In general, how difficult is it to convert a diesel locomotive to alignment control couplers? Does this involve a major rework of the draft gear housing or are the housings of a standard design? What would be the average cost to convert a locomotive with alignment control couplers? I'm not looking for specifics, but some general info. since this is the big issue these days in shipping locomotives.

One other question is why is it so important for locomotives to have alignment control couplers when freight cars do not? I know the reasoning behind ACC but it would seem that the same forces acting on a non ACC equipped loco first out behind the functioning units would also be acting on the long drawbar 89' flatcar first out in the train.

It was discovered during testing that the trucks on locomotives dead-in-tow generate very powerful oscillations ("hunting" is the relevant terminology) which can and do contribute to derailments. Alignment control couplers are designed to reduce the amount of side-to-side motion of the coupler shaft in the draft gear box, and effectively neutralize the effect.

The good news is that not all Class 1s have implemented the alignment control criteria yet. The bad news is eventually they will. I am engaged in the issue right now. I have acquired an Alco switcher which does not have alignment control couplers, and to my knowledge there were no end cab switchers delivered with them: it defeats their designed purpose. One of the Class 1s between my Alco and home, CSX, does not require them ... yet. The other, Norfolk Southern, does.

When my 1st Alco was delivered in early 2008, it was delivered with rubber blocks installed between the shank of the coupler and the draft gear box sides. It came via the same 2 Class 1s. NS now requires alignment control couplers.

If you're in the preservation arena, and old end cab switchers are in your plans, educate yourself on this topic. Find out who does and who doesn't.

There is an option that will allow you to use the original pocket. For now.Some people have just put couplers in with out doing the whole modification. Inspectors are not up on this yet but once something happens everyone will follow UP's lead,specific draft gear couplers Only. (390/391 draft gear ONLY)
The other way to do it is to drop the old pocket and weld a new or used one back in with the correct draft gear and coupler. Larry's truck and Electric sells the whole package at a good price.

Our logistics company moves equipment for our clients on a regular basis. I can tell you that CSX, NS, BNSF & UP all require alignment control couplers and now UP requires alignment control draft gear as well and if you have a heritage unit like an ALCO or F unit that will require a lot of modifications to the coupler pocket. It is really getting to the point where much of the older equipment will be moved by flat car. It is only a matter of time before the Class 1's say they will not move an older locomotive or car just because of it's age.

John Suscheck
Ozark Mountain Railcar
&
Ozark Rail Logistics

What is the mod that requires only a coupler change? I have some f7s to move, and want to know what will be required. thanks

How do places like Larry's Truck Electric manage to move all that older equipment to their place in McDonald, OH? Or has that window of opportunity closed for them as well?

Your ability do a simple coupler swap depends on what the locomotive is equipped with currently. In the past year, we've done several things to get older units up to speed on alignment control. Once or twice the unit had the correct draft pocket, yoke, and draft gear so all we did was swap the coupler. Once or twice we had the correct pocket, but the gear or yoke were wrong so we had to swap it all. I've also looked at one early geep that would require replacement of the complete draft pocket.

Bear in mind that whenever you get into this you usually find wear in the pocket/worn out parts that need to be changed to make the limits on swing correct. You may have the correct yoke and gear, but when you go to swap the coupler you find excessive wear on the tail pin, or bushings in the yoke that fall out! It's seldom just a swap especially if you're doing it right.

The inquiry I made to a couple company (national) revealed that there is no allignment control coupler made to the length or type that will replace what EMD installed in the F-units. Now, I have also been told that with enough money and time a coupler cast with the length needed could be ordered.
They can be moved in special train service.

An interesting note is that the FA power cars the Long Island had apparently were converted to an allignment control couplers on the rear end only. This makes sence since they were used in push service. What I have not seen, is was this done to the rear of the couple ex EMD F-units they had converted also? If so this would yield one of the few examples of how to do this type of conversion to an EMD F-unit.

Rich

Again, that depends on the F unit, when it was built, who it was built for and what they specified for coupler and gear. We are currently working on a NP F9B that has NC380/390 draft gear. We also have an E8 that is the same way. In both instances conversion to alignment control would worst case involve a new yoke/gear, and best case a simple coupler swap.

As I say, ALL Fs and Es DID NOT have the same coupler and draft gear arrangement. Sometimes this is a huge job, and others it is fairly simple. The EMD MIs and volume 90 parts books are a good place to start your investigation. Assuming they were all the same can turn out to be a very costly assumption.