This weekend was Conrail Days hosted by the Pennsylvania Railroad museum. Norfolk and Southern was also involved during this weekend event. Norfolk and Southern unveiled 2 brand new locomotives, the first one is the BP-4 locomotive which is fully battery power. It has no diesel engine and no overhead electrical pick ups. The locomotive uses 1,080 12 volt lead acid batteries and provides 1,350 HP. This locomotive was obivously developed for switching duty and can pull up to 10 fully loaded cars. The locomotive can go 3 shifts before needing a recharge and of course needs a charging station. Most railroads provide thier own research and developement while also modifying existing equipment to make it into something else. Norfolk and Western did just that. What do you do when the economy is dumped, buisness is busy then dry then busy then dry and so on, while in the mean time you have aging SD-50 locomotives that are in the shop more than they are in service? You make your own new or actually rebuilt new locomotives. Norfolk and Southern took thier SD-50 locomotives and took them apart all the way down to the frames and then started replacing everything except the frame. Norfolk and Southern took the dependabilty of a SD-40 and basiclly put it onto a SD-50 frame. Many big and modern electric upgrades were also made. Gone is the SD-50 fuel guzzeling undependable prime mover and replaced with a 645E3C engine frome retired SD-40 locomotives that are totally rebuilt. The engines were upgraded to meet emissions standards and provide 3,000 HP. The new locomotive model designation Norfolk and Western gave this locomotive is the SD40E. The SD40E was especially made for helper service in the Altoona, PA area. Only 25 units so far have been converted and takes around a 8 month turn around to make one. Picture #1 and #2 Is Norfolk and Southern new BP-4 #999 all battery power locomotive for switcher service Picture #3, #4 and #5 is the Norfolk and Southern new rebuilt and re-designated SD40E locomotive. This one is only 6 days out of the shop and is the last one to be modified and is #25. Only 25 SD-50 locomotives have been totally re-built into these SD40E locomotives. Norfolk and Southern is the ones who redesignated them into SD40E model names. Please note all of these pictures are my own and may not be used on any other sites or duplicated without my permission.
Great photos. I like that SD40E! I wonder if that BP-4 is anything more than a marketing gimmick, 10 cars isn't much when it comes to switching.
When I was living in Durham, NC the "Durham Local" (not the official name) as it switched the local business did not have trains much bigger then that. The place that I worked at had its own power plant that received 4 -6 loads of coal at a time about twice a week. Usually the loads in and the empty's out were the only thing on that train. The Durham yard was just a couple miles away if that. Gary
I brought that same subject up as there was officals at the displays, they said that where the BP-4 locomotives were being used, they didn't need to switch any more than 8 to 10 cars at one time, the yard was too small to move any more than that. I also brought up the fact it may seem to be the answer to clean power which may not exhaust diesel fumes or other engine pollutants, there are still gases being exhausted from battery use known as Sulfer Dioxide which in a enclosed area can build up and be deadly. On another subject I brought up was what do you do with over 1,000 lead acid batteries, it seems like a waste hazzard to a dump, but they did say todays batteries are 100 % recyclable now. It's the same as the car industry, they are just trying to cater to the tree huggers, but in the end it cost more to run and maintain although it may seem to be a good "Go Green" idea up front. No one wants battery powered cars and the Hybrid cars are too costly to maintian over it's life span. Hydrogen power is the better idea, but the oil companines won't make enough money from it which is why that technology was really dropped, not because of saftey. They would not make thier return money fast enough from building hyrdogen fueling stations, it would be like going back to less than $1 per gallon gas days again. Back on the BP-4 subject, it was a neat locomotive to look at and it seems to be made to make most "Go Green" people happy. But I don't see it being a popular one for railroads to buy unless the are in California.
Very nice pictures. The SD40E sure looks like an SD50. I also noticed the small-ish fuel tanks on the SD40E.
Interesting stuff! May be a funny question, but did you see the battery loco run? (just wondering what those things sound like)
It is very quiet, all you have is a color computer screen that tells you what is happening and the condition status of the charge and the locomotive. It didn't move while on display, but however it was on and computer screens were up and no one was allowed to touch anything as they did give a in cab tour. I'm sure there probably is some sort of motor whine noise to it.
Flash Blackman, thanx. I absolutely love the new SD40E and they did give in cab tours. It was very modernized with up to date computers and electronics, I was very impressed. It also had all the creature comforts such as added in cab air conditioning and they even though of putting in 110 volt plugs and internet connections in for lap tops. There were movable sun visors over the side windows, they really thought of everything when they rebuilt these locomotives. With the SD-50 chassis and the bullet proof SD-40 prime mover engine these SD40E locomotives should last forever like the GP-9.
I caught the BP4 in transit. Photos here: Viewing Album: NS BP4 electric locomotive - Railroad Picture Archives.NET I was very surprised, but felt very fortunate to catch this rare critter!
