Man! I can't believe these units are still here! With the lack of leasing units on the market, I'm surprised that these SD70MACs are in storage. Especially with Trump helping the economy, it just doesn't make sense. Oh, well. Thanks for updating us Mike. I sure hope to see the SD70MACs return to service soon.
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Hard to believe this is the result of a number crunching equation where the outcome is determined to be financially sound! Wild catch, Mike!
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Another photo to show how BIG is American railroading. Each one of those locos cost about $1million, last I heard.
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| Posted by Sport! on November 6, 2018 | |
I'm surprised as well. What's the story here?
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Most of they units are well over twenty years old and have been engaged in serious heavy haul service. They are probably all due for a major class overhaul. Look how many are still in factory Grinstein green. I can't imagine there are alot of short lines that these can cascade down to. They were the start of a revolution in U.S. railroading when first delivered.
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Aside from everything that has already been said in the comments, this is also a good example of how durable BN's Executive or Grinstein Green paint scheme really is. As mentioned earlier, these units are 20+ years old and have been running in very tough heavy commodity train service in all weather extremes that whole time, and nearly every unit, nearest the camera at least, looks as thought it was freshly painted within the last few months! When these units got repainted into BNSF's Heritage 2 paint scheme, the heat coming from the unit's own prime movers was enough to literally cook the striping off of their hoods and the units looked very shabby in short order. I'd say BN and early BNSF got their moneys worth out this one and done paint scheme. I wonder how well it would fare on the newest breed of GE's and EMD's
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| Posted by ColmM on November 6, 2018 | |
I sense some more Sd70Mace locos coming.....
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They are coming out. I have seen them everywhere in N.W.lately.Even on the Oregon Trunk,which were very rare here.Caught a Wagon Wheel Grinstien SD70MAC,yesterday leading.
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I saw one going through Grand Rapids, MI on the CSX line from Toledo last week. Bring back the elephants!
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Excellent shot, very evocative. The last time I was in the US these were everywhere - how times change.
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