Have never posted on this sight before but thought this sight might be the one to help out. Found this article on Trainorders, seems like the last 4 TE70-4 still exist and someone is trying to save them. If you can help, please do, hate to see these unique locos become scrap. Here is the link:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,958450
I wish I could help, but I don’t know anyone in the business.
Those are very nice looking engines. I’ll pass this along to all of my friends. Take care. [:)] Nick
I want them in Kansas!!! GReat plains transportation museum!!!
A lesson in why Sulzer Diesel Engines failed should go along with the thing on a big plaque.
I’ll put this on the Model Railroader forum, for more awareness.
~[8]~ TrainFreak409 ~[8]~
OK, someone tell me why the Sulzer Diesels failed.
There was a discussion on another thread of two modes of failure. One is that there is a mismatch of engine to generator or whatever and the thing is a lemon from day 1. The other mode is that it operates OK, but it just doesn’t operate with as low a cost and as trouble free as say, a non-turbo GP-38-2.
Which category were these units in?
Also, European imports (Kraus-Maffie Diesels, other example not coming to mind) don’t have such a good North American track record. Is it that 1) the European stuff sees much lighter duty back home, 2) the railroads are state run and don’t mind putting people to work doing maintenance, or 3) American railroads really abuse stuff through hard use and ham-fisted maintenence, and only the toughest stuff ever holds up?
hehehe i dont think theer would be room for them[:p][:p]
I think there may well be an element of 1 and 2. I’m sure most American Railroads maintain their stock to a high standard.
In general since the end of steam very few British diesels have been exported . But those that have generally have peformed well. One of the best examples is the New South Wales (Australia) XPT trains whose locomotives are very similar to those in the British Rail Diesel High Speed Trains (HST)'s. The Aussies are now re-engining theirs with the latest version of the Paxman engine, while the Train Co’s here are thinking about building son of HST which might also employ the same engine,
As for Sulzer engines, those used in Britain have been among the more successful designs, there’s still a few of them running about. In Ireland, after disastrous experience with British build diesel locos in the 1950’s, Iarnrod Eireann (the Republic’s state rail network) has bought GM locos from the US since the 1960’s and rebuilt all the earlier British built locos wth GM power units EXCEPT the Sulzer engined ones which retained their original power uni
The problem with Sulzer engines in the United States seems to go back to the oddball factor, same as the Cat-engined SD45’s on Santa Fe. The engines are well-engineered and run well but maintaining them properly gets difficult when there are only four of them on a roster of thousands which results in a shortage of parts and experience.