I have a feeling metra may go on a shopping spree. They are desperate for extra motive power at a cheap price. They already picked up all the Amtrak owned f59phi's.....would not be shocked if they picked up the f40s for cheap.....maybe even p40s if the price is right

Looks like that is precisely what they are selling, the numbers match up:

http://www.on-track-on-line.com/amtkrin ... tml#stored

GE won't license aftermarket parts.

The Genesh*ts are worth less than scrap as there are next to no spare parts and they were basecely picked over aftet being declared a lost cause.

The active P40s aren't all on the auto train, nor are they kept there so they can be "taken care of in one place". The ones that are running were rebuilt a few years ago with Tiger grants. They like keeping the P40s on the auto train because they have real air brakes and not eabs like the P42s.

Yeah, for that matter the P30's were also used on the Sunset at the end of their lives as well, but I was trying to be brief. I haven't kept up with the details of Amtrak motive power in the past few years, so my bad, I reached a wrong conclusion. About the air brake thing, are you saying that the P40's on the A-T do not have blended braking because of the auto racks? I know that that train has always operated in freight brake mode because of the mixed equipment.

The P40's have a 26L system with a 30CW brake valve. The P42 fleet has a NYAB electronic air brake system known as CCB1, which basically mimics the operation of a 26L system. Both P40's and P42's are equipped with blended braking, and both are able to be operated in either graduated or direct release (a.k.a "passenger" or "freight" mode).

I've run both on CSX equipment, but always in freight mode, without blended braking. I would like to have tried blended braking, but never did. I did get to try 24 non-self-lapping brakes, which took a great deal of concentration on my part to use for the brief period I ran with them. It's was tough for me to remember to go back to lap after making a reduction.

Why is a 26 brake system a big deal? We have one on one of our narrow gauge center cabs. They are not hard to use or rare

You didn't read my post right, my issue is with non-self-lapping type 24 brakes, 26L is easy. With 24 the air keeps exhausting until you return the handle to lap. And really, once you get used to them it's not that big of a deal either. I just never used them that much for them to become second nature, because I was so used to 26L. The advantage of 24 is that you can take less than 6-8lbs. for a minimum reduction. Really handy if you're stretch-braking a passenger train downgrade.

Here's an interesting example of how and why communication is important in this field.

I contacted one party that, by mission statement, should have had a keen interest in one or more pieces being offered, and asked some questions about logistics and whether they could use my help in transporting them if they got them.

The response was, to paraphrase, "What are you talking about??"

I had to forward them the list and Amtrak contact info.

NOW they're writing the letters in question.

Another party, that I contacted about the Santa Fe bilevels, pointed out "nobody who knows what they're doing will want these for operation unless they can hunt down one of those transition cars as well." They have high-level passageways like the Superliners and are thus incompatible with standard-height cars. And someone else pointed out another fleet of these--the cars being run by the party that took over the ITM operation out of Noblesville..... I wonder how deep their pockets are......

Come to think of it, I know someone else all of a sudden......

I think it's safe to say the F40PH units stand a good chance at second lives on tourist railroads or as commuter locos possibly. The GE units are good as dead from the sound of it.

Robert

You're in luck!
https://ozarkmountainrailcar.com/railEq ... 0Equipment


CD

I prefer non self lapping myself. Most of the engines I work with have either 6ET or K14F (because putting 26 on a steam engines is a sin). Only one has a 26L.

My question was more general, not directed, why is it such a big deal if the P40's have 26L? Its neither uncommon, nor hard to use. But I have heard "The P40's will never run again because they have a different brake system" many many many times over the last 10 years.

I really am not that familiar with more recent Amtrak equipment to comment on that. My training was all on 26L (traditional and desktop, and Knorr electronic [NYAB]). At the time, the CSX engine school in Cumberland had an air brake "lab", and air brake theory instruction was a full week of the school. So, no one think that being an expert at "Train Sim" qualifies one to actually run a train.

As for knowing of only one steam locomotive with 26L, I know NKP 765 does, and has had it since at least the early 1990's. They keep it in freight mode. Matter of fact, my understanding is that just about every large tourist operation runs their trains in freight mode, rather than passenger. I believe Age of Steam GTW 4-8-4 #6325 also has 26L. I was in the cab once when it was doing a photo run-by 15 years ago, and that is my memory of it. Perhaps AOS Pacific #1293 also has 26L, not sure. I'm thinking probably UP #844 does as well, since it is usually paired with a Diesel assist unit, and 26L might be a requirement for that. There is #844 cab ride video out there that would show that.

ATSF 2926 has 26L also.