Nostalgia & History > SP GP9 #3195 with CalTrain F40 #911 August 1985

Shortly after going into service, it was found that CalTrain's brand new F40's had brake problems. While EMD people were working on them, some of SP's commute locomotives were returned to passenger service and double heading with the F40's. The old geeps supplied the brakes, the F40's supplied the needed HEP. Photo at SP's Cahill St. station in San Jose, August 1985.

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that is one clean GP9...

Nice one Drew, thanks for sharing.

I assume you mean air brakes as the 3195 is not equipped with dynamic brakes. Were you ever able to find out what kind of braking problems the F40's had?

JDE

I think (emphasis on that word) the problem was in the brake stands but exactly what was going on, I am not sure. What ever it was, it didn't take EMD to long to fix them as I don't think the SP power was around longer than two or three weeks. I haven't found (not yet anyway) any photos of mine showing San Francisco bound trains but I think they ran locomtotive first during this time. If I find some I will post them.

Perhaps, though not 100% sure, I believe the issue with the brakes may have stemmed from the EP feature in the locomotives and cars. EP for Electro-Pneumatic, which was a holding feature to keep the train stopped while the brake pipe recharged.

Steamjocky Wrote:
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> I assume you mean air brakes as the 3195 is not
> equipped with dynamic brakes. Were you ever able
> to find out what kind of braking problems the
> F40's had?
>
> JDE