GREEN RAIL NEWS

GreenRailNews.com “Green” Locomotive Roundup

Edited by Jody Moore of greenrailnews.com

Photo of the month: Belt Railway of Chicago 3GS21B-DE BRC 210 poses at the BRC’s Clearing Yard in Bedford Park, IL in perfect winter afternoon light on Jan. 15, 2012.

ELECTRO MOTIVE DIESEL

David H. Anderson caught the 9915 at West Colton on Jan. 10...

and snapped a photo of the 9916 ten days later in Yermo, CA.

In addition, EMD has begun work on upgrading two UNION PACIFIC SD70ACE locomotives with hardware to make them Tier 4 compliant. UP 8394 was spotted outside the McCook, IL plant with hatches open to show a variety of interesting appliances inside to augment the 710 engine. On Jan. 15, the author found UP 8349 posed outside McCook in similar fashion, and snapped the following photo.

NATIONAL RAILWAY EQUIPMENT

The next four new 3GS21B-DE gensets for CSX TRANSPORTATION (CSXT 1322-1325) have begun rolling out of various NRE facilities. On Jan. 15, the author found CSXT 1323 outside of NRE’s Dixmoor, IL plant.

Outside NRE (Dixmoor IL) on January 22nd, Mike Garza snapped CSX 1323 3GS21B-DE genset awaiting pickup by CSX.

Meanwhile, Joe Ferguson snapped these photos of CSXT 1322 and 1325 outside of Mt. Vernon awaiting pickup.

According to reports, the 1322 is bound for Newark, NJ, and the 1325 is headed for Russell, KY. No word yet on assignments for the 1323 or 1324.

NATIONAL RAILWAY EQUIPMENT 3GS21B-DE demonstrator NREX 2020 is spending the winter in storage in the BELT RAILWAY OF CHICAGO’s Clearing Yard. The author photographed the unit there on Jan. 15.

RAILPOWER TECHNOLOGIES

On Jan. 11, Railpower announced the sale of a fourth RP20BD locomotive to the PORT OF MONTREAL. This comes on the heels of last spring’s announced order for two RP20BD slug mothers, which should begin delivering soon. This will be the fourth locomotive for PofM. It will be delivered during the second quarter of 2012.

Here’s the press release from RJC Railpower: CLICK HERE

The second of UNION PACIFIC’s seven RP20CD locomotives (classed by UP as RP20SD) shipped from Thoroughbred Mechanical Services in Altoona, PA at the end of the year. On Jan. 15, UPY 888 was undergoing shakedown work on a track near the Belt Railway of Chicago’s Clearing Yard engine facility.

The seven locomotives are headed to California. The 888 differs from the other units previously delivered in that it has center cab windows, which were blanked on UPY 894-899.

Compare the 888 to this photo of the 899 taken in Cheyenne, WY back in May 2008:

MODESTO & EMPIRE TRACTION RP20BD MET 2005 was in Belt Railway of Chicago’s Clearing Yard in Bedford Park, IL on Jan. 9.  Jeff Carlson caught this photo of her just before she departed on Union Pacific.

The 2005 made a much faster trip west than MET 2003 and 2004, and was delivered to MET on Jan. 19.

All four units from the recently delivered order for CSX TRANSPORTATION have found their way into yard service in Cincinnati, OH. The author caught them in various places in the yard during a visit to the town on Jan. 19.

RP20CD CSXT 1603 was moving around the north end of the yard near the Hopple Street viaduct, while CSXT 1601 (RP20CD) was tied down on the north side of the viaduct with a Remote Control trailer.

CSXT 1603 (RP20CD) and 1320 (RP20BD) were tied up by the engine house near the Western Hills viaduct. The author managed to get some decent photos of those two units after getting permission to climb up to the roof of the former Midwestern Textiles, Inc. building – an ascent that included a ride in a rickety freight elevator, and a climb up probably the least inspiring 1x4 "ladder" I've ever mounted. Many thanks to the private property owner who entertained my oddball request.

In December, Richard Barnes snapped these photos of Port of Corpus Christi RP14BD number 1401 (moving with RPRX reporting marks) in transit on BNSF. In a shift from previous paterns, the locomotive was built by Relco in Albia, IA under contract with Railpower.

© CRO February 2012