UP coming to Australia

[mark woody]

Hi a friend emailed some photos of ex UP engines being painted for Fortesque Metals Group [FMG] an iron ore producer in Western Australia. shots are of FMG901 ex UP8522 and FMG903 ex UP8530 at a service facility somewhere in the USA with a NS switcher. Are these 90MAC's? where is the facility?

[Ween]

I believe these are the SD90MAC-H (or whatever they're called...the 6000 hp ones that are discussed in the latest TRAINS magazine as being flops)...

[mark woody]

Seems strange an all GE road would buy EMD and bad ones at that, maybe they got them cheap.:lol::lol::lol: Some more shots.

[mark woody]

I believe these are the SD90MAC-H (or whatever they're called...the 6000 hp ones that are discussed in the latest TRAINS magazine as being flops)...

Thanks for the model designation. From WIKI. 8522-8527-8539-8541-8554 sold to FMG and are being converted to SD70ACe before delivery due to problems with the original design.

[JimThias]

I believe these are the SD90MAC-H (or whatever they're called...the 6000 hp ones that are discussed in the latest TRAINS magazine as being flops)...

I've never seen an SD90MAC-H with a nose like an ACe. Then again, I'm not a roster nut either. How many 90s with noses like that exist? (the photo in Trains mag shows the traditional wide cab 90 nose)

[Ween]

Jim,

I'm not an expert on the 90MACs, so I don't know the number that have the nose like the ACe. I do know that some (maybe all 4?) of the CP units have the notch-nose. But from Wiki:

Later versions of the SD90MAC-H feature a Phase II cab, with a new nose which offers higher visibility from the cab than the old nose.

It makes sense those ex-UP units are being converted to SD70ACes since the 265 prime mover was a 'flop'.

[mark woody]

This is their current operation photos on RP.

[photoid=221260]
[photoid=221542]
[photoid=224971]
[photoid=230769]

[JimThias]

Jim,

I'm not an expert on the 90MACs, so I don't know the number that have the nose like the ACe. I do know that some (maybe all 4?) of the CP units have the notch-nose. But from Wiki:



It makes sense those ex-UP units are being converted to SD70ACes since the 265 prime mover was a 'flop'.

Ah, ok. Thanks for the explanation.

[Bryan Jones]

I've never seen an SD90MAC-H with a nose like an ACe. Then again, I'm not a roster nut either. How many 90s with noses like that exist? (the photo in Trains mag shows the traditional wide cab 90 nose)

there were a total of 46 SD90MAC-H's with the cab/nose similar to the SD70ACe. These were GM #90 and 91, Canadian Pacific #9300-9303 and Union Pacific #8522-8561. These are SD90MAC II. FWIW, there was a single SD89MAC test unit, GM 92, which is also identical to these units except that it has a 12 cylinder 265H prime mover rated at 4500hp.

There were 21 'standard' SD90MAC-H models, all of them built for Union Pacific. These units looked essentially identical to the 4300hp SD9043MAC's with the main difference being the hood over the prime mover being angled on the 6000hp units. These units carried multiple numbers on UP though spent most of the time as UP #8500-8521. #8501-8521 were later transfered to full UP ownership and renumbered UP #8911-8931 before being retired. Most were scrapped, though atleast 1 was still at the Jenks Shops late last year.

Also, the units which are destined for FMG have NOT been rebuilt to SD70ACe specs. The units are indeed still 6000hp SD90MAC-H's powered with the 16 cylinder 265H prime mover. Engine issues were solved long ago, it has been electrical system and control issues which have long plagued this model.

Bryan Jones
Brooks,KY

[J]

Here is a photo of 8926 being scrapped in 2009.

http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=281002&nseq=32

[mark woody]

An update courtesy of Motive Power Magazine Australia, the first four units of ten have left the USA on board the ship Enchanter and are due in Australia mid-late April after being painted at NS Juniata shops.

Also a company awarded the grain haulage contract in Western Australia has ordered 23 units both std and narrow gauge from Motive Power, Boise, Idaho no details of the design etc available at press time. A heads up for a scoop for anyone close to these facilities.

[mark woody]

The latest issue of Motive Power #75 reports the first 4 units have arrived but will have the 265h prime movers replaced locally before entering service, the magazine is unsure but believes the rest will have the 265h prime movers replaced during repainting at NS Altoona shops.