Does NS have any plans to retire their fleet of 50 GP60s (7100-7150)?
I hope not!
[bow]LONG LIVE NORFOLK SOUTHERN[bow]
How old are they?
They started making them in 1985.
GMDD built 7101 to 7146 during Sept, Oct and Dec 1991, and the 7147, 48, 49 and 50 during Jan 1992, short hood forward. These were later GP60s, with the square DB blister. 7117 was renumbered 7100.
Thanks.
I would seriously doubt it. The GP60/B32-8s are typical power in intermodal and TOFC trains in the Birmingham-Atlanta-east coast routes as well as Tennessee. If they aren’t getting bumped from the priority trains I don’t think that they are leaving any time soon.
Darn…
You don’t like the GP60s?
Well, it’s just around the location that I live, that is almost all you see on trains. NS has fifty of the things and I’ve seen every one of 'em two or three times.
Here in dearborn all you see are just c40-9w’s!
Persoal preference here, but I feel the standard cab GP60 is the best looking 4-axle ever built. Most of the crews I’ve talked to who ran them (usually on locals out here) would select them first out of any number of engines to use on their locals.
UP runs SD70Ms on locals out here in Arizona. Why, I’ll never know.
The first commercial GP60s went into service on the ATSF and SP in 1988.
Yeah, NS is one of those railroads that seems to have to distinct regions with their own power. The Southeast uses the GP60s/B32-8s on most trains and on the Northern routes (including the x-CR) you can’t throw a dead cat without hitting a C40-9W. I suppose it depends which one you want to see a seemingly endless amount of. I prefer the sound of EMDs more so I would chose the GP60s. Besides NS is the last RR to use solid sets of 4-axle power in high-priority service, and who know how much longer that will be.
Go to thhis web page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GP60. it says they started making them in 1985.
The demonstrators (EMD 4, 5 and 6) were built in '85. The first revenue units were ordered by SPSF (remember that?) for SP in December 1987 and delivered in 1988.
OK
Thats what I meant
With all the frame recycling - you are no longer allowed to throw a dead cat. You must sell it to NRE or Larry’s or MK - who will strip it to the bones and re-incarnate it as another locomotive. Remember - every genset switcher means 1000’s less ashtrays!
BTW - a former ATSF GP60, BNSF 8713, acted as surrogate leader ahead of P42 #25 on Amtrak’s Empire Builder from the Twin Cities out to the left coast and back to Chicago. Very odd to see Yellow and Blue lead a silver weasel and all those double-deck lovelies down to the Windy City.