I’ve been looking for locomotives within my birth year and month (05-1987). I wasn’t able to find any EMD products that were within that range. So I went to GE and found the C39-8 series (after much RMC digging). I know that NS is the only current Class 1 user of this series. According to one website (www.nsdash9.com/rosters/8664.html), I managed to find 9 units that fit the criteria. The problem was when I did a crosscheck for C39-8E (on rrpicturearchives.net). Another person claimed that one of these units were built the following month (06-1987). Knowing how hard it would be to locate builder dates and the fact that I live nowhere near a NS main line, I’m unsure of my first source. Does anyone have any other credible info?
Ps: I would have chosen the SD40-2 but production was completed ~ 12/1986!
Of the C39-8E units 8671,8675,8678,8679, and 8680 have build dates of May 1987. The others were built before or after. Source is Norfolk Southern 1995 Review.
Sterling1 the third order for CN SD50Fs falls between Feb-Jul of 1987. You might look at those for an GM representative. These were the CN#5440-5459 group of SD50Fs. So yes there is a potential GM representative, but they are rare.
SP’s August 1990 Roster lists the average age for its 8-39Bs as 2 years 11 months. This means that there were some being built in September 1987. If it took long enough to fill the order there may have been some built in May 1987. Of course, GE would have had to have been busy for it to take eight months to build 40 locomotives.
So, maybe I should talk to someone who knows about locos built in 1987, eh? That’ll be an interesting study of units. Well at least I can’t have all the active units (due to wrecks).