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Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
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Author:  Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Wed Jun 14, 2023 6:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... t-america/

BNSF Railway has donated former Santa Fe B40-8W No. 537 to the non-profit Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA). The unit was delivered to the RRHMA shop in Silvis this week.

No. 537 was constructed by General Electric for Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe in October 1990 as part of its “Super Fleet” of new EMD and GE diesels painted in Santa Fe’s famous Warbonnet passenger diesel paint scheme revived by Mike Haverty, the railroad’s then-president. AT&SF was the only railroad to order the B40-8W. No. 537 is the first of the type to be preserved, although the model is still operated by four short lines in addition to BNSF.

(More info at the link.)

Image
Author:  hullmat991 [ Wed Jun 14, 2023 6:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
Huh... That is an oddly small set of trucks for a locomotive of that size; had to check up on the class to see if it was normal. To my surprise they are but could not find any reasoning for using two axle trucks instead of the normal three of the dash 8s.

Congrats to RRHMA on acquiring another locomotive for the roster. Once cleaned up and inspected I wonder what the plans for it will be.
Author:  New773 [ Wed Jun 14, 2023 8:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
A few SD50’s still linger for someone to snatch up and save.
Author:  Overmod [ Wed Jun 14, 2023 9:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
The two-axle ZWT trucks were supposed to be better at high speed on really hot intermodal trains.
Author:  Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Wed Jun 14, 2023 9:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
hullmat991 wrote:
Huh... That is an oddly small set of trucks for a locomotive of that size; had to check up on the class to see if it was normal. To my surprise they are but could not find any reasoning for using two axle trucks instead of the normal three of the dash 8s.

Congrats to RRHMA on acquiring another locomotive for the roster. Once cleaned up and inspected I wonder what the plans for it will be.


The odd look of the Santa Fe B40-8W (officially, "Dash 8-40BW"), like a linebacker wearing ballet slippers, was distinctive enough when they ran in the original red/yellow/silver Santa Fe "Warbonnet" scheme with silver trucks, fuel tank, and reservoirs, as delivered in 1990-91. When the later BNSF scheme was applied as seen here, and the trucks' silver paint got covered by brake dust/sand/dirt, it tended to emphasize the relatively "gap-toothed" appearance of these units.

The article suggests the new owners may aim to use the loco as a PTC-equipped ride-along for their future planned mainline steam, much like most mainline British steam excursions are now "tailed" by a former BR diesel to activate the TPWS (Train Protection & Warning System).
Author:  PMC [ Wed Jun 14, 2023 10:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
I was told at the time that these units, but even more so with the GP60Ms, rode like bucking broncos because the wide cabs were too heavy for two-axle trucks. They had borrowed some CN GP40s with the wide cab before ordering and found them satisfactory. The Santa Fe had a number of shorter piggyback trains that made them a lot of money then, especially the 199/991 pair, both UPS trailers, and four axle units accelerated faster with them. I don't believe any GP60Ms have been saved yet.
Author:  hullmat991 [ Wed Jun 14, 2023 10:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:
The article suggests the new owners may aim to use the loco as a PTC-equipped ride-along for their future planned mainline steam, much like most mainline British steam excursions are now "tailed" by a former BR diesel to activate the TPWS (Train Protection & Warning System).


Thanks for the info - both on the trucks and the intended purpose of the loco. The link just spits me out to the "subscribe" page for the site; must have used all of my free articles for the time being.
Author:  Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Wed Jun 14, 2023 11:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
hullmat991 wrote:
Thanks for the info - both on the trucks and the intended purpose of the loco. The link just spits me out to the "subscribe" page for the site; must have used all of my free articles for the time being.


So subscribe already. You'll miss it if it goes away.
Author:  LeoA [ Wed Jun 14, 2023 11:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:
hullmat991 wrote:
Thanks for the info - both on the trucks and the intended purpose of the loco. The link just spits me out to the "subscribe" page for the site; must have used all of my free articles for the time being.


So subscribe already. You'll miss it if it goes away.


I subscribe, yet regularly get the same error telling me that I've ran out of articles. I then log out and view it as a guest.

Once or twice I've not been allowed to view the Newswire either as a subscriber or guest, and had to resort to the Google cache trick just to read the darn thing.
Author:  BWills [ Fri Jun 16, 2023 11:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
It is interesting that back in the 90s etc they ran intermodal at faster speeds than now.
They really were into the high speed hot intermodal/TOFC trains which was pretty fascinating to watch and resulted in some interesting power.
Author:  Overmod [ Fri Jun 16, 2023 11:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
I have not yet been able to find documentation and results, but at the 'peak' of high-speed intermodal, UPS was conducting experiments for Z trains so fast they had to lease Amtrak Genesis power to have a locomotive fast enough...

Now that most intermodal has become a 'commodity', I don't expect to see further grand developments in true high-speed freight power. But I can hope that changes...
Author:  Christopher Stone [ Fri Jun 16, 2023 11:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
BWills wrote:
It is interesting that back in the 90s etc they ran intermodal at faster speeds than now.


That's one of the cornerstones of PSR. It doesn't necessarily have to be fast, as long as it's on a schedule. That way they can charge a premium for it!
Author:  scratchyX1 [ Fri Jun 16, 2023 3:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
New773 wrote:
A few SD50’s still linger for someone to snatch up and save.


Aren't some 50s in regular service in North East Pa?
Author:  ironeagle2006 [ Sun Jun 18, 2023 11:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Santa Fe B40-8 537 Donated to RRHMA Silvis
The B-40-8W's during the expansion of Abo Canyon into double track routinely were run over Raton pass hauling the 199-198 and 991-198 trains at passenger train speeds on the Northern Transcon line to make sure that service levels got met for UPS. They would routinely run 79 MPH pulling nothing but articulated TOFC cars. Yeah they did move at extreme speeds but UPS was paying for speed and they got it.
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