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Topic: C39-8 survivor. (Read 1566 times) |
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scottychaos
Historian
Posts: 1183
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Among the last of her kind, 20 year-old Norfolk Southern C39-8 #8202 idles away the weekend in Sayre, PA.
She was built in 1986 as Conrail 6004.
Recent reports say only 13 C39-8's are still operating, and all of them with NS. anyone have recent data on their status?
thanks,
Scot
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Bob
Historian
Posts: 755
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Scotty,
Any pics??
just kidding 
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Conrail6707
Historian
Posts: 2457
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Nice photos! There are 13 ex-CR C39-8's and a little over 50 NS built C39-8's left, but that number is going down quickly. 
Mark
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towny72
Historian
Posts: 1782
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one of the toughest looking things to ever come from GE. The cammel backs are a great loco. Sad thing is yes they are going fast. It sounds like they are all headed overseas or south of the border. With the new EPA regs Class 1s arent going to rebuild them to meet specs. Regional and Shorts arent going to dump the money intot them. They are worn out units and unlike EMD SD40s parts arent lying around. So I hate to see them go but get pics while you can.
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"We cannot expect the Americans to jump from capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving Americans small doses of socialism until they suddenly awake to find they have Communism." Nikita Khruschev
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Triplex
Railfan
Posts: 150
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I know... I love them too. For some reason, I have an affection for humpbacked diesels (C430, C630, C636, M630, M636, C32-8, C39-8 ). The C32-8 and C39-8 are also interesting because they're a transition. All U-boats and Dash 7s have a similar visual style; all GEs from the B39-8E/C39-8E onward have another style. The early Dash 8s are caught in the middle. Before I had the Internet, when books and magazines were my only sources of information, I didn't know that these early Dash 8s existed. Thus, I still think of them as weird, and that's why I now like them. But then, I guess I like most locomotives - well, except for most GE widenoses.
Waaaait a minute.... If you can buy spare parts for old EMDs but not old GEs, then how come countries outside of the US and Canada can use old GEs so long? Even in the Third World, locomotives still need repairs.
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| « Last Edit: Jan 4th, 2007, 1:54pm by Triplex » |
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Fan of late and early Conrail... also transition-era PRR, 70s Santa Fe, BN and SP, 70s-80s eastern CN, pre-merger-era UP, heavy electric operations in general, dieselized narrow gauge, modern EFVM and Brazilian railroads in general, transition-era DB and DR... why bother trying to list them all?
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towny72
Historian
Posts: 1782
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For the most part you can get parts for both GE and EMD, GE seems to sun a bit more, but there is no shortage. I think that the older EMD SD's are a bit more rugged then the Uboats and such. Plus there are a ton more running around. With the Class1's its more of an issue of Federal Regs, You cant rebuild these old gals without bringing up to tier1. So then its better to sell them off to shorts, regionals, southamerica and such, but in the cammelbacks you got a lot of engine that you dont need. So off to South America!!!!!!!!!!Or worse the tourch!
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"We cannot expect the Americans to jump from capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving Americans small doses of socialism until they suddenly awake to find they have Communism." Nikita Khruschev
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Rocket
Historian
Posts: 419
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I think these locomotives are some of the most unique looking engines out there. Does anyone know the story behind them ? Like why are there so few C39-8s. Was it a specialy produced for Conrail or just a failed attempt.
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towny72
Historian
Posts: 1782
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I think as stated before it was a transition time, after Uboats, before the 40 series. When the Dash8-40 b's-c's came out that spelt the end of production for the cammels, Kinda like the SD50s. Granted there is a good bit more sd50s then c39s, but again this is a model coming between sd40 series and the sd60. Sad to say spartan cabs are long gone, and with FRA regs, its a good chance GE will never offer another model with this.
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"We cannot expect the Americans to jump from capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving Americans small doses of socialism until they suddenly awake to find they have Communism." Nikita Khruschev
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C420
Enthusiast
Posts: 45
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on Feb 11th, 2007, 6:50pm, Rocket wrote: (Click here for original message)| I think these locomotives are some of the most unique looking engines out there. Does anyone know the story behind them ? Like why are there so few C39-8s. Was it a specialy produced for Conrail or just a failed attempt. |
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No failed attempt with this locomotive. The C39's were the test mules for the current generation of GE locomotives. Like the other models they weren't meant to be rebuilt. Just run them till they die.
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NSHorseheadSD70
Railfan
Posts: 152
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Re: C39-8 survivor.
 DSCN0728Maidsville_WV_19_July_2006_Chris_640x480.jpg - 60670 Bytes
« Reply #10 on: Mar 28th, 2007, 5:08pm » |
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Very nice. I got my picture taken in front of the 8203. Here is is.
Click Image to Resize
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"NS Detector, Milepost 40.6, No Defects, Total Axels 4..4..4.."
"The Road To the Future May Not Be A Road At All..."
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hoghead_bob
Former Member
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Hey all, I am an engineer with Union Pacific in Oregon and I had one of these units in my consist last week. It was NS 85xx. I had never seen one of these units before, and was kind of shocked to walk into the cab and see the control stand on the firemans side. I had no idea that these units were so rare.
Bob
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rsmedude730
Railfan
Posts: 242
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hi there,
I was wondeirng what makes these so rare... like why were there not more around?
Also what is with the High hood just behind the cab... what was the perpose?
please excuse my stupidity here.
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James Williams
Hamburg, PA
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senselessfool
Enthusiast
Posts: 41
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8203 is floating around nepa, saw this same locomotive a week ago on the R&N lehigh line near penobscot.. i mustve been good with my timing
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CHESSIEMIKE
Historian
Posts: 3800
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on Jul 4th, 2007, 1:13am, rsmedude730 wrote: (Click here for original message)| Also what is with the High hood just behind the cab... what was the perpose? |
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The 2 openings toward the front are the exhaust side of the dynamic brake grid blower. The large opening is the exhaust side of the equipment blower.
CHESSIEMIKE
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Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
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Triplex
Railfan
Posts: 150
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The "hump" isn't actually any higher than the equivalent section on a newer GE. It's that the cab is lower.
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Fan of late and early Conrail... also transition-era PRR, 70s Santa Fe, BN and SP, 70s-80s eastern CN, pre-merger-era UP, heavy electric operations in general, dieselized narrow gauge, modern EFVM and Brazilian railroads in general, transition-era DB and DR... why bother trying to list them all?
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DRAWHEAD
Chaser
Posts: 89
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For those that would like to hear more about and a ride on old C39-8 Conrail 8202 i had the wonderful oppertunity of having her on my train 274 on July 4, 2007 from Bellevue,Ohio down to Portsmouth,Ohio.I reported for work at 7:30pm and had the 8202 and 9107 as power for our train.After seeing the two units on the shop lead pocket track it didn't take long to decide wich one we wanted in the lead and it wasn't going to be the 8202 as we prefered the newer 9107 with air conditioning for the hot evening ride.Alas luck was not in our favor as the 9107 could not be made our lead unit due to air brake and computor problems.At 9:00pm after being yelled at by the yardmaster and trainmaster for not promptly telling them of our engine problems,like we were really supposed to know what was going on,while the shop personel were working on the engine the whole time,the shop supervisor gave us the good news that old 8202 would have to be our lead unit for the trip.Old 8202 might be a cool looking unit but i asure you guy's she was almost like riding in a hot oven that smelled like a outhouse for the next 7 hours.Now if any of you have been in a hot old engine that had its windows shut all day and the chemical toilet reaking of urine it's like riding in a urinal on wheels! This is something you guy's don't know what your missing and is a really unique occasion being on one of these rare C39-8's.Put all sarcasm aside we doubled up our train wich consited of 55 loaded auto rack cars of about 4000 tons,we then pulled out of the yard.With the windows wide open and notching her slowly to notch 8 on the pull up the main towards Flatrock she belched thick black smoke and threw sparks into the evening air.Coaxing her to 60 mph with the 9107 helping out she ran down the track like a old retired race horse running her best race,occasionally pitching from side to side.With the evening air blowing in through the windows and seeing a few stray fireworks along the way.One could almost overlook her faults on that July 4th 2007 summers evening ride and old 8202 surely gave it her best and was still a survivor on that warm Independence Day.
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The_Conrail_Kid
TRAINing
Posts: 9
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I shot these two out in Allentown the same day. NS 8207, NS 8210 it was a nice reminder of what once was.
Click Image to Resize
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Ed Lewis Jr.
Conrail Getting it there one pair of beautiful MAC's at a time.
Member or the CRHS
Owner or CR A5183
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The_Conrail_Kid
TRAINing
Posts: 9
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Here is NS 8207 also taken the same day.
Click Image to Resize
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Ed Lewis Jr.
Conrail Getting it there one pair of beautiful MAC's at a time.
Member or the CRHS
Owner or CR A5183
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