FS 1:1 scale Alaska GP49s

CHARGER Nov 26, 2006

  1. CHARGER

    CHARGER TrainBoard Member

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    If you have some deep pockets, and are into 1:1 scale, Alaska railroad has 5 GP49s for sale with parts. 2 are in Illinois, the other three will be delivered to Seattle

    Happy bidding

    http://www.akrr.com/arrc1.html

    BC
     
  2. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Wild! Why are they getting rid of them? I thought they were among the newest Geeps on their roster?
     
  3. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    So, how is a 49 different from a 39? They both have 12 cylinder turbocharged 645s but the 49 get's 500 more HP.
     
  4. Robbman

    Robbman TrainBoard Member

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    GP39-2s have 12-645E3 prime movers.

    The GP39X (essentially the testbed GP49) and the GP49 have a 12-645F3B prime mover originally rated at 2600hp in the 39X, later uprated to 2800hp.

    The F signifies a different crankcase design, the B signifies other refinements
     
  5. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    The F3B is the 50 series engine right?

    How many 49s were made? Seems like a natural for Santa Fe, but they went with the 16 cylinder 50s instead. Also 60s instead of 59s.

    For that matter, it's interesting that the GP38 was so popular, but there was never a 48 or 58
     
  6. CHARGER

    CHARGER TrainBoard Member

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    I am by no means an Alaska RR expert but from what I have read this is due to the realignment of some curves and the "new" steerable truck that they have on their SD60s and 70s. Alaska used to be almost 100% 4 axle power, due to tight curves, but these new innovations and realignments now allow for six axle power, rendering the four axles excess.

     
  7. Robbman

    Robbman TrainBoard Member

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    Yes.

    The 6 GP39Xs built in 1980 for Southern were upgraded to GP49s in 1982. 9 GP49s were built for Alaska in two orders, 5 in 1983 and 4 in 1985 .

    Interesting that you mention ATSF. EMD catalogged a GP49B in 1984. The drawings for it are remarkably similar to the GP60Bs built 9 years later for ATSF.

    There was also technically a GP49A. In early documentation, EMD originally designated the 710 powered successors to the 50 series with As... i.e, SD50A, GP49A etc.



    There was really no need. If you look at the prime mover designations it will make sense...

    To this day, the Roots blown 645s are all 645Es (just E... there is no number after it, as there is no turbo)... there nefer was a Roots blown 645F, so there is no GP48.

    Same with the 710s... there are no Roots blown 710Gs, they're all 710G3 (or G4, G7 for the non-railroad applications), therefore, there is no GP58.
     
  8. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    but the roots blower 38 was for specific circumstances where it was a better tool then the turbo. What conspired to make that no longer and issue?
     
  9. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Are they hanging onto units 2802 and 2805? I don't see them listed. Usually, when I go to sell a car, I'll wash it. Them things are dirty!!:rolleyes:
     
  10. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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    I wonder who bought the GP49's at the auction. Wasn't M-K or one of the rebuilder using them for passenger locos? (or am I thinking of the GP40X's).

    Harold
     
  11. Alaska GP49

    Alaska GP49 TrainBoard Member

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    I believe HELM purhased the 49's. I am sad to see them go. A very unique looking engine. Then again we may have a better chance seeing them in the lower 48. A lot a different stuff comes through Denver. I just need to keep my camera ready and take those extra few minutes to go out of my way to see what is coming through.
     
  12. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    AN update on the GP49 situation, from Yahoo's Northwestrails group:

    ARR 2803, 2806, and 2807 came off the barge this morning in Seattle. The units are headed for Ceeco in Tacoma for work.
     
  13. JKD

    JKD TrainBoard Member

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    Just curious... are these units still at CEECO or did they finish there and move on (and to where did they go, if anyone knows)?
     
  14. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    I may be wrong, but I believe atleast one made it to NRE, but has been on the dealine there for months.
     
  15. Kevin M

    Kevin M TrainBoard Member

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    The 2803, 2807, and 2806 were on the Tacoma-Seattle crew 2 yesterday, I saw them while working the industrys in Kent. They were trailing and off line.
    Kevin
     
  16. Kevin M

    Kevin M TrainBoard Member

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    These units are now sitting on the North end of the "20 yard" at Interbay, and on the south end of the same track there are some BN/BNSF SD9's and SW1000's that I am told are laid up good order.
    Kevin
     
  17. espee4441

    espee4441 TrainBoard Member

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    I saw the GP49s last week at Stacy Street Yard in Seattle. I really dig those 49s, plus the GP39Xs, which were near identical. I once rode on one of the ex MKT GP39-2s with the exact same carbody, but a regular dash two inside. This was at the Harbor Island Yard, and the dang thing died on us once.

    As for those SD9s, I believe some are still in their old 6100 series numbers physically, but as for actual reporting marks they now lay in the 1700 area, I think. I've seen one that way for sure when the SD9s were still parked next to Interbays sanding and fueling towers, the numberboards said 17XX, while the rest of the engine was still painted with 6100 series numerals....
     
  18. Robbman

    Robbman TrainBoard Member

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    Southerns GP39Xs, even after being uprated and reclassed GP49s by EMD, are quite different from the later GP49s... much of it is standard EMD phase differences.

    It's also worth noting that since MKTs GP39-2s used a 12-645E3 vs the GP49s 12-645F3B, they supoosedly use a slightly different exhaust hatch, though wether these differences are actually visible and not just an internal difference is unknown.

    If anyboy happens to catch the ARR Gp49s in transit, get some good roof shots... (as straight down as possible)
     
  19. Alaska GP49

    Alaska GP49 TrainBoard Member

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    Not sure if you have been to John's Alaska Railroad page or not. http://www.alaskarails.org/

    I found a photo on there of a roof shot. This is the closest he has to straight down.
    http://www.alaskarails.org/modeling/proto/2803/JC-2803-t1.jpg

    This week he has report of a conductor spotting the 2804 in Texas. http://www.alaskarails.org/whats-hot/RJM-2804.jpg
    Keep a look out for these roaming the system. Sure would be nice if one of these made it up to Denver and I knew about it. I could burn up a lot of electrons!
     
  20. JKD

    JKD TrainBoard Member

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    Just wondering if anyone knows where the ex-ARR GP49's that Helm purchased have wound up?
     

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