In the past 6 months new SD70ACes painted for the BNSF and the UP built in Canada have been moved west over the CN.
When the SD70ACes roll into the railyard, what rolls out on the BNSF and the UP?
Andrew
Whatever they had been using, I’d guess. But it’s only a guess. - a. s.
SD40-2’s. Both UP and BNSF have retired many SD40-2’s. UP has gotten rid of a lot of ex CNW SD40-2’s while BNSF is sending a lot of BN units to FURX and other leasers
On the Canadian National most of the SD40-2s have been replaced by IC SD70s, CN SD75Is, and CN SD70M-2s.
What has been an occasional sight has been former BNSF SD40-2 in Heritage 1 and the FURX reporting marks and road numbers.
Andrew
[2c] The Union Pacific is retiring their sd40-2 fleet ingreater numbers now Trains that use to see the sd40-2s on the point are now seeing the sd70s trains like NCBPR NPRCB MCBDM and MCBBO All have the sd70s on the point Larry
Thank you, Larry.
Leasing companies will most likely be leasing the SD40-2 units to shortlines in the years to come. The SD40-2s can not be completely worn out yet.
Andrew
The SD70ACes and SD70M-2s don’t seem to be directly causing retirements of older power, but the somewhat older power such as SD60Ms and SD70Ms being displaced from higher priority service by the new engines is causing it. UP is reassigning the oldest of their SD70Ms to the Proviso manifest pool to replace the ex-CNW SD40-2s. BNSF’s new ACes are causing older engines like SD60Ms and even some SD70MACs to move into lower priority service. BNSF isn’t getting rid of much of their own power, but a lot of leasers such as FURX SD40-2s are leaving BNSF due to this. CSX has also got rid of a lot of their lease engines. CN’s SD70M-2s are causing older engines to be moved to other lines. The IC SD40-3s are a good example because CN is moving a group of them up to the DM&IR, which in turn is causing DM&IR power to be retired. I would say overall leasers seem to be leaving the rosters at a quicker rate than SD40-2s.
I have been looking but with no luck but the U P has put out a blurp that said they were going to defer maitinace on their fleet of SD40_2s as long as they dont suffer a major componet failures then they are being used as b units but personnally I havent seen a 40-2lately You have to remember these engines were built in the mid to late 70s and have a couple hundred million miles on them they were great and I will miss them I always thought they rode better then the newer wide bodies Larry
40-2s were built into the 80s… Anyway, over Christmas last year and during last summer I saw CN 40-2s with the widenose a couple of times moving through river forest to Franklin Park/Bensenville back in Chicago. They were usually paired up with a 70m.
The SD40-2s were built from about 1972 to 1984.
Some of the early SD40-2s have been retired.
Why has Canadian Pacific not yet acquired SD70ACes?
Andrew
Because they’re smart…
CP’s motive power purchases have been oriented to GE for quite a while now, it’s possible that their experience with SD90MAC’s has influenced their opinion of EMD. Remember that a less than favorable experience with the M636 turned them off to future MLW products.
Great thread.
A friend closer to UPs lines confirms that where the SD40-2s used to prevail -9Ws and SD70Ms are now more common.
On the CN I still see lots of SD40-2Ws, SD40-2Qs, and GP40-2LWs but those numbers have been dropping. I have seen more C44-9Ws and ES44DCs recently. The SD75I and SD70Ms are around as common up here as the other EMD products. I have seen a few of the SD70M-2s.
They did test a few BNSF SD70ACe’s not to long ago, perhaps we’ll see a CPR order soon?
What did Kansas City Southern downgrade or retire when they acquired SD70ACes?
Andrew
SD40-2s have almost dissapeared from the UP.It is rare to see one anymore. SD40-2s are still fairly common on BNSF trains,mostly manifests and the steel slab trains running between L.A. harbor and the old Kaiser steel plant.Occasionally one will be used on a double stack train.
Theres still plenty of UP SD40’s around, there just on other assignments then mainline trains. There gonna be around for a long time to come. You can see how many we still have at UP.com, look for the locomotive roster.
What rolls out? Hmm…aesthetics, for one thing. The SD70ACe has a face only a mother with 20-200 vision could love. But it will pass. Look at some of the hacked-up monstrosities GE used to roll out, but their current locos manage to be quite easy on the eyes (for hood-type diesels).
BNSF’s recent ACes assigned to Nebraska displaced 100 MACs or so to Glendive, MT which in turn will/has displaced the SD60M to Chicago. As a result, there’re less and less SD60Ms showing up on coal across the northern plains, but they’ve been showing up on more stack trains than they have over the past three years.
The big purge of FURX power started the beginning of May. Dilworth, MN had amassed a fleet of units whose lease had expired and were being returned to Fisrt Union…
I did notice that they had alot layin around. As of a couple of days ago they been puttin these 40s on trains again. 2 or 3 days ago the MEMNTW had 3 40s for power and all were FURX.