I got to climb into an SD70MAC today! (Warning: PICTURES)

[jmv]

I was up in Amarillo, TX today as I usually am several times a month and happened to drive down 3rd street which parallels the BNSF line from Amarillo to the D/FW metroplex. Often times I see coal trains and the occasional stack train resting at a crew change/refueling/service area which is about 5 miles away from the huge BNSF yard. About 4:00 I drove by and there were 2 coal drags resting. One had 2 SD70MACs up front and one DPU at the end. The second train, two tracks over, had 2 SD70MACs and a warbonnet Dash9. I had my digital camera with me and thought that since there were two trains, one may be there long enough for me to take some pics. I parked at the little office and approached the locos. A gentleman in overalls walked up and extended his hand to shake and I asked if it would be too much trouble if I could take a couple of pictures while the trains were here. He invited me to take as many as I wanted and let me onto and into any loco I wanted! This guy was a 27 and 1/2 year veteran of the railroad, a conductor! We talked railroading and stuff for about 45 minutes and I ended up with 45 awesome pics of the trains. That guy was really cool for letting me around like that. I guess it's good that they are away from the yard and some of the bosses. Here's some pics from this afternoon.

[jmv]

I promise there are pictures...wait a second.

[jmv]

Let's try this again...

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c75a96b3b0f7cab.jpg

[jmv]

Alright, now that I've established that I CAN include a picture - here are a few more.

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c75aad341f5b75c.jpg

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c75aa5a40111077.jpg

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c75aa9840e8af10.jpg

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c75aad341fb575c.jpg

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c75abeb47cecb8f.jpg

[jmv]

More shots...

Looking out the front of the third unit.
http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c75acb14b4b082c.jpg

View from the nose of #9892
http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c75ad4d4dc045fb.jpg

Good front view of #9892
http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c75ad9b4edc9791.jpg

[Claude350]

So where's the pics showing the desktop controls.Don't tell us that you forgot those shots.:)

[Rutland]

A red and silver WarBonnet, just the way God intended a Santa Fe locomotive to look!!!
None of this BNSF pumpkin patch.

[Macster]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-22-02 AT 01:05AM (EST)[p]DUDE, you don't know HOW freakin' jealous I am at this moment. The SD70MAC is my all time favorite freight unit. I have been in a SD40-2, P42 and a F59PHI...but the goal is the MAC... :D Hope you post some more shots!!! And Congrats!!

Brian E. Bundridge
Seattle, WA USA

[jmv]

Yes, I did get a couple of pics of the controlls...

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c765af4218de10c.jpg

Here's a good shot of the engineer's controlls.
http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c765b1b222f4c65.jpg

I actually didn't get a good shot of the conductor's side. My host on the locos had a lot of stuff spread out and I didn't think it would be quite appropriate to ask him to move it so I could take a pic. Still, it looks alot like the Dash 9 on the conductor's side.

[TAfan]

Thanks for sharing these great pics with us - are BNSF locos always this clean?! I have to say I don;t think I've ever seen a truly filthy one!

Looking at those cab shots really makes me wish that MSTS also featured interactive cab displays, like most other simulation games do these days. Imagine being able view different pages of information, and not having to have those silly track monitor and coupling windows floating around the screen? Ah well, we can dream. Maybe for MSTS2, if Microsoft is listening. ;-)

BTW, what stuff do these displays actually, erm, display? Besides speed and brake pressure and the stuff that is already featured in MSTS, what other information is available to the engineer through these screens? There appear to be plenty buttons to play with! ;-) Is there a website anywhere that explains this kind of stuff?

Cheers!
TAfan
http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c3f6deb6cf48c86.gif

[Eagleknight]

Probally a dumb question, but were the engines running the whole time. I don't live near any place where trains sit in sidings to pass. I just live near a singal track CSX mainline where they zoom by. But I remeber when I was little and near some engines they just send chills through you when your that close and they are running.

[jmv]

Yeah, the units were running when I was there. The train headed by the Heritage scheme loco was delayed and the other train was scheduled to depart an hour later. They were performing all of the routine checks while I was there. When I was in the cab of 9892 I got to watch them add the sand through the little hatch on the nose. They were testing the brakes, the headlights, the windshield wipers and even fired off the horn a couple of times. When I got there the conductor that was giving me the tour said that I just missed them perform all of the refueling. It is truly awesome to stand there and hear the hum of those beasts while they idle.

I asked the engineer and the conductor which loco was their favorite and they both said the SD70MAC. I asked them why and they said they liked the comfort and the "whisper cab"'s quitetness. Plus the engineer said, "Plus, I can just spread a newspaper down here on the floor and take a nap if I want to."

[jmv]

Oh yeah...I also just missed them putting the "Honey Wagon" to use. That's the contraption they use to empty the toilet.

Add that one to your railroading dictionary.

[jmv]

In fact here's the refueling equipment. These are on each siding where these two trains were sitting. The mainline is the track between the two trains.

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c767b4c657f602e.jpg

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c767b8466e64f4e.jpg

[KC_Jones]

VERY nice pics Jay! THANK YOU for sharing. I can hear and feel the rumble just from looking at them, and reading your excellent descrption of your encounter.

Steve
a.k.a. KC_Jones

[jerseycentral]

awesome, you're pretty lucky! anyway, 9658 looks like she could already use a repainting...
http://members.aol.com/ray127611/raycnj.gif

[highball5]

Dang! Now there's a picture I'd really like to see! :-)

Thanks for sharing the ones you did get!

[CODY]

I gotta ask..........What happens if these things loose the electronic display in the cab???...Are there "analog back-ups"???
And I gotta agree..."RED AND SILVER WARBONNETES RULE"!!!!!



http://personal.netwrx.net/pitts/00000493.gif

[jm1941]

G’day jmv,

I’m not from the USA, but your photos of the SD70Macs were excellent.

> I had my digital camera with me and thought that since there were two trains, one may be there long enough for me to take some pics.

Could you please tell me a little about what brand Digital Camera you used to take those shots.

Only other photos I’ve seen that are very good with Digital Camera are those in the “Tales from Al Krug”. His is a Nikon 950 has an OPTICAL zoom of 3x. I know very little about Digital Cameras but am now considering to get one later on.

Best regards.

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c1cf86d0c649e7c.gif

[rob20]

If one display doesn't work it is ok but if they dont work than you can't work. You need to see your air and power! Cp always ran thier units all of the time but the last few years they shut them down if they aren't going to be used in the next few hours to save fuel.

[seabornnn]

can someone tell me about the pole and the blue boards on each of the units. i never saw thoughs before on any canadian units

thanks
seaborn

[BlakeTyner]

The blue boards say "Safety First" and are put on engines during servicing. That lets anyone else know somebody is working in or around the unit, and it can't be moved until the sign is removed.

Blake Harris
Vice Dean, Limbaugh Institute for Advanced Conservative Studies

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c4e4fb30ac12225.gif

[seabornnn]

i have also noticed that one of the levers have been removed is that also another safety feature

thanks
seaborn

[Brendan]

I work for a computer firm that does some work with General Motors. I was able to 'arrange' a meeting at GMLG\EMD's London Ontario plant.

If you think SD90MAC's are cool on the track, you should see 'em being built!!!

That happened several months ago, and I still can't get over the sheer size of all the necessary equipment.

I also wish I could have brought in my camera, but that's a no-no at GM without significant prior approval.

[Chrisc92]

The removed lever is the reverser. Without this in place the engine cannot be moved. If you notice in the earlier pics you will see a blue sign, this is called a blue flag. When you blue flag a locomotive you remove the reverser handle, make a full brake application and set the hand brakes. This is done so people can safely work on, around or under the train.

[CRSD40]

Nice shots, I've been invited up in a locomotive twice. First it was CN SD75I 5650 and then CR SD80MAC 4105.

Kyle Norek

Milepost 76 on the NS Buffalo Line