Western Railroad Discussion > Two UP Notables

While out playing last November, I caught this rent-a-wreck trailing the 3811 eastbound up San Timoteo Canyon dead-in-tow. What makes it somewhat notable is that it appears as the 3386 on page 111 of Don Strack’s 1999 Union Pacific Locomotive Directory in a photo by Lon Coone taken almost five years before in much better condition than it is here. A photo on a German website shows it as having been repainted since then.

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This eastbound was still moving (albeit very slowly) thanks to the combined efforts of two SD60M helpers, the second of which is the highest numbered SD60M on the UP. It was also one of two set-up to burn LNG (both switched to diesel soon thereafter). Ah, the things you’re lucky enough to see on those days you do have a camera.

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The HLCX "snoot", one of the former UP 3300 or 3400 class engines...this is one of the types of units that I find it amazing that they have gotten rid of, while keeping some of those beat up old former MP SD40-2's, which have no dynamic brakes, and ran around for years and years as B-units (now in the 7900-series). And, no rebuild work since 1993. At least the 7900's are considered "peak power", UP's version of the BNSF's "surge fleet". I suppose that the UP most own the old 7900's free and clear, while this particular unit was under a different lease arrangement.

I'm glad that of the large batch of SD40-2R's that UP rebuilt in 1999, with air conditioning added, a large portion of them are the "snoots", such as this one pictured.

Red Wrote:
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> I suppose that the UP most own the old 7900's free
> and clear, while this particular unit was under a
> different lease arrangement.

Red:
This must have a great deal to do with whether or not units are retained, rebuilt, or discarded. On that same run up the canyon, I found this ex-MP being leased back from GSCX. Maybe they got a better deal the second time around. Just out of curiosity, who did the rebuilding on those SD40–2Rs for UP?
–Mac

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The GSCX 7673 (I may have the number wrong...can't remember what I was just viewing seconds ago)...I betcha that that unit is being operated by CSX at the present time, and is paying back horsepower hours on the UP. Anybody can rent it...but I have been seeing a lot of GSCX and other lease power on my sub (thankfully, normally as trailing units...though the CEFX lease power is quite good, having rear mounted horns, cab air conditioning, and well-kept cab interiors). At any rate, on my sub, most is UP power, of course, but I'd say that 35 to 40 percent of it at any time is either CSX power, or, NS power. The NS units are great...nice GE C40-9W's. I get a decent CSX SD70MAC or C44AC, often, or an SD50 (which is a nice enough unit in WINTER TIME!)...but, most of the CSX power that is supplied to the UPRR is the type of unit that you've pictured here. I often wonder what percentage of their fleet is composed of rent-a-wrecks. While it is not fair to the UP (THEY get our newest SD70M's...we get this stuff...and on paper, one is good as another), it is sneakily smart of the CSX, a very troubled railroad, to give the UP this stuff, keep their newest power online, and, KEEP our new power just as long as they can possibly get away with it, sending it from one end of their system to the other...and giving us this stuff to repay the horsepower hours. The only reason UPRR cannot retaliate in kind is that they have now gotten to a point where they have one of the youngest locomotive fleets in the industry, and thankfully, there's not much crap power left to pawn off on the CSX in turn.

To answer your question about the 1999 SD40-2R's, a good percentage of which are my beloved "Snoots", around 150 or so of these went through a "LIFE EXTENSION PROGRAM" in 1999 at the Jenks Shops in North Little Rock. They were stripped to the frame, were rewired, Total Class C overhaul, had rebuilt main alternators and totally reworked engines applied, and, a truck rebuild. To add icing to the cake, cab air conditioning was added. These units are still in good condition. This major investment was made before the decision was made to go with "fleet replacement" with the huge SD70M order, and these units tided the RR over until the new power came online. Some SP SD40T-2's were included in this. After this, the former SP/SSW GP60 and B40-8 fleets were Class C'd at Jenks....that has been a busy place over the years. I suppose their next major rebuilds will be the oldest of the GE C44AC's (including the SP units), and, the EMD SD9043AC's, both classes getting close to the point where they will need the Class C treatment (the C44-9's, of UP, SP, and CNW vintage have already gotten the rebuild treatment...most at Jenks...but some at such places as VMV in Paducah, the NS Altoona Shops, and other places...but most UP rebuild work is done in-house at their fine facility in NLRK).

When the UP saw the condition of the SP fleet at the time of the merger, they pretty much threw their hands up, as they could see that almost ALL of the SP units needed major work. Just getting the bulk of that fleet up to snuff would have kept Jenks taxed beyond their capabilities for a decade, probably.

It appears that CSX is in a similar situation that SP was in before the takeover, with regards to motive power and deferred track maintenance. Oh...they have some nice new power, but, they have hordes upon hordes of junk power, and this lease power is what keeps them operational. I do not feel that they are in any danger of "going under"...but at some point, they are going to have to bite the bullet and spend a LOT of money. They are not in an enviable situation.

Red:
Thanks for the great answer and additional info. One additional question: wouldn't the C40–8 fleet be the next in line for Class C?
–Mac

MacBeau Wrote:
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> Red:
> Thanks for the great answer and additional info.
> One additional question: wouldn't the C40–8 fleet
> be the next in line for Class C?
> –Mac
>
The C40-8's and C41-8W's would be in line (probably after the early AC's get their first one) for their SECOND Class C's. They got their first one quite awhile ago, mid to late 90's. In the SD40-2 era, 600,000 to 700,000 miles was the average for either a Class B (in which the engine is overhauled, and other repairs as needed), or, the more extensive Class C, which is basically a ZERO-LIFING of the unit. These two types of rebuilds are often, but not always, alternated.

The newer GE's tend to get a Class C at 750,000 miles or so. This is the point the C44AC's are approaching. However, the EMD's equipped with the 710 prime mover have proven that they can operate with reliabilty in the extreme upper end of the high 90 percent availability range up to a million miles or more. This was proven with the original 25 former SP SD70M's. They pretty much all got theirs within the past year. That was IMPRESSIVE mileage. The SD9043AC's are getting close, but are not there, yet...so I'm assuming that the early GE AC's will get work before the almost indestructible EMD SD9043AC's. The work on the SP SD70M's was pretty extensive, and they did something welcome, but unusual for a newer unit...they got their cab interiors renewed and repainted, and emerged, for all practical purposes, as mechanically "new" as the late 2004-model SD70M's. In this respect, the HUGE SD70M order was a very wise decision for the company in terms of durability and maintenance costs, as they now have a unit that is now the backbone of the fleet that will serve well for many, many years to come. So far, no unit on the roster has beat them in the reliability numbers game. A wise investment.

And from my hogger's perspective, they picked a very smooth-running, good riding, damned good pulling unit with dynamic brakes that are so strong for a DC unit that you'd almost think you were running an AC unit. From a buff's perspective...I just like the way they look. From the front end, you might be looking at an FP45 or SDP40F, and the view from inside is much the same, particularly with the newest models, the last batch of 2004, which came with a nice, standard, SD40-2 style AAR control stand and good old 26L brakes. I have ranted and raved on this board for quite some time about my love for the SD70M, and will continue to do so every time I'm given the opportunity. And while all units delivered since the early 90's have had very comfortable seats, the SD70M's have the best seat I've ever found on a locomotive (it is a brownish color vinyl coloring, rather than the black of the older ones). They are so comfortable that I wouldn't mind having one in my study (but...no...not gonna steal one!!!). They have nice armrests (adjustable), and even have an adjustable lumbar support. Makes you feel like you're sitting in the captain's chair of the U.S.S. Enterprise.

As an aside note...those former MP 7900's I was telling you about...they are running them into the ground. They were last rebuilt in 1993, and have close to a million and a half miles on them. They will not be rebuilt. I imagine that the most extensive work they would get is the occasional blown power assembly, and this will need to be done periodically on units with this many miles. However, if the main alternator goes out...they will be let go of. If they blow a crankshaft...that's it. It even states in the maintenance record "Peak Power...Before Conducting Major Repairs, Contact Joe Blow at such and such number". Joe Blow will say, "Retire this unit". They'll get reconditioned traction motors and wheelsets as needed, blown power assembly replacement, air compressor replacement, and minor patch up work of that nature that will simply keep them limping alone...but that's all they're going to spend on them. Amazingly, though I've only had two as trailing units in the past several months (one was the 7908...and easy number to remember)...other than them belching a very respectable plume of thick black exhaust smoke, they pulled well and didn't ring any bells.

The remaining unrebuilt SD40-2's...I've had some problems with some of them. They are pretty much coming unglued, and are also "Peak Power Units". The 1999 SD40-2R's I mentioned...those are solid units. Another batch of 645 road power that is in excellent condition are the former SP SD40M-2's (the ones that were made out of SD40 and SD45 carbodies by MK in Boise, Idaho). Many have been repainted, and some have had recent overhauls, so it appears that they will be kept around for some time to come (although I've heard that SOME have been sent to a leaser...I don't know how they make the determination of which of these to keep and which to let go, because I thought they were all under the same lease agreement). MK did a fantastic job on them, equipping them with air conditioning, rear mounted horns (which I'm as thankful for as the AC, because I know these units are not causing me permanent hearing loss). MK, now MPI, is probably the best contract rebuilder in the U.S., and, has entered into new-build construction with passenger units such as the MP36PH-3...I've heard mostly praise about these passenger units whether in the CalTrain variant, or the Metra version. VMV in Paducah (the old IC shop) is a busy place, but their quality control sucks, big-time, and I'm surprised that the UPRR is still doing ANY business with them. They did a good job with the restoration of the E-9's (only 3 units to worry about, and they knew these would be high visibility units, so they got more attention than your average freight unit that goes through there).

Red,

Thanks for the posts regarding the Union Pacific locomotive fleet. Always enjoyable reading. Keep 'em coming.

With the apparent success UP has had with the SD70M fleet, it remains a bit of a mystery to me why other big railroads haven't obtained more of them.

DSPR3

DSPR3 Wrote:
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> Red,
>
> Thanks for the posts regarding the Union Pacific
> locomotive fleet. Always enjoyable reading. Keep
> 'em coming.
>
> With the apparent success UP has had with the
> SD70M fleet, it remains a bit of a mystery to me
> why other big railroads haven't obtained more of
> them.
>
> DSPR3

They don't know what they're missing...is why!!! Actually, NS finally started getting substantial numbers of them after they saw the success UP was having with them (though they remained committed to the C40-9W, a successful model in its own right...I get a lot of the NS Dash Nines on my sub, and have no complaints about them, though I prefer my "hotrod SD70M's"). Interesting with NS, for the first time in many a moon...they are getting TWO whole units more EMD SD70M-2's than they are ES40DC's for 2005 (50 vs. 52).

BNSF seemed to standardize on the SD70MAC for AC purposes, then when they got all the AC's they needed for such service, they standardized on the Dash Nine. They seem to be in the state CSX was in for a decade with no EMD orders. But CSX DID purchase a rather large number of former EMD Leasing SD70M's, which were initially leased to UP...these received overhauls and CSX paint, and have heard of no issues with them, but this seemed to spike their interest in the SD70MAC, and now, the SD70ACe.

EMD seems to be doing quite well. A recent issue of RAILWAY AGE stated that the newly independent EMD is "enjoying brisk sales of Tier 2 SD70ACe's and SD70M-2's".

I DO like some variety in my motive power from time to time, but, when I look at my paperwork and see that it's a solid SD70M set, or even just one in the lead...I know that I'm going to have a nice, comfortable trip without any bells ringing.

I AM glad that somebody enjoys my ramblings about UP motive power...thanks for the compliment.