Western Railroad Discussion > Over 500 stored units at Donkey Creek Yard in Wyoming

1. From the west end four lines of stored coal train power.
2. The Smurf was present in one of the lines.
3. East beyond the yard ever more units are stored in two lines.

Chris

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I have never seen so many stored locomotives before.  I have not seen many Grinstein units and while it was nice to see what surely must be nearly all the fleet here, it was disappointing to see them all stored and not out on coal trains.

The Smurf GP38-2 was a nice surprise to see among the plethora of BNSF liveried motive power.

Elizabeth

Why are they stored? Coal market crisis?

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

Sure would be a good time to rebuild those SD70MAC's.

pedrop Wrote:
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> Why are they stored? Coal market crisis?

Large supply of natural gas in the US now, plus crude oil from fracking, and more restrictions on coal burning electric plants..most of which have converted from burning coal, to natural gas.

You have at least a 10-15 year supply of rebuild candidates sitting there.

Tom

Have you ever seen so many locos in one place still capable of operation ? 

The electric furnaces are hungry for the scrap steel.

Bob Wilcox
Charlottesville, VA
My Flickr Shots

Additional factors:
downturn in economy because of COVID-19 
lower horsepower-per-ton on most trains except Z's and Q's on the BNSF 

BB

been there  for a few years

Other than export units,  do GE and EMD have any domestic orders to speak of?

I think Amtrak should get a bunch of these rebuilt and regeared. AC traction motors are good for high speed (no commutator windings to come apart), they are relatively good-looking, should be cheap, and plenty of spare parts available! Would look way better than the Charger eyesores in my opinion... === === = === JLH

highgreengraphics Wrote:
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> I think Amtrak should get a bunch of these rebuilt
> and regeared. AC traction motors are good for high
> speed (no commutator windings to come apart), they
> are relatively good-looking, should be cheap, and
> plenty of spare parts available! Would look way
> better than the Charger eyesores in my opinion...
> === === = === JLH

What would the TCO be over say 10 years of active use, including the cost of accusation, rebuilding, regearing, adding HEP, extra cost of fuel for extra weight of the unit etc compared to the TCO over that same 10 years of active use for a new Charger locomotive?

jst3751 Wrote:
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>
> What would the TCO be over say 10 years of active
> use, including the cost of accusation, rebuilding,
> regearing, adding HEP, extra cost of fuel for
> extra weight of the unit etc compared to the TCO
> over that same 10 years of active use for a new
> Charger locomotive?

I dont know.  And neither do you. I guess alot of it just boils down to the cost of accusation, which I hear can be quite steep.

UnitAlarm Wrote:
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> jst3751 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> > What would the TCO be over say 10 years of
> active
> > use, including the cost of accusation,
> rebuilding,
> > regearing, adding HEP, extra cost of fuel for
> > extra weight of the unit etc compared to the
> TCO
> > over that same 10 years of active use for a new
> > Charger locomotive?
>
> I dont know.  And neither do you. I guess alot of
> it just boils down to the cost of accusation,
> which I hear can be quite steep.

A used SD70MAC sells for around 200k.

Posted from Android

wyeth Wrote:
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> Sure would be a good time to rebuild those
> SD70MAC's.

For what traffic?  SD70MACs are, in fact, being overhauled at Topeka...18 done in 2020, so far.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/20 18:44 by MP555.

highgreengraphics Wrote:
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> I think Amtrak should get a bunch of these rebuilt
> and regeared. AC traction motors are good for high
> speed (no commutator windings to come apart), they
> are relatively good-looking, should be cheap, and
> plenty of spare parts available!

Take a look at the pricetag that Metra will be paying for their converted SD70MACs.  Chargers are the obvious choice.

masterphots Wrote:
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> Other than export units,  do GE and EMD have any
> domestic orders to speak of?

GE is building new for BNSF and they continue to overhaul for NS and UP.

There were also two lines of stored power in Edgemont, SD.

Elizabeth