New - and We Do Mean New - Diesels

Frank writes...

Normally we don't focus too much on the Diesel Department, but the diesel-related news from yesterday was too big to ignore, so here we go. In the afternoon, IRM received three newly donated diesels from two different sources that just happened to show up together on the same train from Proviso.

This photo was taken by Lee Evans after the new diesels were safely on the property. To the left is Burlington Northern (later BNSF) 9400, built in 1993, which was the first production freight locomotive built with AC traction motors. Given that in recent years, AC traction locomotives comprise virtually 100% of the market, this is a very historic engine. When it was dedicated in a ceremony in early 1994, it was even featured in Trains Magazine alongside a familiar face:

I believe the 9400 is now the youngest piece of rail equipment on the property. The engine has been in storage for several years, so the first order of business is to assess its condition and, if possible, make any repairs needed to get it running. Longer-term, the Diesel Department will do fundraising to pay the locomotive's track space and then hopefully work towards getting it indoor storage space. The eventual plan is to return it to its as-built green-and-cream livery. More info, including on donating, is here.

The other two locomotives, described in detail here, are only slightly less new (anything built after, oh, let's say July 1957 is so new that it can only possibly be in its youth, right?) but are also quite historically significant. They're both 1970s-era Amtrak engines, including the only remaining SDP40F and one of only a couple of preserved F40PH's. Between them, they represent most of Amtrak's main-line motive power for 20 or 25 years from the 1970s to the 1990s. The SDP40F is said to be a runner, while the F40PH is in good shape but needs motor leads. Both of these engines are already on the schedule for Diesel Days, coming up in just over a week, so their operational debut at IRM isn't far off.

Anyway, for the record, that's 10,000 horsepower worth of diesels that showed up yesterday, so that's not a bad haul for a Thursday. If you were thinking about something as crazy as not coming out for the Vintage Transport Extravaganza this Sunday, the opportunity to see the new arrivals will surely quash those doubts.

EDIT: Many thanks to Lee for sending along a collection of photos taken on the 31st.

By chance, all three locomotives ended up at Proviso at the same time, so they came out to IRM via West Chicago on the Belvidere train.

This was likely the first time these locomotives are crossing Olson Road but it certainly won't be the last. It may be the last on those particular rails, though.

The Diesel Department was waiting for the new arrivals with a "tow truck" consisting of AT&SF 92 and BN 5383 - quite appropriate for picking up BNSF locomotives. Here, we see the cut from the cab of the 92 after a trip through the wye.

The end of the day found all three locomotives safely in Yard 2.

Lee also took cab photos of all three engines, which are interesting to compare:

First is BNSF 6976, built as Amtrak 644 in 1974.

Next up is Amtrak 231, which was built in 1977.

"One of these things is not like the others." BNSF 9400 was built in 1993 and was among the very first locomotives with a "desktop" control stand, as shown. You'll also note the computer screens; this is by far the most computerized locomotive we have, so in addition to making sure all the mechanical and electrical stuff is working, we'll also need to keep the computers healthy for it to run.