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 Post subject: NS F units
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 10:35 pm 

Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 12:54 pm
Posts: 314
With the talk of the Stream Liner Event in Spencer this year, what is going on with NS's 3 "new" F units they bought? I saw a picture of one being towed to Altoona last February and made me think of it.


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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 4:31 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:28 am
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Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
More importantly, will these "new" F units be painted green?

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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 7:44 pm 

Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 12:54 pm
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wilkinsd wrote:
More importantly, will these "new" F units be painted green?

I don't know, but considering they were all marked SOU # etc. I would not be surprised!


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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:18 pm 

Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:27 pm
Posts: 118
They would be nice in green, but they were marked Sou # just for shipping to Altoona. My guess is that those F units would be taken down to the frame and rebuilt from the ground up, they were very rough. Haven't the in-service F units been converted to ac traction? Seem to remember reading that when NS replaced the electrical cabinets in them.

Alan


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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:40 pm 

Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:10 pm
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Location: Iron City
The NS F-units are all conventional DC traction. The B units have had their DC main generators replaced with AR-10 main alternators-the A units have not.

The issue is this: On an F unit, the air compressor is close-coupled to the DC main generator. The AR-10 has no provision for doing this.

Accordingly, the layout of the machinery on the B units was substantially revised in
order to drive the compressor off the free end of the engine. Performing this same modification on the A units will be a challenge on account of space constraints.

Dave

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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 10:04 pm 

Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 2:38 pm
Posts: 215
Location: Roanoke VA
I believe the three units presently stored in Altoona are the three f-units you are talking about 2 "A"s and a single "B"...

Just so we can all see what we are talking about, here are some images of the units being discussed.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 11:46 am 

Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:27 pm
Posts: 118
Thanks Dave for the explanation and Steven for the photos. I understand that one of the electrical panels from an executive F was donated by NS to go in one of the Lackawanna F's at Steamtown. Either way, after those engines go through the Altoona shops they'll look and run great!

Alan


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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 11:50 pm 

Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:58 pm
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Location: Chicago USA
Did the AR10's come with Dash 2 electronics?

Steve


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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:39 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 10:56 am
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Location: Roanoke Va.
Conjecture seems to be popping up here also. From experience I tend to lean towards "Occam's razor". Could it be that these units were simply purchased as "parts cars" for the OCS F-units.......

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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 9:47 am 
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Gary Gray wrote:
Conjecture seems to be popping up here also. From experience I tend to lean towards "Occam's razor". Could it be that these units were simply purchased as "parts cars" for the OCS F-units.......


I would agree that most if not all of these will never see service again.

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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:24 pm 

Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 6:45 pm
Posts: 258
Gary Gray wrote:
Conjecture seems to be popping up here also. From experience I tend to lean towards "Occam's razor". Could it be that these units were simply purchased as "parts cars" for the OCS F-units.......


Quote:
The NS F units share the same basic specifications as a GP38AC or GP38-2 geared for passenger service. They share no major components with original F units.


If the above (from http://www.altoonaworks.info/rebuilds/ns_funits.html) is true, the only things that NS could get as parts are the trucks and the bodies.

The F7b they purchased is clearly lettered as a slug; why would NS purchase a slug to give parts to powered engines when its only components (trucks/traction motors) are available without buying the locomotive and shipping it to Altoona?

If they only bought these for parts, they went to a lot of trouble to get those parts.

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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:43 pm 

Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:10 pm
Posts: 670
Location: Iron City
Quote:
Did the AR10's come with Dash 2 electronics?


No. NS used TMV (microprocessor-based) controls. Observed with my own two eyes.
Altoona works is incorrect.

I wouldn't underestimate JLS's ability to perform just about any task with respect to locomotives-including erecting new locos.

Dave

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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 4:06 pm 

Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:27 pm
Posts: 118
My thinking is that if you're going to tear a loco down to the frame and trucks and get rid of all else, then start on loco's that are already at that point. I don't see where NS needs more executive F's but then again I don't run the company. JLS can make those shells into really nice F38's!

Alan


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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 4:41 pm 

Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:58 pm
Posts: 1346
Location: Chicago USA
Why not an F70PH powered by a 16-710? It would probably go like a rocket.

Steve


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 Post subject: Re: NS F units
PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 5:02 pm 

Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 4:02 pm
Posts: 1742
Location: Back in NE Ohio
Still limited to 79 mph on NS' own tracks and probably 100/110 on the NEC. It's all in the gearing anyway. So, you get the capability of having an A-B-B-B-A set of power with one or two spare A units in case one of the current ones breaks down.


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