EMD run 8

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Amazing experience, didn’t do that in a long time. I stood by the tracks (about 10 m) while a turbocharged 645 engine was pulling a freight in notch 8. It was picking up speed, and it was spilling its guts out.

And as it went right by me, god, it’s such a loud sound, my ears almost fell off.
The fans were screaming!!

I hear a train in notch 8 every evening before I go to sleep, but it’s in the distance. I never bothered to go so close before. I really didn’t know it was THAT loud and strong.

Now, I don’t live in US, so I haven’t heard any GE engines or the new 710 engines.
So I ask you, my american brethren:

Are the GE’s and 710’s also that loud in run 8? (as 16-645E3)

2

GEs are pretty loud - they chug. The 710s are a bit quieter than the 645s due to government-mandated quieting. They still rip it up though and a 710 in run 8 sounds almost identical to a 645 in run 8 but a little quieter. The turbos on the 710s are more refined and don’t play in a single note (single pitched whine) but more chordally. 710-equipped locomotives also have a much lower RPM neutral idle than the 645s do, so will sound differently during idle.

Now, have you heard a 16-645E3 (GP40-2) try to pull several cars with the handbrakes set in Run-8? The wheel-slip is deafening.

3

I’ve seen some videos of SD90/43MAC and SD70ACe and I must say that I’ve noticed that exact thing that you mention about the turbo.

You can really sing or whistle the 645 sound because it just plays a specific note. We-we-we-we

And boy, there is nothing like an EMD starting up…
First the Whooaah…whooahh…whoooaahh…whoooeeeeiiiiii-way up in the sky…then falls down, then a couple of strugling whee-whees…and up to the idle sound.

4

You’ve gotta love the sound of a GE in full throttle, puts any of the GM locomotives to shame; almost sounds like an ALCo.

5

Keep telling yourself that, it might come true.

6

There is nothing like a locomotive consist pulling for all it’s worth with maximum tonnage at minimum continuous speed…truly the engines giving all they have to give.

7

You can say that again. I heard a apir of GP38-2s fire up. When the starters were engaged, the prime movers barely turned at all, then picked up just a little speed, you hear the very faint chugging of a 645, and then a little blue smoke, then more smoke and then ROAR and those 645s are running and they settle into an idle- chug chug chug chug chug

8

CGW did that all the time, only they weren’t going quite that slow altho they did have a few locations where trains frequently stalled because CGW had to use every last ounce of tractive effort. There are plenty of stories of trains trying to get started in the Oelwein (iowa) yard and having a difficult time because the motive power was over its tonnage rating. One incident- 6 F units in run 8- trying to start a train, jumping up and down on the rails, tugging for all they’re worth. The train ended up backing out of the yard to the North end to get started out there. By the time it reached the South end of the yard it wasn’t going very fast but it was in run 8.

9

Wildrails, how did that go again?

10

Been there - in the cab - a couple of times. You can tell the locomotive is working. There is an unmistakable growl.

11

Nothing beats a pair (or more) of 20-645E3As in run 8, along with the turbo noise, you get a deep bass throb that goes right through you. Sounds great from a few miles away.

12

I love the sound of EMD’s.

13

A while back I got to see a CSX mixed freight with an AC4400 and two SD40-2s as the power. The GE died on them so they continued with just the two EMDs. They ran for miles with the EMDs screaming in notch 8 going about 4 or 5 miles an hour.

14

On several occasions in the Columbia river george a train down to one SD40-2 would limp through at 20-25 mph in run 8.

There is nothing like 6-7 SD45s pulling a drag freight up Donner at 12mph.

15

DMIR

SD-M

Notch 8

Pure Awesome

From the cab they sound even better let me tell ya.

16

They sure sound like ALCo’s in the cab.

17

well a little interpretation:

the whoah whoah is the starter sound, like the sound of the one in the car, only 10 times bigger

the whooooeeiii is the turbo jumping into some high pitch…

then it falls down

the strugling whe whes are your regular idle whe whe sounds, but at lower RPM than idle,
then comes to the idle

at least that’s how turbo 645 sounds at start

18

wildrails, that about how you would describe an EMD starting, Only on a GP38-2 theres no turbo whistle.

19

Who ever said anything about GP38-2?

20

I live beside a regional RR., they used to run Geep 10’s ,i remember one time after a heavy rain 6 of them were pulling a loaded unit coal train upgrade. 2 of them shut down and the other 4 were really on their knees in notch 8. It was probably the loudest sound i’ve ever heard a train make! Those 567’s were really screaming!! Mike H.[:)]