I took this picture on Monday April 5th right out in front of my house in Tamaqua PA. I just started seeing this unit recently (maybe around a month or so ago.) Looks to be Union Pacific SD-40? I can't make out the numbers on the side either. Anyone have any info?

There have been reports that Reading & Northern have been procuring ex-UP SD40-2's to supplement/replace the SD50's, which have been a somewhat less than successful "replacement" for their fleet of various U-boats......

Considering that both NS and CSX have, as I recall, made modifications/rebuilds to their SD50's to downrate them and basically turn them into what amount to SD40-2's, this should hardly be that much of a surprise......

We bought the U.P. 3066 and 3426 at auction last summer. The 3066 which is now the 3057 entered service about a month ago. The 3426 is in the shop now being worked on, and will be the 3058. The 3057 received alot of work from the shop before being released. The SD-50s are listed for sale but i doubt they will be sold. As for unsuccessful replacements for the GEs........hardly. The big EMDs are FAR better then the GEs ever were.

Isn't the newly painted and relettered blue #426 that they use on the Lehigh Gorge train rides an SD-50?

And why are the SD-50's listed for sale?

Yes it is. And as for why they are for sale.......why not?.........They are more expensive to keep running, and harder on parts then sd-40s.

Yeah that's true. I hardly see any of the SD-50's running through Tamaqua anymore. I used to see 5014, 5017, 5022, 5033, and 5049.. but now it's once in a couple days I see one of them.

I also just saw on Reading & Northern's website that the SD-50's are for sale for $295,000 each.

Holy crap!! That's a hell of a mark up!

foam - n/c

How much did they pay for the SD-50's?

I would say, but then they'd hafta fire me. We did put a lot work into them however.

Well, now we all know which house Len lives in in Tamaqua.

Ahh I understand. I guess it was stupid of me to ask.. sorry my bad. Did they get any takers yet?

And Wowak, I'm not Len.

No.

Excuse me, but I was not aware that SD40-2 and SD50 locomotives fell into the railway preservation category. Similarly, seeing something go by my house and talking about it here does not seem to be about railway preservation. This discussion is banter between two people, more than discussion of railroad preservation. If I am wrong, please correct me.

Otherwise I request that you end this discussion here and take it offline or to another forum.

Although not really preservation, the ranks of SD40-2 and SD50s are falling fast (Esp. the 50s)

But no one wants those engines... until the last one is sitting in some shortline's backyard about to get scrapped.

Just sayin'