Western Railroad Discussion > SD40-2 in 4-axle territory. Part 2.

Back in March, I made a post ( https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,4978857,4978857#4978857 ) about the BNSF Ennis Sub in the outskirts of Phoenix and how it is restricted to 4 axle power. In that post, an SD40-2 was accidentally assigned to the job and removed the next day. Somebody made a comment on the first post that there is no 6-axle restriction listed in the new timetable. This may be true because today there was not one, but a pair of SD40-2s sitting at the very end of the Ennis Sub in El Mirage.

If 6-axle units really are allowed on here now, it makes me wonder how lone before an SD60M, SD75M or even a gevo ends up on this job.

1. BNSF 1919, sporting a fresh coat of paint, is the lead of the O-35 today.
2. BNSF 1968 is the second unit. This is one of the oldest SD40-2s on the BNSF roster and still looks good in BN paint. 
3. Another shot of the train tied down at Ennis. 

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The wye at Fennemore always looked a bit suspect for a six axle, other than that didn't look too bad. 

Out 

 

There is no wye.

Is this paint scheme only for engines with DC traction motors?

tomstp Wrote:
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> Is this paint scheme only for engines with DC
> traction motors?

The locos with this paint scheme do seem to all have DC motors... but none of the DC DASH-9s or GEVOs have this paint scheme. It seems more like it's for older power which existed prior to the BN/ATSF merger. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/20 09:25 by exhaustED.

exhaustED Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tomstp Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is this paint scheme only for engines with DC
> > traction motors?
>
> The locos with this paint scheme do seem to all
> have DC motors... but none of the DC DASH-9s or
> GEVOs have this paint scheme. It seems more like
> it's for older power which existed prior to the
> BN/ATSF merger. 

That paint scheme was originally for non-wide cab locomotives but has become the paint scheme for any locomotive assigned to yard, local, or secondary service. 

arizonaBNSF Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> exhaustED Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > tomstp Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Is this paint scheme only for engines with DC
> > > traction motors?
> >
> > The locos with this paint scheme do seem to all
> > have DC motors... but none of the DC DASH-9s or
> > GEVOs have this paint scheme. It seems more
> like
> > it's for older power which existed prior to the
> > BN/ATSF merger. 
>
> That paint scheme was originally for non-wide cab
> locomotives but has become the paint scheme for
> any locomotive assigned to yard, local, or
> secondary service. 

I was initially going to say it was possibly for 'non-road' power, or as you put it, secondary service. Not sure how secondary service is defined but I've definitely seen photographs of SD75s being used on mainlines on intermodals etc.

exhaustED Wrote:
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> Not sure how secondary service is defined
> but I've definitely seen photographs of SD75s
> being used on mainlines on intermodals etc.

The difference is the horsepower rating.  High-horsepower units, 4,000 HP and above get H3. The "intermediate" fleet, 3,999 HP and below gets H4.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/20 11:07 by MP555.

MP555 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> exhaustED Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Not sure how secondary service is defined
> > but I've definitely seen photographs of SD75s
> > being used on mainlines on intermodals etc.
>
> The difference is the horsepower
> rating.  High-horsepower units, 4,000 HP and
> above get H3. The "intermediate" fleet, 3,999 HP
> and below gets H4.

SD75s are 4300-4500hp but get H4.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/20 11:45 by exhaustED.

exhaustED Wrote:
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> SD75s are 4300-4500hp but get H4.

They probably still are at 4300-4500 hp, but are rated in the computer at 3999hp. A lot of the SD70MACs and 600 series Dash9s are listed as such in the computer.

Brian_P said:
"There is no wye". Well sorry to let you know that at one time there was a wye there, what's left is the North leg of the
wye.

Out

arizonaBNSF Wrote:
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> exhaustED Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > SD75s are 4300-4500hp but get H4.
>
> They probably still are at 4300-4500 hp, but are
> rated in the computer at 3999hp. A lot of the
> SD70MACs and 600 series Dash9s are listed as such
> in the computer.

Thanks for the clarification.