Hi everyone! Hope all is well! Here's the picks. YoHo with a BNSF GP39m Keith with a BNSF covered hopper train badlandnp with a newer BNSF GE r_i_straw with more BNSF action Hytec with a KCS freight co_riff with a NS freight Hardcoaler with the Southwest Chief and Mike VE2TRV with the John Molson
Bill, thanks for choosing the unexpected re-routed KCS freight. It was on our local branch because of flood damage to the KCS main line near Baton Rouge,
Mike, thanks for the steam shot-Molson-good beer, in with all these diesels. YoHo, what is the difference between a GP 30 and a GP 39? Stupid steam guy wants to know. Thanks everyone, and thanks, Will for keeping this going.
I believe that when BN rebuilt their GP 30s, they called them GP39m's. They still look like a GP30 on the outside. Here is what they looked like a long time ago.
In this case, I think one poorly aimed finger (edit: I should stop trying to think, I think). That sure looks like a GP-30 to me. The GP-30 was introduced in the early sixties, and had a turbocharged 567 V-16. It was, at the time it was introduced, EMD's most powerful four-axle locomotive yet, and was quite a success. The GP-39 was introduced in the 1970s as a turbocharged 645 V-12 alternative to the GP-38. It was thought that fuel prices were up enough that railroads would rather get medium horsepower that way than from the -38's supercharged V-16. But turbocharger maintenance was still expensive enough that the railroads mostly didn't agree. Really? That's odd, given that it was a designation of actual EMD products. I wonder if that has caused any confusion since the merger, because the Santa Fe bought either GP- or SD-39s (I forget which).
I can only speak to the BN GP39M, GP39E GP39V, In mid to late 1989's, these Geeps were rebuilt from BN predecessor roads as well as many different carriers GP30/35 units NS, SP and many other trade in units. The 16/567 prime movers were rebuilt with 645 assemblies, along with many other upgrades including AR10 alternators, D77 Traction motors, DN blower motors, and redesigned radiator systems, as well as dash2 electronics. GP 39M's reblt by (Morris Knutson), GP39E's rblt by (EMD), GP39V rblt by (VMV Paducah KY). They have all had many upgrades and changes since their debut's GP39-2 is a stand alone design, and uses a 12/645 prime mover. Much more about these very interesting locos.
From what I understand, the GP39-2s that BNSF inherited from the Santa Fe are modified and now called GP39-3s.
You think that's nice, they have an SD40-2 in those colors too. That's an awful lot of bright green. I'm looking into 1604's heritage; so far I know that it's a late GP9 (two 48" radiator fans instead of four 36") that got rebuilt as a GP10. It went through RI, C&NW, and Peabody Coal. The railroad's motto is "We're in it for the short haul!"
