 1 RR so not a issue there.