Western Railroad Discussion > I Guess The BNSF SD-9s will be around a while!

Hello, this afternoon I caught the BNSF Madison Turn, a daily transfer between BNSF Lindenwood Yard and The TRRA Madison Yard and return. What caught my was BNSF SD-9 #6128 third in the consist. When looking over my images this evening I noticed that the #6128 has had yellow reflective stickers applied. I decided to post an image of BNSF #6128 since a Hi-Nose SD-9 with this treatment is not all that common. I geuss this means BNSF plans keeping the SD-9s around a while.
Take Care
Mike

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That is one nice looking unit. Great touch with "Old Glory"

What's that bulge above the BNSF?

Dynamic brakes.

brassjournal Wrote:
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> What's that bulge above the BNSF?



Those are the dynamic brake grids with the two grid fans on top of that.

The grids are like the wires in a toaster which are used to dissapate the heat generated by the traction motors when using dynamic braking. The two grid fans suck ambient air through the grids and, for lack of a better term, exhaust the heat out the top of the carbody to keep them (the grids) cool.

It use to be that 6 axle engines had 2 grid fans and 4 axle engines had one grid fan but that's not the case any more.

If the grids do not get enough cool air through them they will melt and that is a fireworks show all in itself especially at night.


steamjocky

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> What's that bulge above the BNSF?


Ouch, does that make anybody else feel old?

Yes, and I'm only 33.

Mautner Wrote:
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> Hello, this afternoon I caught the BNSF Madison
> Turn, a daily transfer between BNSF Lindenwood
> Yard and The TRRA Madison Yard and return. What
> caught my was BNSF SD-9 #6128 third in the
> consist. When looking over my images this evening
> I noticed that the #6128 has had yellow reflective
> stickers applied. I decided to post an image of
> BNSF #6128 since a Hi-Nose SD-9 with this
> treatment is not all that common. I geuss this
> means BNSF plans keeping the SD-9s around a
> while.

I wouldn't necessarily count on that...I'm sure those reflective stripes are
pretty cheap...railroads have been known to repaint engines, then retire them
shortly afterwards.

Isn`t this the unit that BNSF spent alot of money on rebuilding? I think it has a computer and is quite different now.

Case in point refering to four axle motors, the MP36's which Metra and Caltrain employ in commuter service have two dynamic fans. In the case of the Caltrain units which have CAT motors supplying HEP power, they have a fan for that engine as well, along with the three radiator fans for cooling the prime mover.

Love that growl the fans make when in dynamics :-)

Good to see a old warhorse like a SD9 still in service.


Steamjocky Wrote:
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> It use to be that 6 axle engines had 2 grid fans
> and 4 axle engines had one grid fan but that's not
> the case any more.
>
> If the grids do not get enough cool air through
> them they will melt and that is a fireworks show
> all in itself especially at night.
>
>
> steamjocky

What is the green unit behind it? FURX?

brassjournal Wrote:
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> What's that bulge above the BNSF?

That's the receiver so Karl Rove can operate it remotely.

Sparkchaser,
This unit is not one of the four SD9's completely rebuilt to what BNSF calls SD9-3's. Those units are easy to spot due to being chopnosed with a more spartan looking cab. Numbers are 6100, 6135, 6176, 6199 It appears the #6128 did receive some extensive work before being repainted a few years ago. Note the anti-climber on the front and SD40 style trucks.
I watched #6128 roll out of the Omnitrax paint booth here in Loveland, CO on 9/3/2000. A few workers gave it a good looking over in the sunshine before one of them grabbed a ladder and touched up the orange paint on top of the cab. At that time, there were SD9's in the Loveland yard of the Great Western in four different paint schemes; GW, NWP, BNSF, and BN. Not bad for the 21st century!

nice picture Mike. i like the "storm light" background!

Why do the SD 9's have the high nose?

They came built like that for GN and CB@Q. How many are left on the roster? WHY was the rebuild program halted?
What a mistake. Two SD-9 make some of the best yard power. Two of those can pull the world around the yard or transfer jobs buddy.

Rail1

Waybiller Wrote:
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> brassjournal Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What's that bulge above the BNSF?
>
> That's the receiver so Karl Rove can operate it
> remotely.
>

FUNNY! Also, nicely done roster shot! I was just watching one of NS's last SD9s (ex-NKP) working at Sandusky on the dock line a week ago. Gonna miss 'em when they're finally gone (hope not soon).

If you take a closer look this SD9 does not have anti-climbers on it. It does have the rebuilt SD40 style trucks though. This unit is a former Colorado & Southern SD9 that was built toward the end of the SD9 production era. There are many SD9's that have both the anti-climber and the rebuilt trucks and some are still in green (The 6184 is such).

Don't think they will be around forever, one railfan picture site has some at NRE in Silvis and one is in BNSF colors. Have not been able to confirm if they have been sold or not but it doesn't look good.

SD9's are about the best yard/work train power around!

Regards
Q-GP30