How about that, of all railroads, Montana Rail Link has ordered SD70ACe’s. The model isnt even in porduction, yet, one railroad (CSX) has 20 on property as testbeds and two railroads, possibly 3, have them on order, and those two are Union Pacific and Montana Rail Link, Does any body think that the ACe will be the next SD40-2/SD70M? I was quit shocked to find out the? What next, Rail America Shortlines ordering 100 SD70M-2s? I cant wait to see a true ACe in the future. Adios from IHOP!
I couldn’t agree w/ ya more completely. I can’t wait to see the SD70ACe and the SD70M-2 in servicing action! I also wander will the SD70ACE will be a new SD40-2?? Or will it be a dive?/ I don’t kow, we’ll have to wait and see.
CSX also ordered some SD70M-2s as well. They are geting rid of what they like to call “junk” locomotives, like the SD50 and the SD45T-2s. CSX wants to replace these locos w/ the new EMD locos. I was suprised to learn this since, CSX is a bigger GE fan than they are EMD; I thought they would go after the ES4400 GE has to offer, but I guess not.
I used to think I knew a little how CSX thought by some of the actions they took. Boy was I wrong about alot of their things. Logic doesn’t apply here. Who would have thought MRL would buy something that big too?
I wonder if CN is pondering over the SD70M-2? For that matter, is CP looking at the SD70ACE? I would like to see some of the Canadian roads with them.
Yes,That is a shock!
They are replacing the SD45’s with those ugly things?!
MRL is trying to reduce fuel costs in Helper service in Helena and Livingston through unit reduction and fuel effeciency. The CSXT units compared with SD45-2 units showed that is possible.
The SD45 units with -2 electricals are still getting new paint and regular maintenance so they will be around for a while.
The MRL SD70ACe units will probably be in the 4300 number series and expect delivery in August 05 or so.
CP has a pair of SD70ACe’s running around the property, they were here in the lower mainland a few weeks ago, butt ugly loco’s.
I doubt CP will be buying them left right and center, as their locomotive fleet is already quite modern, being mostly SD90 MACs, and a whole bunch of AC4400s.
Does anybody know for sure about when these things will be on the property? I’ve got to get up there to see solid lashups of standard cab stuff before the doom of wide cabs comes down!!!
Latest timeframe looks like August delivery.
There are also 5 semaphore signals in service between Toole and MP 210 that will come down in the fall. I am not sure you will be able to shoot the SD70ACE units and the semaphores in the same frame, though.
Alan
Does anybody know if the Goderich and Exeter has those pair of CSX SD70ACEs running around on their system still?
On the Yahoo board someone posted that Norfolk Southern has ordered (52) SD-70M-2’s for 2005.
I’d be suprised if this were the case, it is more likely that ES40DC’s will be the units purchased. Are you sure these aren’t the new SD70M’s? The first unit of that order was released from London a couple weeks ago.
I got to use one of the new CSX SD70ACe’s. They sure are a step backwards from the other CSX EMD AC units. The noise and vibration in the cab reminds me of the old SD40 junkers. The change to the old style control stand is an improvement over the desk top style but the air guages are set parallel to the side of the cab and hard to see. No guage light dimmer is available so they are on full brightness all of the time and blind you at night. A double step on the right side walkway replaces the nice ramp of the 4700 series. The walkway around the rear of the unit is very narrow and hard to use. Hopefully these are stripped down basic models and later orders will include features common to earlier EMD AC units.