Eastern Railroad Discussion > EMD SD70ACe Demonstrators testing on CSX

The EMD SD70ACe's that had been testing on the Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad are now on CSX testing on mainly coal trains. EMDX #1203 & #1202 lead Waycross,GA - Atlanta,GA freight Q550 today. Thankfully for me, the train ran into many delays and I was able to catch him in southwest Atlanta after work with plenty of updates from a good friend of mine.

In picture one the train is crossing the old ACL bridge over Camp Creek on the southwest side of Atlanta near the intersections of Camp Creek Parkway and Welcome All Road.

Picture two shows the consist going to the engine shop at Tilford Yard just seconds before the sun would be gone for the day.

I think either Q540 or Q542 will pick up the ACe's and bring them to Corbin,KY.

Thanks for looking! Videos at youtube.com/guitars14

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Without these units having the new one inverter per axle technology and being ballasted to CSX's standards i'm not sure CSX will see a benefit or improvement in heavy haul service on the Clinchfield or C&O. Do any of you happen to know how heavy the 1202 and 1203 are? Are any DPU tests planned for these units?

That first shot is a keeper.
John

NWRailfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Without these units having the new one inverter
> per axle technology and being ballasted to CSX's
> standards I'm not sure CSX will see a benefit or
> improvement in heavy haul service on the
> Clinchfield or C&O. Do any of you happen to know
> how heavy the 1202 and 1203 are? Are any DPU tests
> planned for these units?


I thought the same thing. If these units aren't "heavy" like CSX is used to, it would seem they're being set up to fail. If you're trying to win back business from a disaffected customer, one would think you would put your VERY BEST foot forward.

junctiontower Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NWRailfan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Without these units having the new one inverter
> > per axle technology and being ballasted to
> CSX's
> > standards I'm not sure CSX will see a benefit
> or
> > improvement in heavy haul service on the
> > Clinchfield or C&O. Do any of you happen to
> know
> > how heavy the 1202 and 1203 are? Are any DPU
> tests
> > planned for these units?
>
>
> I thought the same thing. If these units aren't
> "heavy" like CSX is used to, it would seem they're
> being set up to fail. If you're trying to win back
> business from a disaffected customer, one would
> think you would put your VERY BEST foot forward.


They'd have to borrow a pair of NS's units to get the best feel for what EMD can deliver. NS's are the only thus far delivered to 432K and high adhesion software similar to CSX AH standards.

Just what I figured. Why even bother to send CSX these units? You can almost guarantee they won't be happy with them.

I am an engineer for NS and I will tell you this with regard to our ACEs...they are studs, pure and simple. Took several loaded coal trains out of Ashtabula with them and where with 3 dash 9's you would have to set first service to come down the hill to the ex NKP with the ACEs there is NO need to go to air. Straight dyno is more than enough with about 16K tons to hold the speed to 10MPH for the trip down the hill. Then, on the same train, the two ACEs stopped me at the drawbridge on the old NKP line as well. I have had several experiences with these motors on grain trains and coal trains and they never cease to amaze me. I took at 18K coal train out of the Weber Connection in Columbus to the Sandusky Main. I had two of the ACEs on that train as well. I had to throttle down coming up the hill out of downtown so I wouldnt violate the speed restriction on the hill. Then I ran the test mile at S11-S12 at 43mph going up hill. There was a train following me and the conductor told me that after I ran the test mile that I simply ran away from them. AWESOME motos and I am glad that NS went with the isolated cab option on these motors as they are much more quiet than the regular SD70M's.

NWRailfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> junctiontower Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > NWRailfan Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Without these units having the new one
> inverter
> > > per axle technology and being ballasted to
> > CSX's
> > > standards I'm not sure CSX will see a benefit
> > or
> > > improvement in heavy haul service on the
> > > Clinchfield or C&O. Do any of you happen to
> > know
> > > how heavy the 1202 and 1203 are? Are any DPU
> > tests
> > > planned for these units?
> >
> >
> > I thought the same thing. If these units aren't
> > "heavy" like CSX is used to, it would seem
> they're
> > being set up to fail. If you're trying to win
> back
> > business from a disaffected customer, one would
> > think you would put your VERY BEST foot
> forward.
>
>
> They'd have to borrow a pair of NS's units to get
> the best feel for what EMD can deliver. NS's are
> the only thus far delivered to 432K and high
> adhesion software similar to CSX AH standards.

Glad to hear you NS engineers like your 70ACe's. Unfortunately I have never met another class 1 employee that really cared for them at all. The way NS has those screens on top of the control stand; don't they have terrible glare at night even dimmed down? Theres still just so many things I prefer the ES44AC's for but glad to hear yours are so capable.

NWRailfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Glad to hear you NS engineers like your 70ACe's.
> Unfortunately I have never met another class 1
> employee that really cared for them at all. The
> way NS has those screens on top of the control
> stand; don't they have terrible glare at night
> even dimmed down? Theres still just so many things
> I prefer the ES44AC's for but glad to hear yours
> are so capable.


Actually, a CSX engineer wrote a very positive review of the NS SD70Ace's last year after have run a pair of them on a CSX coal train on the former B&O.

It seems like the NS SD70Ace's have a few friends.

NYSWSD70M Wrote:

>
> It seems like the NS SD70Ace's have a few friends.


However, CSX ES44AH's have many friends.


Stay the course CSX, please stay the course.

SALGUY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am an engineer for NS and I will tell you this
> with regard to our ACEs...they are studs, pure and
> simple. Took several loaded coal trains out of
> Ashtabula with them and where with 3 dash 9's you
> would have to set first service to come down the
> hill to the ex NKP with the ACEs there is NO need
> to go to air. Straight dyno is more than enough
> with about 16K tons to hold the speed to 10MPH for
> the trip down the hill. Then, on the same train,
> the two ACEs stopped me at the drawbridge on the
> old NKP line as well. I have had several
> experiences with these motors on grain trains and
> coal trains and they never cease to amaze me. I
> took at 18K coal train out of the Weber Connection
> in Columbus to the Sandusky Main. I had two of
> the ACEs on that train as well. I had to throttle
> down coming up the hill out of downtown so I
> wouldnt violate the speed restriction on the hill.
> Then I ran the test mile at S11-S12 at 43mph
> going up hill. There was a train following me and
> the conductor told me that after I ran the test
> mile that I simply ran away from them. AWESOME
> motos and I am glad that NS went with the isolated
> cab option on these motors as they are much more
> quiet than the regular SD70M's.

Alright, well send the heritage ones over to us and we'll give em' a whirl! But don't be mad if they don't leaves CSX property for a while ;)

Typhoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NYSWSD70M Wrote:
>
> >
> > It seems like the NS SD70Ace's have a few
> friends.
>
>
> However, CSX ES44AH's have many friends.
>
>
> Stay the course CSX, please stay the course.


Maybe but competition is good. GE wasn't always on top.

GREAT pics!!!!

Typhoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NYSWSD70M Wrote:
>
> >
> > It seems like the NS SD70Ace's have a few
> friends.
>
>
> However, CSX ES44AH's have many friends.
>
>
> Stay the course CSX, please stay the course.

Oh look, a toaster fan... how cute.

One interesting note about the ACe is the dynamic brakes. One would think that they were not working at all from the silence inside the cab. But of course a quick look at the amp gage will tell the truth. I prefer to be able to hear them. One can tell alot about an engine is performing by sound.

The reason that the dynamic brake grids and fan are at the rear of the unit was precisely to keep the cab sound level down. Sometimes you just can't win.

ddkid Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The reason that the dynamic brake grids and fan
> are at the rear of the unit was precisely to keep
> the cab sound level down. Sometimes you just
> can't win.

Interesting and smart. The dynos work very well. As an old head engineer I worked with used to jokingly say "these dynamics are so good we we could back up with em"!

Posted from Android

I can only pray we (CSX) don't buy any of these. Newer EMD products are nothing but trouble. I always prepare myself for a bad trip when I have one in my consist. Now the newer GE's are sweet.

junctiontower Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just what I figured. Why even bother to send CSX
> these units? You can almost guarantee they won't
> be happy with them.


...and the motive power people at CSX are not sharp enough to "get it" about that? There may be other reasons to test them that CSX hadn't taken time to inform us all about. And after all, how dumb as well, are the EMD folks? Amazing that there is somewhere around $5.5m in locomotives running around in a wholly pointless test or perhaps kW payback/makeup regimen, being senselessly promoted by two multi-billion dollar companies who know nothing about why they are doing it.

I will never understand why they just don't ask us first....and save themselves all the grief of guaranteed failure (shaking head).

Bob

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/14/13 00:13 by msp1985.