Western Railroad Discussion > Modesto & Empire Traction Grant

Feds apparently gave "$20.5 million to the Modesto & Empire Traction Co. for repowering nine locomotives, replacing their three current engines with a single Tier 4 engine."

I'm guessing this means they are repowering the gensets, and replacing the sw1500s? I only see two sw1500s on the online roster. Also I think more than three engines are current. It's written strangely, I wanted to know if someone here had more info.

-Sam

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Yog-Sothoth Wrote:

> Feds apparently gave "$20.5 million to the Modesto & Empire Traction Co. for repowering nine
> locomotives, replacing their three current engines with a single Tier 4 engine."
>
> I'm guessing this means they are repowering the gensets, and replacing the sw1500s? I only see two
> sw1500s on the online roster. Also I think more than three engines are current.

Each of M&ET's Railpower RP20BD genset locomotives has three Deutz engines in it, and it sounds like they intend to replace those three-engines-per-locomotive with a single prime mover.  Knoxville Locomotive Works does something similar to old NRE 3GS21B's, replacing their three Cummins power plants with a single Tier 4 MTU prime mover.

The M&ET should string wire, and put the traction back in TRACTION!

M-636 Wrote:
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> The M&ET should string wire, and put the traction
> back in TRACTION!

I am sure they will welcome your financial backing to do so.

Note that the only electric traction on the METCO line was one or two battery powered streetcars in the early days.