Is NS really selling GP15-1 engines to the higher bider???
I doubt it. I just saw one switching yesterday.
Reports are that they are going to be retired/sold off except for about 18 of them. They are to leave the roster at the end of the year. I also saw that the remaining C39-8 units will be retired at the end of this year. Back to the GP15’s, they have not been painting any of them, only 2 were done in the current “Horsehead” scheme, and they were done about 2 years ago…none since. There is also a statement in the August issue of RAILPACE MAGAZINE that states they are up for bid.
With the various ongoing rebuild programs, it isn’t too surprising that the GP15-1’s would be on the block. Retirement of the C39-8’s isn’t too surprising, NS got their 15 years of service out of them.
Gee–what will they use in northwestern Indiana?
Edit–I’m pretty sure the only GP15-1s NS has are those inherited from Conrail. I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen the former CR yard in Burns Harbor, Indiana, switched by anything other than these GP15-1s (since they acquired them, anyway!).
They are getting rid of the former Conrail GP15-1’s (not sure how many).
In sepetember train’s magazine page 21 on the bottom. It only says selling most of the 58 1,500-hp EMD GP15-1s that it got in the 1999 split-up of conrail.
My NRHS chapter might be interesting in getting 2 GP15-1s and restore them.
I think there are many short lines that will be falling all over themselves to get these.
Bert
I think you are right. I wonder what or which class 2 and 3 railroads will get them???
That’s what I heard as well. I wouldn’t be suprised if NS put their SD80MACs up for grabs either, they seem to be thinning out the odd-balls in their fleet.
Most won’t be able to afford them. NS has completed the bidding process for the 40 GP15-1s it is selling. The units will actually be sold in January '07 for $300,000 each…
That price would suggest that the GP15-1’s are still in pretty good shape and that they’re being sold to a leasing firm and/or a regional .
UP seems to love the ones they own, maybe they will pick up a couple.
Bert
Will a railroad museum ever get a GP15-1 engine???
In 10 to 20 years could this ever happen???
The units are being sold directly from active service and will likely be in date or nearly so…
Will conrailcorp buy the back their GP15-1 engines???