NS Stores Locos

[jmarley76]

From WDBJ 7 in Roanoke on 6/13/16...

http://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Norfolk-Southern-stores-locomotives-in-Roanoke-railyard-382834801.html

Interesting to see the mix of engines, lots of SD60's, GP38's, and GE's

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Well, those SD60s are around 30 years old... if business dips, it makes sense they'd go first, along with their contemporary C40-8s.

It sucks seeing the beating railroads are taking due to the global commodities slump. C'mon China, get your ***** together.

[C855B]

Yeah, these down cycles have always been opportunities to purge rosters. There goes yet more variety.

I never, ever imagined I would be saying this, but I am glad I live near the CN now. Variety seems to be their mantra. Here's a recent-ish OMG:

[Ed Kapuscinski]

WHOA, never would've expected to see one of THOSE! And is that a GP40-2W too?

Nuts.

Too bad the fun stuff never leads...

[jmarley76]

That's a nice CN lash-up! 

It is just odd to see something that we normally see moving or associate with motion, sitting still. (and in such quantities)

[lock4244]

WHOA, never would've expected to see one of THOSE! And is that a GP40-2W too?

Nuts.

Too bad the fun stuff never leads...

Looks like 94**, so it's a GP40-2L 

I actually saw CN 2025 leading train 310 today on the east side of Toronto... 2025 being a former CNW C40-8 #8517. Cool stuff leads, bit not like they used to. CN beefed up on 200+ used units for the crude rush, and as well as ordering lots of new GE's, and then it slowed to a trickle. Now all the good stuff is largely stored, and those 175 ES44AC's and 65 or so ET44AC's now on the property lead most trains (so it seems).

Oh well, I shot so many wtf lashups during the height of the crude rush that I really shouldn't complain. It was a once in a lifetime spectacle.

[basementcalling]

Yeah, these down cycles have always been opportunities to purge rosters. There goes yet more variety.

I never, ever imagined I would be saying this, but I am glad I live near the CN now. Variety seems to be their mantra. Here's a recent-ish OMG:

This is Nebraska?

[C855B]

Nyuk nyuk. Closest we get to Nebraska is inside the building 200 ft. away.

[dougnelson]

At the same time in Altoona, NS has purchased hundreds of former UP locos and is rebuilding them at the Juniata Shops with new diesel power and new cabs built by contractor in the Holidaysburg shop. UP retired these units due to new emissions standards. NS is getting a fleet of new locomotives that meet the emission standards at a fraction of the cost of new locomotives.

[jmarley76]

At the same time in Altoona, NS has purchased hundreds of former UP locos and is rebuilding them at the Juniata Shops with new diesel power and new cabs built by contractor in the Holidaysburg shop. UP retired these units due to new emissions standards. NS is getting a fleet of new locomotives that meet the emission standards at a fraction of the cost of new locomotives.

The pic of the stored locos in Roanoke shows a few in BN & CIT paint, which I assume are SD60's. These may very well be part of the same rebuilding project, just tied up in Roanoke until needed...

[Lenny53]

Well, those SD60s are around 30 years old... if business dips, it makes sense they'd go first, along with their contemporary C40-8s.

I think I'd be inclined to keep racking up the mileage on the old beaters and put the newer units aside until business picked up.

[bnsfdash8]

A lot of these are there for possible rebuilding, like the C40-8s if NS ever works out the kinks with that rebuilding program. I know the B32-8s are there waiting for their final fate, either the scrap heap or who knows where. They've been for sale for quite awhile now.

NS has orders for the new tier 4 from GE and the SD70ACu program looks to be doing good so far so I see NS parking more older equipment as they come in for repairs. 

[reinhardtjh]

Usually there is a running talley of stored units on Chris Toth's www.nsdash9.com site.  I don't see it currently.  But adding up the ones marked as stored on the Current Roster page http://www.nsdash9.com/roster.html I count 325 (give or take)  The page is current to 6/22/2016.  The biggest numbers stored are 51 Dash 8-40C's, 39 SD90MAC's, 46 SD60's, 31 GP38-2's, 38 (all) Dash8-32's and 31 SD70's

The Dash8-40C's are headed for Dash8.5 upgrades at some point, the SD60's are SD60E rebuild cores, the GP38-2's are GP33ECO rebuild cores.  The SD90MAC's are SD70ACU rebuild cores (as are the SD70's, I think).  The Dash8-32's are toast and there are also 10 MP15's stored (plus 5 just pulled from service) for trade in to CIT for 10 SD90MAC's

NS has a lot of units stored, but most are intended for rebuilds projects.  Although, even at the current rate of several a month, they have enough stored for years worth of rebuilds.

[draskouasshat]

Well, those SD60s are around 30 years old... if business dips, it makes sense they'd go first, along with their contemporary C40-8s.

It sucks seeing the beating railroads are taking due to the global commodities slump. C'mon China, get your ***** together.

Um the problem isn't global commodities due to China. You can thank obummer and killary for demolishing the use of coal fired power plants. This is why ns is hurting badly along with my railroads (BNSF) 23% drop in coal load volumes. I'm sorry to get political but these 2 went against large union groups(unions ie railroad, mining, etc) that historically are supposed to support them. Their little world wide anti-coal tour he did last year really put stress on his own economy by killing railroad business and putting well over 10000 people out of work. The last number I heard was 3800 trainmen and 400 mow people alone from bnsf but I'm sure that numbers much higher now.

[Missaberoad]

The price of oil is also a factor. Oil companies simply can't afford rail shipping with it this low...