Since the recent announcement of the FVM GP60 was made, I have that they primarily haul intermodal. My question is what is the correct N-scale intermodal equipment that these haul(ed)? Also, would they correct pulling the enclosed autoracks such as the Red Caboose ones? One last questions, is the typical loco consist for the GP60s an ABA configuration? Just trying to plan ahead some. Thanks.
Dave, Try this out (I just did and got good results). Go to RailPictures.net http://www.railpictures.net On the home page there is a form you can fill out to do a photo search. Pick EMD GP60 in the Select a Locomotive Type... dropdown list and pick Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (ATSF) in the Select Railroad... dropdown list. Then click the Find the Photos! button. You'll get about 50 photos of Santa e GP60's and can easily see what type of equipment they were pulling. Jamie
The 60Ms/Bs of ATSF were part of the Superfleet and were primarily used on their Fast intermodal. in the early 90s, that means pig trains. the 991 and 199 trains and the like. So fast trailer on flat car. Appropriate cars would be 89' flats and spine cars.
In their heyday they were front line intermodal power but in later years I believe they were/are used on anything including locals, BNSF is currently adding standard EMD cabs to the B units to make them more useful for local and yard service. The prototype is going on twenty years old now, a bit long in the tooth for main line power.
I rode an NS one while it was pulling a RoadRailer train. Gawd, what a rough ride... Now days, they pull almost anything, autoracks, GM trains, locals. I've even seen a couple on coal trains.
When I was at Railfair at Sacramento in 1991 Santa Fe had a B40-8W on display and the engineer who was there babysitting it said they were better riding engines than the GP60's and he preferred working on them.
As recently as 2009, I saw GP60Ms on BNSF Intermodal Trains Eastbound out of LA. I think the LA powerdesk liked to keep them in that service when they could. It was rare of course, they mainly were on service in the Inland Empire. Also, one of the reasons they're cabbing up the Bs is that BNSF and UP made an agreement with California Air Resources Board to improve fleet emissions in California and that means they need to pull the 30s/35s/39Ms out of California. They've of course been buying Gensets like crazy, but for locals and trains that require more power, they're putting the GP60s in service, because they're still better than the older units for emissions. So I wouldn't expect to see them run system wide.
The GP 60's on BNSF I have had the pleasrure of operating were on the Chicago local (101/102) both the Super Fleet ones and the spartan cab style. Ran bac to back Super Fleet on a welded railtrain from Chilli to Corwith at a blazing 30 mph! The power desk will put power wherever they need it. I have seen SD70macs on junk trains,to either get it back to coal country,or to a shop.The big wreck in Denver over the tree stump had a GP 60M and a SD70 Mac involved along with a SD60. So put it where ever. If it can turn a wheel it will be used somewhere.
SP/SSW had almost 200 GP60s. I presume they all went to UP. IIRC Cotton Belt used them for the Blue Streak Merchandise train but certainly not exclusively. B40-8s did a lot of that work, too.
I caught a pair of them (GP60M's) at Flagstaff, AZ a year ago - still in "Santa Fe" with just the little BNSF under the number - and they were parked - apparently the power for the locals. They looked great though!
Lately I have been seeing 3 GP-60Ms in a consist running a "LOCAL" along Arrow Highway in Pomona, La Verne and San Dimas in Southern California. I believe they are picking up rail cars from small industrial business' in these cities. #1 is in BNSF Silver & Red, and the 2nd one is in Santa Fe Silver & Red and the 3rd one is in "Swoosh" paint. The pics are not the greatest as I shot them from across the street and could not get any closer before they were gone. Enjoy ! fatalxsunrider43
No excuses needed to get any version of the FVM GP-60M once they come out. In fact, Matt from FVM called me and said they are going to do all the versions eventually, just going to start with Santa Fe. It has been and will always be MY favorite locomotive. I dont say that to cause or start up a big nuclear war in this thread. fatalxsunrider43
Really? :tb-shocked: I never would have guessed. :tb-wink: Are you sure? :tb-tongue: Just messin with ya LMAO .
Around 2006, I saw an "AB" set wearing the Heritage scheme making a run up to the EJ&E out of Eola yard west of Chicago. My first throught was, "Oh how the mighty have fallen." It was evening and not a good time to shoot but I still wish I had a camera that day.
