GREEN RAIL NEWS

GreenRailNews.com “Green” Locomotive Roundup

Edited by Jody Moore of greenrailnews.com

ELECTRO MOTIVE DIESEL:

UNION PACIFIC 9902, an ECO-repowered SD59MX, was noted back at the EMD plant in McCook, IL during the month of September. It is not known yet whether the unit is there for Tier 4+ upgrades, or if it is there for normal work.

Also noted at the McCook plant on Sept. 18, 2012 was EMDX 7101, a GP22ECO demonstrator, which has seen virtually no demonstration service since being constructed back in 2008. The unit has been stored at the EMD plant since at least 2010.

National Railway Equipment (NRE)

NRE Mt. Vernon has delivered a pair of 2GS14B-SW genset locomotives for Gerdau Ameristeel in Midlothian, TX. GASX 2286 and 2287 were in transit on Union Pacific in Pine Bluffs, AR on Sept. 25. The –SW designation in the model number designates that they units have end cabs, similar to demonstrator NREX 1400, which entered service last year.

INDIANA HARBOR BELT has put their first 3GS21C six axle genset, IHB 2160, into service in the IHB’s Blue Island, IL yard. The six axle unit was delivered in August, and was photographed by the author on Sept. 18 just prior to going into service.

Mike Garza snapped the first of four new six axle gensets for Indiana Harbour Belt at  IHB Blue Island Yard, Riverdale Illinois on September 16th. 

Meanwhile, the next unit in the order, IHB 2141, was noted as out of the shop in Silvis, IL and ready to interchange to the Iowa Interstate on Sept. 27. The other two units in the order, IHB 2142 and 2143, are in progress at Silvis. 

BELT RAILWAY of CHICAGO 3GS21B BRC 211 was noted back in service on Sept. 18 following wreck repairs at NRE Dixmoor.  The 211 was involved in a switching accident earlier in the year.

RAILSERVE:

LEAF engine RSSX 1220, one of the first units to be converted, has been transferred to the Ingredion (formerly Corn Products) plant in Bedford Park, IL. The Railserve fleet the new customer there includes several conventional switchers as well.

RAILPOWER TECHNOLOGIES:

PORT OF MONTREAL 1002 was noted in transit on an eastbound CP train at MP 9.0 on the Galt sub on Sept. 25, 2012. The unit is the last of four units ordered by POM across two orders last year. It is coming from Relco in Albia, IA, and will join POM 1001, 1003 and 1004, which have already been delivered from TMS Altoona.

The seven locomotives from UNION PACIFIC’s most recent order for six axle RP20CD gensets are now settling into their duties in Proviso yard near Chicago, IL. Delivery of the units, numbered UPY 887-893 was completed earlier this year. On a recent visit to the yard, the author photographed several of the units at work.

According to AltoonaWorks.info, the following locomotives have been moved to TMS Altoona as cores for the upcoming Rail America order for the DALAS, GARLAND and NORTHEASTERN: TOR 2002; GEXR 4019 (stripped to a frame already); and SJVR 3829. The other two units for the order have not arrived yet.

SIERRA NORTHERN’s kit-built RP20BD genset has been put into service on the Sacramento-area shortline railroad. Following testing around Oakdale, the unit was transferred to Woodland, CA to work on the former Yolo Shortline Railroad trackage there.

©CRO October 2012