What are the lines or hoses on the top of the long hood of an SD9 around the fan grilles? Oh and what size were the fan grilles, 36" or 48" or something else?
Do you mean the air lines ?
Air heats up when compressed and those lines were used to cool it down.
http://espee.railfan.net/picindex/sd7-9_detail/bd_sd9_5.html
http://espee.railfan.net/picindex/sd7-9_detail/gr000001.html
Great and very accurate answer, 'nuff said on this question.
BNSF, Norfolk Southern, some shortlines, and terminals, and maybe some industrial.
Yes.
Ok, that’s a somewhat cryptic answer, but it’s true. Early SD9s had 36" fans (as did early GP9s, but in a different arrangement), and later SD9s had 48" fans (ditto GPs).
Thanks Mark, are there years for that and was it up to the railroads rebuild program, or did they come out of the factory at later dates with larger grilles? Oh and thanks Dale for the awesome photo links!
Nope, right out of EMD that way. Someone else can probably fill in the dates, I don’t know them offhand. Rebuild programs like ICG Paducah usually swapped parts around all over the place, so you can find other parts on other engines. One of the most interesting anomalies, though, was Aberdeen & Rockfish’s GP18, which has four 36" fans due to being a wreck rebuild!
right on answers good job gang!!!
Another difference between GP9’s and SD9’s is the SD’s radiators are in a single group at the end of the long hood, instead of being split as they were on the GP models. Also the shutters and grill assembly protruded slightly from the side of the hood. The SD7 is distinguishable from SD9’s as its classification lights were set well in from the edge of the hood. About the middle of the number boards. On SD9’s and above they moved out to the edge of the hood. [2c]
Was there an internal difference between the SD7 and SD9’s?
Besides horsepower output?
Bert
Yes, the SD7 was rated at 1500hp while the SD9 was rated at 1750hp.
This HP differential also applied to the GP7/GP9 and the F7/F9
In addition to the above, the two main differences were the governor (set to a higher RPM to gain the extra 250 HP along with the rack adjustments and the second is the crankcase – 7"s had the 16-567 B-C crankcase and 9"s had the 16-567 C crankcase.