New Norfolk Southern Paint scheme (non-CP related)

[eric220]

Looks kinda D&Hish.

With a little Delaware blue hen feathering.

[Iain]

I'm sure that they have the same large inverter box area behind the conductor's side of the cab that all AC locos do.  BNSF's Dash-9 AC conversions do, and I can't imagine NS did anything different as there's not really any other place you'd want to put that equipment at.

Functionally, and appearance-wise, these differ little from AC4400CWs.  NS never ran those, but our Dash-9 conversions look very nearly the same as our AC4400CW fleet, except BNSF went with C4-style A1A trucks.

Wait, as in, center axle is idle A1A?

[Hyperion]

I didn't know BNSF was doing this too.  Any pics of those anywhere?

We did GEs testing on them for a bit over a year, and started getting production units in the past few months.  Ultimately set to do 100 of them in the near term.

Wait, as in, center axle is idle A1A?

Yeah.  1100 of BNSF's GE EVOs are ES44C4s -- virtually every locomotive purchased in the last several years.  6-axle units with 4 combos.  The middle position of each truck contains an idler.  BNSF also tested EMD's similar version of the ACe for a few years, but never ordered any in quantity.

For the Dash-9 AC conversions we also opted for the same combo arrangement.

[Leggy]

No idea why, only ever hear complaints about the C4s on BNSF. There are 20 SD70ACe-P4s on BNSF (8500-8519) but I don't think they've actually turned a wheel in revenue service.

[Spikre]

 
   NS  got their 1st AC power with the CR Split in 1998/99 or so.
   recall they got most of the SD80MACs.
     Edit-- recently they bought the rest of the SD80MACs from
   CSX as part of their Up-Gradable Unit buying spree.
   Thanks John !!
    NS has been wheeling and dealing Locos for awhile,easy to
    get mixed up.
     Spikre
       

[reinhardtjh]

   NS  got their 1st AC power with the CR Split in 1998/99 or so.
   recall they got most of the SD80MACs.
   a couple or years ago they bought the rest of the SD80MACs from
   CSX as part of their Up-Gradable Unit buying spree.
     Spikre
       

Actually, it was just earlier this year.  They traded 12 SD40-2 (rebuild sd40's they also got from Conrail) for the remaining 12 SD80MAC that CSX had.  CSX had gotten 13 but one was wrecked. NS got 17 originally.  So now they have 29 total.

[bnsfdash8]

Wouldn't the GP38ACs from the NW and SOU count as the first AC units?

[Leggy]

Nope, pre 90s the AC suffix EMD used was for alternators vs generators, they still used DC traction motors.

[bnsfdash8]

Nope, pre 90s the AC suffix EMD used was for alternators vs generators, they still used DC traction motors.

Thanks for the info.

[Bob Bufkin]

I must be one of the few who does not really like that paint scheme.  The colors are all right but I'm no that crazy about the lighting bolt AC thing. 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

NS already has a perfectly good paint scheme...
http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/4/7/6/6476.1331905246.jpg

[C855B]

NS already has a perfectly good paint scheme...
http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/4/7/6/6476.1331905246.jpg

Feeling a little blue, are we? 

[GaryHinshaw]

NS already has a perfectly good paint scheme...

I thought you were going to post this one:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=513565&nseq=3

[Spikre]

 
   Think that the use of "Lightning Bolts" mean the AC Traction Motors
   don't have any Brushes.
    but maybe they mean something else ?
     Spikre
         

[Robbman]

I had always heard that NS was adverse to AC power .. nice looking unit

They were, then Tony Ingram went to CSX.  After that, the floodgates opened