Just wondering.....................Anyone see the FEC ES44C4's yet?
Regards,
Swafford
Any news on the FEC ES44C4's?
Regards,
Swafford
The new GE's are better in every way than the latest EMD's, and they have been since the mid 80's. For all of you guys "looking in the rear view mirror", the mainlines in this country and Canada have been ruled by GE for about 25 years now.....
Nostalgia is great, but not if you have a business to run......
Good Day Mark, FEC is kind of independent...........To my knowledge in 2007 FEC was purchased by private equity funds managed by Fortress Investment Group.
Regards,
Frank
Originally Posted by mark s:
What are the economics which have allowed FEC to remain an independent carrier?
Cheaper....is not really better!
Swafford, the last information I have is that some of them will be on the property by the end of september/beginning of october. They will be painted in the "Champion" scheme like some of the ex UP SD40-2's were. Once the ES44's start arriving the SD70's will be history, followed by the SD40's. As far as I know, the remaining GP40-3's will still be used for the local runs and yard work until they die.
Good Day FEC,
Thanks for the update. The "Champion" color scheme will look fantastic!
Regard,
Frank
Originally Posted by Flash:
The "orange" train, a.k.a. The Tropicana train, is pulled by CSX and primarily runs between Bradenton FL and New Jersey.
FEC makes its own contribution by hauling some Tropicana reefers from Ft Pierce to Jacksonville. CSX picks those up and takes them the rest of the way to NJ.
FEC makes its own contribution by hauling some Tropicana reefers from Ft Pierce to Jacksonville. CSX picks those up and takes them the rest of the way to NJ.
Although I live far from the juice route.But due to hurricane fran that caused floods thart lasted for weeks.Whole town where under water so csx rerouted the train through monroe to charottle nc.It was pulled by 2sd60 it was something to see.Talk about blowing my mind.Oh and the train was handed over to ns.Csx also rerouted a few trailer and container trains moving at a good clip.Through the last few years csx is become a wild card.I have even seen ns units in the lead.
I wonder if any of those will be used to pull the All Aboard Florida high speed passenger rail between Miami and Orlando when it starts in 2016? I have not heard what FEC/ AAF plans to use for that.
I have seen one picture online of it, it looks amazing but it wasn't a full view. Link below:
Gary, the AAF trains will have their own railsets. The railsets have not been announced yet, but will capable of 125 mph on the West Palm Beach to Orlando segment. Speed restriction to 60 MPH for the WPB to Miami segent
That's not a real photo, just little 'what-if' photoshop job. I've read the new power should start arriving at the end of October and be completed by mid-December.
Just thinking about the "Champion" color scheme on the new engines, what is old is new again!
Regards,
Swafford
Originally Posted by Swafford:
Just thinking about the "Champion" color scheme on the new engines, what is old is new again!
Regards,
Swafford
I totally agree. It's very exciting that they're returning to that great historical livery. The blue scheme they were using was a downer, IMHO.
The "blue dip" scheme has been around since the early 60's, with varying white stripes and variations of the logo's and the name. It was used because it was inexpensive to maintain. The interesting thing is that when the FEC repainted(and renumbered to 2000) a GP40-2 with what would become known as the "Champion" scheme in 2000 for the millenium, it quickly became the most sought after engine to photograph by us FEC railfans. At the time, management stated that this was a one time thing. Funny how things work out
.
but were the acquired locos IR-equipped?
Originally Posted by Fec fan:
The "blue dip" scheme has been around since the early 60's, with varying white stripes and variations of the logo's and the name. It was used because it was inexpensive to maintain. The interesting thing is that when the FEC repainted(and renumbered to 2000) a GP38-2 with what would become known as the "Champion" scheme in 2000 for the millenium, it quickly became the most sought after engine to photograph by us FEC railfans. At the time, management stated that this was a one time thing. Funny how things work out.
I hadn't realized the blue dip scheme had been around that long. I figured it had to do with a cheaper paint job, as you stated - the usual reason. I think it's pretty exciting that the red and yellow is back. As you say, it's funny how things work out - and come around (at least sometimes). Happened with the KCS change, too, also a huge improvement IMHO. As with the FEC, the past is better for the future!
Swafford...i go past ERIE GE every three days on my train to buffalo i will give you a shout out as soon as one is visable..conrail john
Originally Posted by john f penca jr:
Swafford...i go past ERIE GE every three days on my train to buffalo i will give you a shout out as soon as one is visable..conrail john
Good Evening John,
Fantastic!!!
Regards,
Frank
HI! Here's a pic of my favorite FEC paint scheme. I took out of my truck, Jan. 2014. It was doing switching duties the day before. How you been FEC fan??
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Originally Posted by Little Giant:
HI! Here's a pic of my favorite FEC paint scheme. I took out of my truck, Jan. 2014. It was doing switching duties the day before. How you been FEC fan??
Love it! Is that for breast cancer awareness?
Gary: Yes it is!
Originally Posted by ChessieMD:
Does anyone know when Tier 4 emission standards kick in? Also, does it require large engine modifications to go from Tier 3 to Tier 4? Thanks.
I'm thinking the Tier 4 requirements start in 2015................
Per Trains mag BNSF and perhaps other railroads are considering programs to completely rebuild hundreds of older GE locomotives rather than buying new. Does anyone know what emission standards apply to the rebuilds?
Ed,
I haven’t read about railroads upgrading Tier III locomotives to Tier IV. If the Tier III locomotives run well, I don’t see the railroads repowering them when they don’t have to. The only exceptions I have read about repowering existing locomotives was when government agencies like California Air Resources Board (CARB) proactively paying the railroads or subsidizing the cost to repower existing locomotives (like that SD60M into SD59X a few years ago) to meet evolving emissions requirements.
Also as an outside observer it seems like it would take a lot of work to upgrade an existing Tier II or Tier III locomotive engines to Tier IV. But if someone else is paying for it & money is not an issue, it could be done. I worked on a project to repower older mining trucks, replacing the older engines with newer emissions compliant engines when I worked in the engine business at Caterpillar. If I still remember that project correctly, some government agency was subsidizing the cost of the repower.
But I would like to know if locomotives that are rebuilt after major wrecks / fires, would need current emissions compliant engines. Maybe they do or maybe they just export them to lesser-regulated countries with a non-compliant engine.
These are just my opinion.
Thanks,
Naveen Rajan
Originally Posted by Keystoned Ed:
Per Trains mag BNSF and perhaps other railroads are considering programs to completely rebuild hundreds of older GE locomotives rather than buying new. Does anyone know what emission standards apply to the rebuilds?
Good Day,
I'm just wondering if BNSF is going to upgrade some of their older Dash 9's and AC4400CW's to the GE Transportation NextFuel™ Natural Gas Retrofit Kit with Dual Fuel Technology. Perhaps these retrofit engines would reduce the fuel bills.
Regards,
Swafford
I just came across this article this morning with an update to these Florida East Coast GE ES44C4 locomotives. I am not sure if the image in the article is of a real locomotive or a computer rendering.
http://www.railwaygazette.com/...t-railway-locos.html
Thanks,
Naveen Rajan
Good Day Naveen,
Thanks for posting the link. Fantastic.................a color scheme from the past is now presented new again!
Regards,
Frank
Don’t mean to hi-jack this thread but All Aboard Florida announced a rather significant development the other day as they broke ground for their new Ft. Lauderdale station by demolishing an existing building at the site:
All Aboard Florida begins construction on Fort Lauderdale station | News - Home
The somewhat controversial planned passenger train is now one-step closer to reality.
Bill
Beautiful! FEC's All Aboard Florida also announced yesterday via email that construction has begun on their Ft. Lauderdale station, the first of the three south Florida stations. Ha! Looks like WftTrains beat me to it...
I am a big FEC fan. I reside in North Palm Beach when in Florida and have seen several different colors over the years. I also love to watch the Tri Rail as it heads south.
I saw new FEC GE units at the Erie PA CSX yard yesterday nov 12. Painted in the red and yellow scheme, VERY NICE INDEED !...today when i went past they were gone not sure if we picked them up or NS...
Hi John,
Thanks for the heads up! It won't be long and pictures will start showing up on the Internet.
Regards,
Frank
Frank...glad i could help..i also saw an American Bald Eagle having dinner on track 1 courtesy of a deceased deer that was just a step too slow !!!
Love that Garnet and Gold, uh, red and yellow color scheme. I wonder if the high speed passenger All Aboard Florida trains will be the same scheme.
Units are currently in Cincinnati and are expected to head south to delivery via CSX Knoxville/ATL today.
Originally Posted by Gary Graves:
Beautiful! FEC's All Aboard Florida also announced yesterday via email that construction has begun on their Ft. Lauderdale station, the first of the three south Florida stations. Ha! Looks like WftTrains beat me to it...
I am not 100% sure but I think that FEC or the company that is doing the AAF has started ground work or demolition work in West Palm Beach FL as well for a new building near Clematis street in downtown WPB.
Another project that FEC is doing is adding more port service from the east coast(port Everglades[Ft. Lauderdale] and port of Palm Beach) of south Florida for container service to north Florida, so there will be more freight trains as well on FEC tracks going north.
Lee Fritz
