http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2008/001/US6004.jpg
Anyone know?
alexP
It’s live now.
Irv
http://thomas766.fotopic.net/p3740667.html
Wisconsin Central demo’d one. Never bought it. Kinda goofy lookin [X-)]
Its a genset switcher. The UP and other class 1’s own hundreds of them.
http://www.ppw-aline.com/images/pap-rr/colton_12-30/PICT0039-s.jpg
Oops, sorry, its a “green goat”.
http://www.ppw-aline.com/images/pap-rr/colton_12-30/PICT0050-s.jpg
Yup. One stack, it’s a Goat. Three stacks, it’s a Genset.
Don’t let the Army paint job confuse you. Army installations typically have railheads to load/receive armored vehicles and other specialized ground transportation. (Could you imagine a convoy of Abrams tanks rumbling down an urban freeway on the way to a seaport?[:O]) Having their own switcher makes sense, if only in respot charge savings.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
So are these used for switching? Because they seem really damn big for just that. Or are they sort of an everything loco?
Thanks!
alexP
Hey, Watch yo mouf. Or you might get it washed out with coal dust!!!
The Wisconsin Central kept the Mid-American rail alive. It was both profitable and need to move raw materials in and paper out, and keeps a whole bunch of you’all ward with all the coal it’s successer the Canadian National now halls.
The WC went through our town. I had the joy of seeing one of the last freight loads go through here with three WC SD45’s pulling. I have modeled that on my HO Layout.
The photo at the upper left is the last WC freight that stopped here. It had a load of corn for the nearby Ethenol Plant.
jDakota Northern
Considering that railroads use GP15, GP38, GP40, SD38, SD40 type engines as switchers, its not big at all. Most of the those engines are built on recycled B23-7/B30-7, GP38/40 type underframes.
A convoy of Abrams tanks rumbling down an urban freeway would likely rip up that urban freeway. A convoy of M1A2s moving down a street at speed does not leave an asphalt street looking too pretty. So of course they utilize trains - I’ve often wondered where they place in terms of being perhaps one of the larger shortlines in this countries. I see lots of DODX freight cars here in Virginia, lots running to/from thre arsenal in southern Va.
The military is on a twin push - energy savings (the military being the nation’s largest consumer of energy, and energy costs being something that is really pressing on their budgets, driving costs sky-high) and environmental protection (the military has a clear mandate in this regard). These next generation switchers are perfect for them, no suprise the military shortline system would be an early adopter.
obviously a post beer break product of EMD.
Formerly CPR 1702:
http://www.mountainrailway.com/Roster%20Archive/CP%201700/CP%201702.htm
Like the others said it’s a Green Goat. Those things can move when out on the mainline. I was just pacing 2 Amtrak units on a ballast train on the NEC. I was on I95 in Philly doing 65-68 MPH.
USA 6004 is a GG20B assigned to Fort Bliss, TX. Last August I learned from a reliable Army Rail source that the Army has been less than enthralled with the performance of Rail Power’s locomotives and they may not be on the roster too much longer.
That’s actually not the same type of engine. It’s an older (well, compared to the US army unit) conventional type diesel-electric engine built/rebuilt by Morrison-Knudson, while the US Army unit is a RailPower built “Green Goat.”
The cab and profile are pretty similar but it’s not the same engine or even builder.
As everybody said, this is a green goat. It is called green because somehow it uses less fuel( beats me). I have seen a couple where i live, and i think Model Railroader did a small segement on this loco like 2-3 years ago.
Its called a green because the hood is filled with batteries that provide all the power to the traction motors. all the diesel engine in there does is keep the batts charged.