Eastern Railroad Discussion > CSX GP40WH-2 #9969 on W003-24. Marion, Ohio

Here are some pictures of CSX GP40WH-2 #9969 on W003-24 in Marion, Ohio today

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Just east of Marion

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former MARC?

pal77 Wrote:
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> former MARC?


Yes, MARC 69

Nice catch! Send it to Georgia! lol

That IS different......????!!!!

I find myself trying to find the words........



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/14 17:22 by ns1000.

Ohiorailfan Wrote:
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> pal77 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > former MARC?
>
>
> Yes, MARC 69

So that's where the Gyralite came from. Pretty awesome.

BSB

I guess that Gyralight counts as ditch lights, I'm going to guess this engine will spend most of its time in trail, since most of the people I work with don't realize that a Gyralight is grandfathered in as a secondary warning light according to the FRA. All they will say is "This thing ain't got no ditch lights, I'm not a-gonna use it." I'd love to be able to run it...but I doubt they call me for that run...They should consider that gray roof with yellow pinstripe on all of our locomotives. it's a nice touch from the boring "C&O" paintjob we have now.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/14 17:44 by DrLoco.

I'd also tend to believe it will be used mostly in trail---how far can it really go with that small fuel tank?

Also, is it used mostly for H.E.P.?

Posted from Mobile Safari

DrLoco Wrote:
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> I guess that Gyralight counts as ditch lights, I'm
> going to guess this engine will spend most of its
> time in trail, since most of the people I work
> with don't realize that a Gyralight is
> grandfathered in as a secondary warning light
> according to the FRA. All they will say is "This
> thing ain't got no ditch lights, I'm not a-gonna
> use it." I'd love to be able to run it...but I
> doubt they call me for that run...They should
> consider that gray roof with yellow pinstripe on
> all of our locomotives. it's a nice touch from
> the boring "C&O" paintjob we have now.


Try the B&O boring paint job. The yellow pinstripe is close to the "Boring" B&O paint scheme.

A shame she was trailing but imagine how great the few photos of her will be when she is leading.

Then again the shop may hear the bitching enough about ditch lights and eventually she may get them.

I'm sure the power desk is having seizures seeing a freight loco used on a two car passenger train.
If I recall wasn't the purpose of buying it to release F40's for business car trains and standard power
to freight trains. I would think someone at HQ is not happy if the unit didn't have an issue requiring
the use of the freight power.

I would think if fuel consumption was an issue they would have replaced it with a bigger tank at Huntington.

Kris

Seems a bit silly that CSX would spend the dollars to rebuild a locomotive to only use it as an HEP sled...but I'll leave it to the experts to make that call.

BTW, the gyralite package does count as ditch lights...

CG Tower

Does CSX still roster the F40s or was the 9969 just a supplemental unit bought cheap from MARC?

SooLine700 Wrote:
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> Does CSX still roster the F40s or was the 9969
> just a supplemental unit bought cheap from MARC?


My question also: Is this unit a replacement for the F40's
or a supplement?

Thanks for posting.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

CGTower Wrote:
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> BTW, the gyralite package does count as ditch
> lights...

Actually, in this case, I believe it does. I think CSX is able to get away under the same premise MARC was about not having to install ditch lights on them, because of the Gyralite. It just has to be operational in any case that ditch lights would be, so it would have to be on to cross a grade crossing at more than 20 mph.

Brody Wyrick
Reno, NV

> My question also: Is this unit a replacement for
> the F40's
> or a supplement?
>
> Thanks for posting.
>
> Nick Tharalson,
> Marion, IA

Nick,

From everything I've seen posted about this unit it was a supplement to the F40's.

I believe it's main purpose was track geometry trains. This would free up F40's at times and freight power from this service most of the time.

My pure speculation is:

#1:The crews didn't realize the gyralite qualified as ditch lights.
#2:The gyralite wasn't working #3:Perhaps since this must be one of her first trips the standard unit was power protection.

There are much cheaper to operate and build HEP cars than a locomotive. One could be built out of a caboose or box car, etc.

Kris

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/14 16:33 by dcmkris.

I don't think the small fuel tank will be an issue given the nature of the geometry train runs. I also wonder if there would be an option of a bigger tank before axle loadings become an issue. Finally, another advantage over the F40's is that the 9969 has an independent engine/alternator set for the HEP instead of the F40 set up where the HEP is driven off the prime mover.

dcmkris Wrote:
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> A shame she was trailing but imagine how great the
> few photos of her will be when she is leading.
>
> Then again the shop may hear the bitching enough
> about ditch lights and eventually she may get
> them.
>
> I'm sure the power desk is having seizures seeing
> a freight loco used on a two car passenger train.
>
> If I recall wasn't the purpose of buying it to
> release F40's for business car trains and standard
> power
> to freight trains. I would think someone at HQ is
> not happy if the unit didn't have an issue
> requiring
> the use of the freight power.
>
> I would think if fuel consumption was an issue
> they would have replaced it with a bigger tank at
> Huntington.
>
> Kris