Western Railroad Discussion > Colorado Pacific Rio Grande RR 27 March 2024

About six Colorado Pacific Rio Grande RR former BNSF, SD70MAC, freshly painted units were sitting at Alamosa, Colorado, on a sunny 27 March 2024.

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At some point these will go to the Colorado Pacific / Towner Line to replace their SD40-2s, so take photos of those while you still can. I'll be headed to Eads myself next week for that reason.

SmokyHillsSwitcher Wrote:
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> At some point these will go to the Colorado
> Pacific / Towner Line to replace their SD40-2s, so
> take photos of those while you still can. I'll be
> headed to Eads myself next week for that reason.

Only 4 of them will head east. 4 will remain in the San Luis Valley along with the recently painted 631. The other 2 of the 10 will be used as a parts source. Ben

Has anyone made sense out of their locomotive numbering system yet?   There must be some logic to their three digit numbers on these units but I have not figured it out yet.

i forget , like the area codes they do buisness in

dan Wrote:
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> i forget , like the area codes they do buisness in

That is what I have heard also... Ben

I know Ben, pretty sure I'm the one who told you that lol. What I meant was the ones pictured will go east. Only those stenciled Colorado Pacific Rio Grande will work on the Colorado Pacific Rio Grande. Liam



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/24 08:35 by SmokyHillsSwitcher.

thanks for your infos!

Couldn't convince IPH that 6 axle power does not play nice with the 16 degree curves on the mountain. Rio Grande did not allow 6 axle power on this line either. 

Hope they don't learn a lesson the hard way.

old iron on the hill, arn't todays 6 axle trucks easier on the impact?

and inspite of the ban sd45's did make to alamosa, from picture evidence



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/24 16:17 by dan.

xrds72 Wrote:
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> Couldn't convince IPH that 6 axle power does not
> play nice with the 16 degree curves on the
> mountain. Rio Grande did not allow 6 axle power on
> this line either. 
>
> Hope they don't learn a lesson the hard way.

Those are radial trucks on those MACs. Should be just fine. More info than you could ever want in this old thread--

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,1087629

Posted from Android

Actually, radial trucks may have helped but only a very little. The 90MAC's IP ran were still extremely hard on the track, even after we put a lot of ties in and relaid some rail. 

not due to their weight?  are cars allowed to be maxed out down there?

xrds72 Wrote:
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> Actually, radial trucks may have helped but only a
> very little. The 90MAC's IP ran were still
> extremely hard on the track, even after we put a
> lot of ties in and relaid some rail. 

So,,,,,,about 420,000 pounds each didn't have any affect on crappy track?

I was referring to the better track on the mountain. 115/132# CWR on wood ties with a good ballast section. We put in many new ties and relaid some of the rail and I was still worried running those engines there. 

xrds72 Wrote:
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> I was referring to the better track on the
> mountain. 115/132# CWR on wood ties with a good
> ballast section. We put in many new ties and
> relaid some of the rail and I was still worried
> running those engines there. 

Why? Because they were so heavy? On the other hand, the Alaska Railroad has experienced EXCELLENT performance on their curves with the units having the HTCR Radial truck, especially in locations where 3 axle trucks were previously restricted.

HotWater Wrote:
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> xrds72 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I was referring to the better track on the
> > mountain. 115/132# CWR on wood ties with a good
> > ballast section. We put in many new ties and
> > relaid some of the rail and I was still worried
> > running those engines there. 
>
> Why? Because they were so heavy? On the other
> hand, the Alaska Railroad has experienced
> EXCELLENT performance on their curves with the
> units having the HTCR Radial truck, especially in
> locations where 3 axle trucks were previously
> restricted.

Yes indeed, when I was General Foreman Alaska Railroad Anchorage Shops we had excellent luck with the 70Mac's and the radial trucks, especially on the south end with heavy grades and sharp curves. We had less flange wear on those Mac's than the Geeps. I thought they were great. If we did see wheel profile issues we knew we had a truck problem to address (which up to about 650,000 miles was rare). We were told they were million mile trucks (between overhauls). I don't think they should have gone that long and we were apprioaching that when I left in 2009. There is a good chance some went way over that based on the plan and budget going into 2010 but I don't know. We did try to keep them off the sidings and light rail (70# & 90# rail). I loved them !



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/24 17:59 by train1275.