Over on Trainorder.com there’s reference to an article from Railway age that EMD is coming out with a 710 upgrade package for engines with 645s. I thought the 710 isn’t compatible with 645 blocks, unlike upgrading a 567 loco with a 645? It would require rebuilding the loco from the inside out. Apparently this 710 upgrade is 8 cylinder instead of 12 or 16, which would probably be powerful enough to repower a GP38-class loco. I bet this has something to do with stricture emissions standards, and an option other than repowering with a cat engine or turning a geep into a genset.
Read all about it!
http://www.emdiesels.com/lms/en/company/news/links/20070201_710ECO.jsp
So I guess a GP38 repowered with a Teir-II compliant 710 can be considered a “GP58” or “GP68”.
Turbo 8-cyl, perhaps a GP57-2? who knows.
It appears that EMD is simply selling the diesel engine. Is there a specific rebuilder, who does the total upgrade?
Rather sounds loke a drop-in replacement engine. If the mounts are compatible, any large railroad’s main locomotive shop should be able to handle the swap.
IIRC, Chessie had a modified covered wagon that was specifically fitted to transport prime mover packages. Wonder how that would be handled today.
Chuck
Notice the date on the press release. This is older news and appears to be EMD’s answer to gen-sets. If the new engine is compatible with the existing main alternator/generator and electrical systems, it may be a viable alternative to gen-sets for roads with sizable fleets of 645-powered switchers.
Maybe a GP70?
It sounds like a drop-in engine to me too. I wonder if any RRs are using it yet.
this upgrade , do they replace a 16-645 with an 8-710 and if so do you have to change any of the other equipment?