I think that they are soon, very soon by the SD70’s because they are build basically like 21st century SD40 and most are not in very good working order. Another reason I see the retirement of SD40’s is because the Union Pacific is this year if not already retiring all of it SD45’s.
Thomas
Yes there will be fewer SD40 on the class 1s, the SD70 is replacing them 2 for 3. But there are so many SD40 around and running that they will be on class 1s for some time to come, just a few years ago BNSF added more SD40 to there fleet. And also with so many going to auction the price will come down and short line and regional carriers will pickup some.
Remember that the SD45 has the 20 cylinder engine and is a gas hog and with the price of fuel they can’t retire them fast enough.
Am I missing something here? I thought only the UP was receiving the SD70M in high quantity and at that only leasing for 5 years. NS & CN have some I know of but I haven’t heard of anything other than SD70MAC’s going to CSX or BNSF.
The UP SD70M is what is in the headlines these days, and BNSF did sent a letter to GE the other day saying that they will buy more Dash-9 and or AC in the next few years.
Be it SD70 or Dash-9 more new power is coming on line and older units are retiring, but we will have SD40s GP30, 38, and 40s for some time to come.
gwl
the 70’s on the UP are on a 10yr lease w/options for extension/purchase. on the UP they are getting rid of various models, not just 40’s, but also old MP 40’s (without dynamic brakes), C30-7’s, some (if not all) tunnel motors, as well as a variety of other units (GP40’s,B30-7’s,etc) in order to only have a few models of units on the system (lower parts inventory costs). but they also have a number of fairly recently rebuilt SD-40’s, and the ones they are getting rid of are ones that have suffered mechanical failure, or that are maintainence problem units (ones w/lot’s of shop time/low availability). don’t start planning the funeral just yet, there’s still gonna be a ton of the ol’girls running around for quite a while. same with the other railroads as well
IC and the SQ also have SD70’s in their fleets as well, but certainly not to the same quantities.
The SD40 is certainly at the end of its day on class one railroads but the SD40-2 with upgraded electrical systems is far from that same story retirement.
CP, having one of the largest fleets of this family is in the process of retiring many of the SD40’s (I believe there are now less than 30 left) but there are no plans to retire in any great quantity the SD40-2’s. The last of the SD40’s ever built, the cowl designed 9000 series units of CP are commonly found in Southern Ontario on the systems hottest trains. True testimate that when push comes to shove, the railroads still want their most reliable power moving their money makers (though these last SD40s were anything but reliable when they were first contructed).