Can the BN guys tell me what the Red Number boards mean on there SD40-2s . I am planning on building one so any pictures would also be great as I have only found one so far . Dave
Red Number Boards on -2's They were for the Loco-Trol Units.(Remote control units). They were trying DP/Loco-trol back in the early 80's They were typicaly cut in in the middle of the train(50 deep). They did not last long as they were unpredictible. Sometimes they would not shut down, or they would burn them selves up. So upon entering the yard in Alliance the Electriacans would have to catch them on the run and kill them to try and save them. The rest of the time they would not work at all. They were also a pain to try and switch out, there was just no easy way to do it. The red number boards easily indenttified them from a long ways off. Shawn
Well you beat me to it. Thats pretty much what I found on them also. I have pics of the 7009 with its red number boards. A engine I will be doing just because of the oddity of them.
About the same difference as an SD40-2 and an SD70MAC!!!!! In the late '80s, BN was doing some lube oil tests. Locos with yellow number boards were using "Shell" lubricants. Locos with red number boards were using "Chevron" lubricants. Both EMD and GE units were subjected to the tests.
As I understand it; The Locotrol program was in the early 70's. I have never heard of any unit other than a GE U30C being a locotrol master or slave. I may be mistaken on this. The U30Cs had a huge compartment right behind the cab for the radios and pnumatic controlls. They took up a lot of room. Yes, the program was a disaster. I understood also that the number boards were a lube oil test. When they started on the old U30Cs (red number boards) I thought that this was an indication of the upgraded horse power (300). They put a better wheel slip control on the U30Cs and were able to crank the prime movers up another 300 horses at this time. I don't think that the number boards had anything to do with HP upgrades.
That is correct. -2's were the Loco-Trol and Lube oil tests. Red number boards on C-30' were the HOT C-33's
