I recently had an inquiry about the feasibility of converting an EMD 567B engine to the 567BC configuration. My first reaction was that the organization with the engine waited about 50 years too long to consider this, it was common up to the 1960s, but there are so few 567B engines left now that I am not aware of any rebuilder doing this work any longer.

So I thought I would put it out on this forum and see if any of you are aware of any engine rebuilder still offering the 567B to 567BC conversion package. Please confine it to those that you know for certain have actually have done this job recently. The ones that "used to" are already well known.

PC

Last time I spoke to Hatch & Kirk they said they were still offering everything to do so. My initial thought was surprise as well..

I also talked with H&K earlier this year regarding the B block in our SW9. Had a very good conversation. In the end, what I gathered is that if we are going to go that far, we are probably better off finding a complete 567C or, even better, a 645. Better not because of power or anything, but for parts availability. Even if you do an AC or BC conversion, you still retain parts that are getting scarce (ie heads). A few years ago I had to pull all 12 power packs to do liner seals (surprise), and had to go through 3 sources just to get all the seals I needed in a weeks time. Since we rely on this locomotive heavily, for tourist excursions and our seriously increasing freight, we have to consider a non original, under the hood upgrade. Original is only good if you can rely on it.

Thanks to both of you for helping out here.

Yes, we are rapidly coming to the "end of the line" on anything that requires 567B or earlier power assembly components. There was an outfit that used to take 645 heads, braze a plug in the water outlet, and re-machine the ledge to make it suitable for a 567B or earlier engine, but I have not seen that service available in many years.

I will let the group that inquired know to contact H&K.

The 567 engine parts availability issues would be worthwhile to discuss again at some future HRA (ATRRM) conference. There was a review of this at the 2007 meeting at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, but the supply situation has deteriorated significantly with the passing years.

PC

As an aside, for a museum it would be a really interesting display to run a newer (parts available) engine, with the older engine on display with documentation on how an engine works. Just a thought. =)

I cant imagine why anybody in this day would indeed go through all the time and work to upgrade a B, when C blocks, and even 645s at this point are so readily available.

I imagine there will always be a demand for the parts, but prices will continue to go up. Gaskets and the like can be farmed out easily, but the bigger things... Start stocking up now.

I am just happy to still get 278 parts. But I guess they had more of an export basis then the early EMDs.

Back in the mid-1950s. EMD had a cutaway 567B engine that had been converted to a 567BC on one cylinder bank while the other cylinder bank was the original 567B parts and crankcase configuration. They took it to many trade shows to advertise their upgrade service at the branch warehouses, converting earlier engines to the later configuration. It would have made a great museum display, but like so many of the EMD trade show cutaways and training aids, it went to scrap.

PC

When I looked into this last summer, even the cost of C block and 645 running take outs was almost not worth it. 16 cyl engines were easy and cheap to get. 12s were very few and pricy. 8s were almost extinct and 6s were almost unheard of. The tugboat guys have been buying up the 12s and 8s. I checked a few comercial O ring suppliers for lower liner seals, but they are unique to EMD. In the end, we can purchase a SW9, SW1200 or GP9 for about the cost of a repower, and that would give us a C block or better, roller bearings, and something easier to get parts for. Since we are not a museum, reliability and ease of maintenance trump preservation.