Norfolk Southern buying Union Pacific SD9043MACs

[reinhardtjh]

On NSDash9.com's Facebook page a picture posted with the following:

SD9043MAC's Coming! Norfolk Southern has worked a deal to acquire, via EMD/Progress Rail, 100 of Union Pacific's EMD SD9043MAC locomotives. They will be numbered NS 7230-7329 and will initially be used to help with the current motive power shortage. Eventually, these units will be rebuilt, basically as SD70ACe's, but using the SD9043MAC carbody. A detailed roster page with the former numbers for these units will be posted to my website when the numbers are confirmed: http://www.nsdash9.com/roster.html

[lock4244]

Wow. Too bad GE scrapped all the old U boats they had stored at Erie in the late 80's for the Super7 program... seems NS would have had a field day in there.

It's funny that the few SD9043's that CP has placed back in service generally head down to the NS to pay back HPH. NS must have gotten a taste for the big loafs 

[Leggy]

Apparently they've also bought out the lease on CSX's SD80s so once time is up on that they'll end up on NS. They seem real keen to get as much older power rebuilt as they can before Tier 4 really kicks in.

[reinhardtjh]

They have to keep Juniata busy somehow.

By the comments on that picture, the engineers that have run them sure don't like them much.

[jwb]

From what I've heard, UP had lots of problems with them, and cracked frames were the last straw. They put the 9043s in storage and put standard-cab 8-40Cs back in service instead. NS must figure they know something UP doesn't.

[Leggy]

UP has figured it out also and they're fixing the frame cracking problem (not enough mounts for the fuel tank). NS will completely rebuild them eventually anyway...

[Smike]

Since NS adopted AC technology, pretty much opened the door for these. Cost saving appartently is huge in rebuilding one of these over new, and more so once Tier 4 hits. The rebuild loop hole of only having to comply with a lower tier rating is being exploited by NS to the fullest.

Perfect for me as I love Kato's SD80/90's. One of their best runners.