Stored NS Locomotives in Roanoke, VA

[wazzou]

Not my photo, but found it interesting.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/741546/

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Interesting the number of EMDs vs GEs.

Tells you how well that company has done over the past 20 years or so.

[wazzou]

Interesting the number of EMDs vs GEs.

Tells you how well that company has done over the past 20 years or so.

I think it boils down to fuel efficiency more than anything.

[Missaberoad]

Interesting side note, CP has bought some NS SD80macs to use for parts for their SD70ACu fleet...

Hopefully things will pickup soon and these big storage lines will shrink some... Traffic is up for us, but we are running massive 10,000ft+ trains to save crews... 

[ai5629]

Saw some DC SD70 variants in there.  They are some of my favorites to see on eastbounds climbing the NS ex Conrail Pittsburgh Line West Slope.  They seem to be louder than most other engines when they are in notch 8 climbing a grade.  Go to You Tube and search for “Intense Three Way Train Meet Cassandra PA”.  Turn up the speakers and enjoy the coal train on Track 2.  The SD70M and SD60M are music to my ears.  The D944CW’s in Track 1 are pretty good too.  This is my favorite sounding video on You Tube.   Thanks.

Jeff

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Saw some DC SD70 variants in there.  They are some of my favorites to see on eastbounds climbing the NS ex Conrail Pittsburgh Line West Slope.  They seem to be louder than most other engines when they are in notch 8 climbing a grade.  Go to You Tube and search for “Intense Three Way Train Meet Cassandra PA”.  Turn up the speakers and enjoy the coal train on Track 2.  The SD70M and SD60M are music to my ears.  The D944CW’s in Track 1 are pretty good too.  This is my favorite sounding video on You Tube.   Thanks.

Jeff

And I don't think they did much to abate that noise inside either. I believe the term I heard was "thundercabs".

[Hawghead]

A number of factors play into this.  With everyone running longer and longer trains there are fewer trains and so not as many locomotives are required.  Additionally I'll bet most of those are older units in need of overhaul and they are less fuel efficient than new models.

As far as EMD vs. GE,  I'll take GE every time, at least when it comes to AC locomotives.  I liked the old SD 70s but they are all so worn out now the only time we see them is the odd "B" unit, wouldn't want one for a leader.  DC dynamic braking sucks and the SD70s are to light weight for today's heavy trains. They were prone to a lot of wheel slip in both power and dynamics, especially in the rain, and as I operate in the PNW we get a lot of rain.  The newer EMD AC units like the SD 70ACE are junk as far as I'm concerned.  The dynamic brakes feel soft like the old DC units, and the quality of workmanship and materials that went into them seems very poor.  An EMD that's more than a year old is falling apart in the cab and riding in one is like sticking your head in a coffee can and holding a vibrating sander against the side of it.  EMD's version of EMS (energy management system or "cruise control") is very unreliable.  I pay more attention to what's happening when "Leader" is running the train then I do when I'm running it myself.  GE's version (Trip Optimizer) is much better and even puts up a speed profile on the PTC screen so I can see what speed the train is going to be at up to six miles ahead and can take corrective action if necessary.  I will admit I do like the gear boxes for the traction motors better on the EMDs than on the GEs.  The EMD version is much quieter than the GEs which howl like a banshee above about 30 mph.

TLDR: Longer = less trains = less locomotives.  Those engines are worn out and not fuel efficient and AC EMDs suck. 

Scott 

[dougnelson]

UP was doing the same thing in Roseville, CA a few years ago.  Interestingly, NS purchased a good number of the UP units and sent them to Altoona for rebuilding with new cabs for new NS locos (I believe they were all EMD).  Did I hear recently that NS has closed its Roanoke shops and moved all work to Altoona?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

UP was doing the same thing in Roseville, CA a few years ago.  Interestingly, NS purchased a good number of the UP units and sent them to Altoona for rebuilding with new cabs for new NS locos (I believe they were all EMD).  Did I hear recently that NS has closed its Roanoke shops and moved all work to Altoona?

That's an affirmative.

[reinhardtjh]

UP was doing the same thing in Roseville, CA a few years ago.  Interestingly, NS purchased a good number of the UP units and sent them to Altoona for rebuilding with new cabs for new NS locos (I believe they were all EMD).

Yeah, NS bought 100 SD90MAC (UP SD9043AC) from UP and another 10 from CEFX and rebuilt them into SD70ACU's.  But they've got 57 stored now due to PSR.

Did I hear recently that NS has closed its Roanoke shops and moved all work to Altoona?

As Ed says.  Yep.  Over 100 years history shut down.  Most workers laid off. Some were allowed to go to Altoona. Not many.

[davefoxx]

As Ed says.  Yep.  Over 100 years history shut down.  Most workers laid off. Some were allowed to go to Altoona. Not many.

Aw, man.  For the ones given the option to be laid off or move to Pennsylvania.  Tough choice. 

DFF

[Mark5]

I saw 200 car trains fairly regularly on N&W (Pokey) when I was growing up, I'm very curious to see how much longer they are now (I plan to head back down there for a visit next year).

https://www.railwayage.com/mechanical/locomotives/ns-shuttering-roanoke-locomotive-facilities

Mark