Norfolk Southern has ordered new locomotives for 2010 - 2011. Forty-Three GE ES44AC locomotives for delivery by the end of 2010, plus 25 more in 2011. NS has also ordered 25 EMD SD70ACe locomotives for delivery in 1Q of 2011. In addition NS has placed money-backed options for 25 locomotives from each builder for 2012, 2013, and 2014. Looks like another bastion of DC locomotives has fallen. Also reportedly NS will buy out the lease on their former Conrail SD80MACs.
This is not unexpected as NS has reportedly been very satisfied with the performance of their first order of ES44ACs in coal train service. They were able to use the SD80MACs inherited from CONRAIL as test units for the application of AC traction.
Wonder if they are considering ES44C4s for future purchase to replace older C40’s in Intermodal/Manifest service…
Any idea of the price per unit, from either builder ?
I wonder if any of them will show up on the helper/ pusher districts ? Although a considerable amount - up to 50 % - of their mileage there might be run ‘light’ downhill unless there’s another grade in the opposite direction nearby - such as from Altoona up to Gallitzin and down to Johnstown, and the reverse - that might still be a more productive use of their capabilities than just a couple of hours at max output at a few locations during a trip of a day or two over a lot of comparatively ‘flatter’ country or profiles.
- Paul North.
[quote user=“Paul_D_North_Jr”]
Any idea of the price per unit, from either builder ?
I wonder if any of them will show up on the helper/ pusher districts ? Although a considerable amount - up to 50 % - of their mileage there might be run ‘light’ downhill unless there’s another grade in the opposite direction nearby - such as from Altoona up to Gallitzin and down to Johnstown, and the reverse - that might still be a more productive use of their capabilities than just a couple of hours at max output at a few locations during a trip of a day or two over a lot of comparatively ‘flatter’ country or profiles.
- Paul North.
Although
Given NS’ penchant for derating power for the various reasons they do, will these be ES40ACs or will the be left at the factory rack settings?
The 24 they already have are 4400 hp, and I have heard that they have been flipping the switch in a good number of their C40-9Ws to make them C44s.
A copule questions -
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When the Dash 9s ar reset to 4,400 HP, do they stay as Dash 9-40CWs and Dash 9-40Cs on the books or is their model designation changed?
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I’m sorry but I’m not familiar with the term, buy out the lease. Does it mean what I think it means, that they are purchasing the 80MACs from the lease holder?
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Is the EMD order a sort of a “here’s a little for you, so you don’t starve?” It seems like more units than necessary for that, but it’s less than they bought from GE.
I recall reading the NS ordered the ES44ACs (rather than ES40ACs) because they wanted maximum tractive effort at low speeds for coal train service. This is not as important with Intermodal and Manifest trains (where they will continue running DC motored units). Thheir master plan appears to be to build a big fleet of AC locomotives for bulk/coal operations…
Buying out the lease may mean making the outstanding balance of lease payments, plus the residual value stated in the lease, and taking actual title to the locomotives. Perhaps some of the finance mavens here can help out.
Do the NS Dash 9s and ES40DCs actually have a switch where one can simply push to instantly turn a NS 4,000hp GE into 4,400 loco?
Speaking of downrated GE’s, For a while CSX derated their AC60CWs to 4,400hp, though they’re now back to 6,000hp since their HDLs were replaced with 16 cylinder GEVOs.
Don’t know that derating is a simple as fliping a switch…however, it is as simple as changing the computer program the provides the fuel mapping and turbo boost parameters for the prime mover.
That’s how I would understand it, in the most common usage. One note: a sharp and successful negotiator for NS would get a credit or discount from the Lessor for making all those payments in a single lump sum instead of as a stream of payments over time, and earlier than called-for in the lease schedule and than would otherwise occur - the ‘time value’ of that money is worth something to both NS and the Lessor.
The other and less common usage of “buying out the lease” would be to mean for NS to pay-off the Lessor to get out of the remaining time on the lease, by likewise making the rest of the lease payments, but not the ‘residual value’, and also returning the locomotives to the Lessor instead of taking title to them, so that the Lessor is free to do whatever he wants to or can arrange with them. Again, a sharp negotiator ought to be able to get a discount of some kind for the same reasons as above, plusthe fact that the Lessor now has the locos back to maybe re-lease them to someone else, and earn even more money during a time frame when they’ve been mostly already paid for by NS. This might be the case if NS has much better, more powerful, and cheaper locomotives coming to replace the leased ones - which would then be surplus. The fuel and maintenance savings on the new units as compared to the leased units may justify the added and early payments to ‘buy-out’ the lease, and/ or if the leased units are no bargain even if priced at the ‘residual value’, so there’s nothing to be gained by keeping them around on the property any longer than they have to be.
-Paul North.
I have read that the engine output governor is activated by a key held by supervisors (Tainmasters,/roadmasters of engines, ect.).
CSX is also reportedly derating it’s ES44DCs to 4000HP (though not it’s ES44ACs)…
That’s true they are now ES40DCs. The ES44AH retains it’s 4400HP since it will be used well on coal trains like the OUCX, which comes through my area.
Do you think they asked if they could get a “High-Hood” model? 
And set up to run long-hood forward ? [:-,]
And put aircraft-style red and green lights on the flares…how would you like to see THAT coming down the track towards you?