Quality is a differant issue, both locomotive manufacterers build a quality product. I have not seen poor workmanship from either. Guys… these are two very different locomotives with different operating characteristics. The quality comes into play with the RRs maintenence of these machines. As I said before the GE has way more moving parts than the EMD… More parts = more wear. No locomotive will be reliable if you send them out to work and forget about them like the class ones like to do. Both locomotives need extensive improvements but with all the EPA regs you have to be careful what you do. Sadly the ideal locomotive will not make tier 1. The EPA needs to stay out of railroading… locomotives are NOT a big polluter. Lets chase some semi’s off the highways first, then I’ll think a little more of the EPA.
Randy
the EPA is nothing but a socialist aggancy that is hell bent on destorying the industry and transportation systems of this country… the hippies are winning through legusation what they couldnt get by protesting in the 60s… they are destorying our industraial bace by
Pilbara Rail use GE Dash9-44CW locomotives exclusively, and are getting four new units right now. Their oldest units are approaching ten years old, and I understand all the original units have new engines now. The cast crankcases can’t be repaired, and must be replaced. In lighter traffic, they might last longer than ten years. On the other hand BHP Billiton have just placed some nearly 40 years old SD40 units, which with their welded EMD engines, which can be repaired and rebuilt many times, are operating as well as any new locomotives, and look good too, with excellent paint (ironically, by GE in Mexico). BHP had an all GE fleet before these, and if rebuilt GE units had been available at a similar price they would have taken them. The “old” EMDs have much cleaner exhausts than the GEs at all times, too!
Peter
No, EMD USED TO MAKE a better product than GE. In the words of Inspector Clouseau, NOT ANYMORE! TODAY’s EMD products don’t measure up to TODAY’s GE products, and THAT is why GE is selling far more locomotives than EMD NOW. Stop talking about EMD locomotives that were designed in the 1960s - how they compared with old GEs has NOTHING TO DO with how TODAY’s EMDs compare with TODAY’s GEs.
A good example: BNSF yanked the SD75Ms/SD75Is from its hot intermodal trains, assignments held down with utter regularity by GE DASH-8s and DASH-9s. Why? Because the SD75Ms/SD75Is were NOT RELIABLE, that’s why. 'Nuff said.
If somebody here wants to see a picture of EFVM BB+BB ex-Conrail locomotives, please go to HLCX Export Move forum at Railroadforums.com.
Pedro[:)]
[?]Would you believe, my girlfriend actually got upset with me when she read my reply where I used the word “gimps”. She told me that everyone is entitled to their opinions and not to be calling others names over it[%-)]. If there is anyone in here that took offense to being called a “gimp”, then ‘oh well’[sigh]. If you are ‘that’ offended, you need a different line of work[:P]. This is also going out to those (that person), that thinks a GE loco has quicker starting than a GM loco. As a machinist, that has worked on both, ridden in both and has had to move both when needed, I can tell you truthfully, the GM’s contactors engage quicker than a GE’s. When you move a GM’s throttle, you can hear those contactors hit almost within a few seconds. In a GE’s, there’s a lag time of up to almost 20 seconds from the time you place the throttle where you want it until you hear the contactors engage. When trying to start and pull your train uphill, that lag time is critical. I’ve even stood aside stoppped freight trains in Alexandria, Virginia at the Amtrak station. If the train has a GE leading and a GM trailing, on start up, that GM is usually roaring by the time the GE’s contactors are kicking in. Just an observation[^][2c]. What’s really sad is that there aren’t many more competitors in the large locomotives field[sigh]. If anyone remembers, Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW [nee: Alco]) was actuallly the first to break the 4000 hp mark back in the early 70’s I believe, with their M640 engine (the only one). I’m sure if there were more competitors, our forum discussions would be very different[tup]. Anyway, happy railroading and God’s Blessings To You All[angel]!!
Your right on !!! Newer locomotives from either builder SUCK ! I like the way the SD70m loads , but I hate the way the SD80-90mac loads !! You could go for lunch after putting a new EMD in throttle 1. The GE contactors throw faster than the EMD motorized switches but sit there waiting for the engine RPMs to come up before the engine is loaded. This supposedly prevents the big cloud of black smoke. The older GEs were pretty fast off the line, especially when going from forward to reverse quickly, but an old GP9 beats em all hands down.
Randy
I´m not a engineer, but I´ve heard that GE has the best electric motors on the trucks, but GM has all other parts much better. But GM is more expensive and GE dash family has a good price and is a good locomotive too. So, most companies around the world today are buying only GE, not GM.
I think that GM will have serious problens in the future with its high expensive locomotives, like ALco, and Baldwin.
I will have to totally agree with csx engineer. I too am an engineer and have operated both GE AC44s and EMD SD70MAC’s since they have been in existence. I have also operated these locomotives in extremely mountainous territory . I will honestly have to say that the AC44’s hands down are the more preferred locomotive by all engineers on my territory. Both models definately have their quirks but the GE is more preferred basicly because of its pulling power. Even the newer 70MACs with the additional horsepower and heavier weight added to the drivers still holds no match to the AC44. I know there are a lot of hardcore EMD fans out there that dont like to hear that but I’m speaking purely through knowledge and experience.