This morning I saw a train that was leaving UP trackage and moving onto BNSF trackage. It was an loaded autotrain. What was unusual was the three locomotives were all leased units. I think they were all SD-40s. In the middle was a CEFX sandwiched between two HELX. I always thought that a railroad wanted to have its locomotive on the point?
I remember hearing something about different requirements for a locomotive to be lead qualified. Does that mean that leasing units must have extra equipment to be lead qualified on multiple roads?
The only times the railroad requires one of its own locomotives on the point is if it has to have some sort of special equipment, such as cab signals or remote control or hump control. Other than that any locomotive can lead. Normally short term lease engines do not have the extra equipment to lead in cab signal or as a remote control leader, unless of course it is a recycled unit from the railroad in question and retained the equipment after leaving the original road.
Most NREX engines say “B-unit do not occupy” on the cab window.NREX bought many SD50s, SD45/SD45-2s and some CPrail SD40-2s and converted them to B-units without removing the cab.It would look cooler if they took the cab away then it would be a real B-unit
NREX will not be removing the cabs for a couple of reasons. First, it is expensive to make such modifications and more importantly, every unit in the NREX fleet is for sale at all times. Few shortlines or even Class !s are interested in cabless units and thus such modifications would limit their marketability.
In order for a locomotive to be lead qualified, it must have a fully functional event recorder which records speed, throttle , horn, bell and brakes. It must also have any of the assorted cab signal goodies that are required for that RR.