The last surviving Krauss Maffei ML4000C'C' diesel-hydraulic; Southern Pacific #9010 is now live at the Niles Canyon Railroad. She officially has the only Maybach MD870 in The United States if not all of North America. She was one of less than 20 of this class built for the Southern Pacific because they couldn't get any locomotive builder to produce a 4000HP locomotive. I don't want to give inaccurate information, so please check out the Niles Canyon's page about the locomotive linked below. She won't be pulling trains for a while until they can get her restoration work completed. They didn't think the engine had any chance of running, and it just so happens to run GREAT! The other 2000HP Maybach V16 is not operable, and is missing the rest of the equipment to power the forward truck, so she will only be able to run at half capacity.

YouTube Video
SP #9010 Informational Page

Great to see and hear, and this is coming from a strong steam fan!

Two things stood out. One was that this is an engine rated at 2,000 hp, and yet it's not that large, not compared to a 16-567 (or a 16-645), or a 251. It also sounded different, like a bulldozer or truck engine, perhaps a Mercedes engine!

Now, after all you guys have done with this unit, and all the enthusiasm it's taken to get this far, I will express confidence that some time, you will either replace the No. 1 engine or get it to run, and you'll get the transmission components, too.

Not saying you have to do this, mind you, but saying you will do it!!

I know this is a repeat thread as it was talked about earlier but thank you for making this one. The other was getting bogged down with off subject talk. I want to add their facebook link as they are very active with their page, with regular updates on the status of the work being done. https://www.facebook.com/Southern-Pacif ... 164738195/

The reality is that there has been little or no opportunity in North America, until now at least, to exploit a key advantage to double-engine locos in preservation in Europe: One can run a preserved double-engine diesel perfectly well for most excursion line needs on a single engine, thus saving both wear and fuel. This is routinely done with the preserved British Rail Class 52 Westerns (1,350 hp on one engine, 1,000 hp at rail-head) and Class 55 Deltics (1,650 hp on one engine), with a second engine online only for main line running or for "showing off" at special events.

In theory this could be done with an EMD E8/E9, and I believe it was done on the Blue Mountain & Reading with PRR 5898/5706 and possibly the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern when they got 5898. There aren't that many other excursion lines hot to operate an E8/E9, even though they are said to be relatively over-engineered as far as horsepower output, which would make for a more enduring locomotive long-term (say, compared to the comparatively overtaxed, high-RPM F40PH).

I don't know how much is left in the carbody for the 9010 group to work with, but I feel confident that if the idea were pursued AND an opportunity for occasional main line running were to evidence itself, the restoration/rebuilding of the 9010's second engine and transmission is certainly a possible option, though they will easily be forgiven if they retain a sensible "good enough" approach for now!

Mr Mitchell,

Not to drag this off the 9010, but I hope you mean mainline running, as it is normal in preservation to run centercab switchers with 1 engine if the HP is not needed to pull the train.

Rich C.