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Post by bessemerbob on Mar 29, 2018 13:01:32 GMT -5
Just looking to gather all the tests the URR has done over the years.
As we know the URR has been testing out some GE B40-8 locomotives, and it got me to thinking about past tests as well.
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Post by bessemerbob on Mar 29, 2018 17:01:00 GMT -5
Anybody know what units where done in the GP38 test a few years back.
I never did see any pictures, I know they were in rough shape and were sent back after the first test run.
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Post by URR566 on Mar 29, 2018 22:33:18 GMT -5
I don't really recall them ever really testing anything from builders. Other than the modern stuff...
Waaaaaay back in the day, they tested the Baldwin-Westinghouse Blue Goose gas turbine, but I don't recall what year that was.
There is a picture in the Morning Sun Bessemer book, showing a four unit set of B&LE SD9's at Duquesne in April 1983 (845, 839, 843, 847). The caption states that they were testing these engines in road service. Presumably as a replacement for the Buffaloes which were retired by then. I know nothing more, and don't understand why they tested four Bessemer SD9's when they already owned four of their own at the same time(?).
We move on to 1993 when three SD9's came from the Bessemer (844, 845, 847). They originally tested in road service on slab runs as double units but eventually found their way to the Coal Docks where they would remain on lease until they were retired.
Then theres the Genset tests of 2011. I believe this started because US Steel received grant money from the state to reduce emmisions in their mills, and they decided to try replacing the engines at ET with Gensets. They were looking to test four units from four different builders: NRE (whose only demo at the time was sold to ADM or Cargill I believe prior to the test so they didn't have one to lend the U), Brookville Equipment Company sent BMEX 259, a BL20CG, RJ Corman Railpower sent RPRX 2010, classified as a RP20BD, and finally Progress Rail gave their number 2009, a PR22B. I believe the original plan was to have one engine demo at ET, and another demo on the URR for a week or two, then swap them. The first two were the Brookville and Railpower units which tested in March 2011 on slab trains. The Brookville engine ended up being the least sucessful genset tested overall, and the Railpower was presumably the best. I never heard what the thoughts were on the Progress unit. It tested in October 2011 and took rebuilt coke racks from North Bessemer to Clairton, and gons to the Hump.
Then we have the B40-8 tests that are occuring now.
I can't think of anything else ever testing on the Union. They did request special order engines from GE and EMD but those were rejected by said builders.
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Post by URR566 on Mar 29, 2018 22:45:46 GMT -5
Going back to the April 1983 SD9 testing, I wonder if they were thinking of going with rebuilding ex- Missabe SD9's like the Bessemer 844-847, or even the Missabes own SD-M program. If you think about it the Missabe had a ton of SD9's available. The 1993 tests also used rebuilt SD9's. By then the Missabe SD-M program was finished but only by a year or two. Maybe then they thought of rebuilding a few more for the Union, or buying a couple from the Missabe. I believe the Missabe began purging SD-M's around 95 so it isn't too much of a stretch to think that a couple few could maybe run on the Union.
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Post by bessemerbob on Mar 30, 2018 7:24:07 GMT -5
I am going to see what I can find on the GP38 test from a few years back.
All I can remember is they came to the URR out of storage, where in really rough shape, and failed mechanically on the first test run and were sent back immediately.
The most successful replacement for the MPs so far would have to be the ex B&LE SD38-2s...
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Post by URR566 on Mar 30, 2018 10:52:18 GMT -5
I have a pic of the GP38's in front of Hall I will give their numbers later. They were 2200 series GMTX leasers. All I ever heard was they tried running 110 car ore train and couldn't do it. Took a smaller train and the crew didn't like them, they were put away at Hall and never touched again. I would say the SD38's were too big so not a good replacement. Ran good but too big to do much else. Now the 60 and 61 were a bit better. They didn't derail that I know of and could be mixed with switchers, I never saw a 38 mixed with switchers. The 60 was the better unit, 61 was a junker from what a friend of mine who is a former diesel man told me. There will never be a more perfect locomotive for them than a MP15. You have versatility visibility and ok power for what it is.
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Post by bessemerbob on Mar 30, 2018 13:56:14 GMT -5
Only issue on the MP is the lack of Dynamics.
Like the avatar!
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Post by northbessemer on Mar 30, 2018 21:34:05 GMT -5
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Post by bessemerbob on Mar 31, 2018 7:22:19 GMT -5
40yr rule does not apply to locomotives.
40yr rules also does not apply to cars built after a certain date, which I can not remember.
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Post by northbessemer on Mar 31, 2018 18:00:39 GMT -5
If the 40 y/o rule applied to us, we'd be in the glue factory!  |
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Post by URR566 on Apr 6, 2018 15:15:29 GMT -5
I never did say the numbers of the GP38's they tested, they were GMTX 2216, 2226, and 2233.
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Post by bessemerbob on Apr 6, 2018 20:30:39 GMT -5
All former PC units.
Word is they were all in very poor shape when they came onto the property, just like the B40-8s.... Very odd world of the modern leasing company, you would think they would have things in good shape before coming onto URR property.
From what I found on the GP38 testing is that the folks at Hall spent weeks getting them running. On the first attempt to pull a train out of North Bessemer one unit shut down and would not re-start.
That ended the testing
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