Western Railroad Discussion > Newest UPRR SD70M's...Cab Variance...UP5133

A few weeks ago I stated that the newest of the new 70's were the 3800's and 3700's which have caused the renumbering of quite a few SD40-2's. They had builders dates of 5/04 and were delivered in May, June, and July, and were the standard Tier 2 flare type stock 70M as has been being fielded for a couple of years. Same original nose as the earliest ones, same cab interior with analog gauges and 26LUM brakes.

Last night, met a train that had the UP5133 trailing. I was on a train that had a TCS computer on it, so I looked up the total trace, umler record, and blue card on it, indicated it had been interchange delivered late Sept.

Differences: Had the NS style nose modification, and, had computer screens rather than the analog gauges in the rest of the fleet.

In addition, regarding UP5133, though the unit is out working and was delivered in late September, the UMLER record shows a builder's date of 12/04. Maybe this was the originally planned delivery date for the unit, not sure about this discrepancy.

Was pleased that though the unit had the slightly less attractive nose modification, the "FP45" style windshields were retained, as is the case with the NS SD70M's, unlike the gross-ugly GE-lookalike windshields that are on the SD70ACe demos. Hopefully, the upcoming SD70ACe order for the UP will have the FP45 style window glass, also.

I was truly surprised to see the computerized ICE screens on the desk as the unit went by, as stock analog equipment was a major rationale for the original 1000-unit SD70M order. As a hoghead, I do not mind, however...I like the I-screens well enough, and they seem to have been reliable on the SD9043AC's and the C44AC's. Do not know if the unit had electronic airbrakes, which tend to go along with I-screens...the UMLER record stated that it had 26LUM brakes, which would indicate not.

Was wondering if anybody knows how many of the new SD70M's have the computer screens.

No comment, I just like seeing my initials.


TCS - say it agin - tcs

TopcoatSmith Wrote:
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> No comment, I just like seeing my initials.
>
>
> TCS - say it agin - tcs

Are you a Traffic Control System? TCS was the abbreviation the Santa Fe used for what everybody else calls Centralized Traffic Control.

D F W
(aka "Dallas-Fort Worth")

As a matter of fact I am, try to keep up with me sometime, HSR got nuthin' on me ....


TCS - as fast as acela