Eastern Railroad Discussion > White Roof on Q517

Second unit CSXT 8818 had a white roof. Attempt at cheap AC?

DRF

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I think that it is to make the cab more visible for late night chicken deliveries.

A white roof on the cab will reduce the summertime cab temperatures a few degrees and some of the units are also getting a heat reflective insulation material added before the painting.

While not as effective as an operating AC unit, it should help crew comfort a little bit (especially on a 100+ degree day in south GA)...

By the way, NS is doing it also! They have a white top C39-8 and even a C40-9 (which already has an AC unit!!!)...

- BCM

...that although I understand the reasoning, and certainly empathize, aesthetically the white roofs on CSX units are horrible. Looks fine on the NS, however. Spend the dough and put in enough AC to at least allow for the leaders to have one.

Who cares what they look like. I doubt CSX gives a squat what onlookers think of their paint as long as their crew stays a little more comfortable.

For a second there, I thought that was the one I saw last week at UP's Proviso Yard outside Chicago...Nope

KJ Larson;UPRR
Chicago

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You should see out in Cumberland. I am seeing at least 2-3 white roof units a day. Engines that i was on days ago are now emerging out of the shops with white roofs.I have seen them on SD50's, SD40-2's, MOW pumpkin GP40's, SD60m and i's, and even SD70MAC's. Strangely, I have not seen very many GE's with it. Get your shots now, the rest won't be blue forever!


-John Zuna

The fallacy here is that the white is only effective if it is kept clean. Once covered with grime, you basically back to square one.

Do you think CSX or NS is going to bother to clean the cab roofs?

lol....you're 100% correct.

kjl