Five flats hit the yard yesterday…one loaded with SSW 7250, and four others that I didnt get the numbers from…all older SSW GP40s in the 7200 series…but with brand new three axel trucks under them instead of the original two…not much room left under there!
The wheels looked to be broad gauge…wider that US standard…
So, anyone know where they are headed?
I couldnt find the shippers invoice, and didnt have the chance to climb up on them and look at the shipping invoice.
Six axle GP40s hummm. . .thats interesting. I guess whoever owns them wants them to be road service and not yard service. I guess it must be a shortline or a regional railroad that owns them. I do wonder what the 3axle trucks look like under the frame, it must be a little crowded down there.
SOUNDS LIKE A JOB FOR ONE OF THE U.P. GUYS TO FIND OUT. THEY’VE SOLD THEM TO SOMEONE, WHO HAS PLENTY OF “BIG BUCKS” TOMODIFY THEM. THEY EVIDENTLY NEED A “SHORT” SIX-AXLE,OTHERWISE THEY COULD PICK UP ANY NUMBER OF GOOD S D -40’S. V. M. V. IN PADUCAH, COULD’VE DONE THE MOD., BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF “BOISE”[swg] CHIP
Well,
Considering these guys were inbound to the Port of Houston, are at the PTRA today, and are headed to Texas Terminals for loading on a ship…I figure they are bound for South America,Brazil and Argentina buy a lot of older locos…
I know Brazil has dual gauge tracks in a lot of places, and these trucks had wider gauge wheelsets than US…
I was just wondering if any of the old heads knew right off the top of their head…
Ed – what KIND of six-wheel trucks are they? (i.e. steering or non-steering)?
If there’s any way to get a gauge on them – do it! It would help, for instance, to narrow (no pun intended) the field down to, say, the Russian 5’ gauge…
Connections to Iraq rail system via Russia, with dependable power?
Non steering…Rockwell castings, I did see the emblem/logo under the heavy coat of black paint…
If they are still there tomorrow, I will meausre them.
We ship lots of older locos out to South America…for a long while, it was old GE C-30s…then a bunch of EMD SD40-2s… even sent them a few Rio Grande SD40-2Ts…
At least 50 GE to Brazil over the last year to year and a half…
Eric,
Gottcha…your right, they are -2s.
At first blush, it looked like all three axels are powered, again, if they are still there and I get near them, I will check.
Carl, I will pull the number off one of the cars, if I get the chance.
There are three ex CSX GP40s fitted with 5’6" gauge trucks in Argentina working main line trains from a mine to a port on the old Central Argentine line. These were fitted with GE 752 motors, four only, on the outer axles of standard EMD export Flexicoil trucks. These had a special design of bolster on the truck that allowed the truck to use the existing GP40 pivot. This didn’t allow a centre motor, but allowed the unit to use the existing trucks without increasing the height of the unit. In Argentina, the broad gauge clearances are only slightly less than , say, the Eastern USA.
There is a need for new motive power in Argentina, and in other South American countries, Brazil and Chile in particular. All these countries use broad gauge. In Chile, they are using the ex Milwaukee SDL39s, because they need the lighter locomotive weight. This is also the case in Argentina. The Buenos Aires & Pacific still uses the original rail, 100lb/yd, good for 100 years ago, but not up to using SD40-2s ballasted to 200 tons and above.
These units could be going to any of these countries, and because I am familiar with Argentina, I hope it is there they are going!
You say the trucks are very close to the pilot beams. Do these units still have conventional steps at the ends, or have the steps been removed to allow the trucks to pivot?
Brazil bought several US-engines and transformed them with more axles. I guess, 4 to 6 or 6 to 8 axles. Some weeks ago, there has been a discussion about this topic, with pictures posted