I have not goggled this yet. I see a post for some sd40 models being offered and an older era modeler calling them modern! That got me thinking that the engine has a long life span covering many eras. I think the GP30s from EMD are rebuilt and still serving as a "rebuilt" with that squarish new cab that I've seen for CSX.
SO what model holds the longest life span of diesels? I bet something like #765, #844, #3965 or similar could beat them for overall years served as steam.
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Joe. My guess would be RS-3s GP/7/9 SWs
I think the early first generation diesels probably had longer operational careers than the big modern steam engine..
I live in Gibsonton near the Mosaic Plant on 41. They have a NW2 that was built in 1942 as UP1029
http://www.rrpicturearchives.n...icture.aspx?id=81990
There's still some operating CF7's kicking around doing daily work and not sitting around waiting for the occasional excursion. CF7's were rebuilt from Santa Fe F-units in the 1970's from F-units built between 1949-1952. Of course, there's very little of the original F7's left...
With a few exceptions, existing steam locomotives will always be older than diesels.
Rusty
Wow. 1940's still running. That amazes me.
The oldest, highest milage EMC/EMD diesel locomotive, that is still functional but NOT in "regular service, is the ACL E3A #501 at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC. She was delivered in late 1939, and has accrued over 6,250,000 miles.
Engineer-Joe posted:Wow. 1940's still running. That amazes me.
I seen it moving rail cars on through out the week. I drive that route taking my daughter to school and from school.
I would think it would be this one from the DL&W...
I've not done extensive research on this but I am with Joe, RS3, GP7's would be my first guess. I also will argue "operational careers" with #844 never being retired since she was born in 1944. 72 years is the benchmark for continuous years in service as far as I have been able to determine. There are older engines, some may be diesels but continuous service is the key for me.
I collect "stuff that is still running" and the 844 is my latest big addition to my collection.
Tony
While I know they are not the oldest, but certainly worth mentioning. Bennett Levin's E8s
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-E7Ms_ZQTQE/maxresdefault.jpg
Hot Water posted:The oldest, highest milage EMC/EMD diesel locomotive, that is still functional but NOT in "regular service, is the ACL E3A #501 at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC. She was delivered in late 1939, and has accrued over 6,250,000 miles.
I though the "Dan Patch" diesel were in a museum somewhere. However, this example is not active.
Maybe I was vague in the question but the answers coming are amazing to me.
1939, still used, and says the champion!
I'd have to imagine that the routes and what they were subject to, played a big role. Of course any major accident, probably tipped the hand towards the scrap yard.
So any engine that survives in the harshest conditions and longest miles for anywhere near these examples have, amazes me. Maybe some had easier lives at some point....
Ace, will they give her the full paint she deserves? Maybe a heritage to leave her like that?
The biggest thing for me, would be re-defining just what exactly modern is. I thought the MP15AC I was building was a modern diesel until I looked at her service years. That search showed me other switchers that were astonishingly old! I keep finding more. I wonder if they will have digital logs kept for history to show the miles ran that anyone could look up?
6 + Million miles!
New Hope Valley Railway no. 399, a 68-ton GE center cab, is operational and was built in April 1943.
Great topic! Just saying...
Tony_V posted:I've not done extensive research on this but I am with Joe, RS3, GP7's would be my first guess. I also will argue "operational careers" with #844 never being retired since she was born in 1944. 72 years is the benchmark for continuous years in service as far as I have been able to determine. There are older engines, some may be diesels but continuous service is the key for me.
I collect "stuff that is still running" and the 844 is my latest big addition to my collection.
Tony
There's a difference between operational careers and regular service. If you want to see steam locomotives with long operational careers and regular service, go to the Cumbres and Toltec or Durango and Silverton railroads. There you'll see locomotives built in 1925 doing daily grunt work through the mountains, while that kid built in 1944 rests most of the time in a comfy shop.
Then there's always Sierra #3 built in 1891...
Rusty
Engineer-Joe posted:... So any engine that survives in the harshest conditions and longest miles for anywhere near these examples have, amazes me. Maybe some had easier lives at some point....
Ace, will they give her the full paint she deserves? Maybe a heritage to leave her like that?...
Portland & Western already has a "heritage unit" in classic SP black widow paint, GP9 #1801 built 1959. Still in service but my photo is from 2003:
photo by Ace 2003
They also run some other vintage power like SW1200 #1201 built 1953, still in the colors of former owner Pittsburg & Shawmut.
photo by Ace 2016
This question could be divided up into some type of other categories then?
Most miles ran.
Longest service life.
still in service?
type of service?
diesel, electric, or steam.
I've confused myself once again. Sorry. Carry on.... I'm amazed still, anyways.
prrhorseshoecurve posted:I would think it would be this one from the DL&W...
I couldn't find it in a search. What is it? NW2? ALCO? EMC?
Well, the original question was:
Longest surviving diesel still in use?
So, you could break it down for the following:
I'd take the original question to me, in my mind, would be what is the oldest specific diesel locomotive that is used with some frequency in either freight or passenger service.
As for an answer, well, I have no clue. But I sure wouldn't throw steam into the equation!
We have a GE 45 (upgraded to 50) tonner that was built in January of 1942 for the U.S. Navy. Mainly used as a backup engine for when our steam locomotives have issues and also for switching occasionally during the operating season and over the winter maintenance season. Like many locomotives though, the engines were replaced at some point during a U.S. Navy rebuild program later in it's life. I believe they were replaced with a similar type of Cummins to what it originally had.
From what I understand, the smaller series of GE switching locomotives were designed by Cummins but manufactured by GE because Cummins didn't have the facilities for building locomotives.
Engineer-Joe posted:prrhorseshoecurve posted:I would think it would be this one from the DL&W...
I couldn't find it in a search. What is it? NW2? ALCO? EMC?
That is an original EMC model SC. Now, all the "experts" need to figure out what THAT is.
I'm not so sure that it is still functional, however. Sure looks nice anyway.
Hot Water posted: That is an original EMC model SC. Now, all the "experts" need to figure out what THAT is.I'm not so sure that it is still functional, however. Sure looks nice anyway.
From what I just read, it's re-powered with an EMD 567C engine.
Further reading shows that it was recently restored to operating condition.
SantaFe158 posted:Hot Water posted: That is an original EMC model SC. Now, all the "experts" need to figure out what THAT is.I'm not so sure that it is still functional, however. Sure looks nice anyway.From what I just read, it's re-powered with an EMD 567C engine.
Well, THAT is a darned shame! I thought it still had the Winton engine. Maybe I'm remembering a different unit.
Obviously not the greatest source, but according to Wikipedia, both units owned by Lackawanna were re-powered in the 1960's
This post rocks....
Aces P&W SD7 gets it for me..
If I remember correctly there are few Alco HH660s built in the late thirties working grain elevators in the Mid- West. Possibly owned by Relco.
Rusty Traque posted:Tony_V posted:I've not done extensive research on this but I am with Joe, RS3, GP7's would be my first guess. I also will argue "operational careers" with #844 never being retired since she was born in 1944. 72 years is the benchmark for continuous years in service as far as I have been able to determine. There are older engines, some may be diesels but continuous service is the key for me.
I collect "stuff that is still running" and the 844 is my latest big addition to my collection.
Tony
There's a difference between operational careers and regular service. If you want to see steam locomotives with long operational careers and regular service, go to the Cumbres and Toltec or Durango and Silverton railroads. There you'll see locomotives built in 1925 doing daily grunt work through the mountains, while that kid built in 1944 rests most of the time in a comfy shop.
Then there's always Sierra #3 built in 1891...
Rusty
lol, I'm afraid you are right. But #844 did actually rescue a freight train back in '96 while returning from a cushy excursion. Regardless, grunt work for all those years or never been retired is still something to be admired IMHO.
Tony
This is transit, not main line items. But the oldest rail items still in daily use in the US are the SFO MUNI Cable Cars. The fleet averages about 104 years. Get a grip on that!
CB&Q E5 at the Illinois Railway Museum was built in 1940. It runs regularly at the Musuem and did a roundtrip excursion from Chicago-Quincy in 2012 at track speed (79mph)
(Not a very clear pic but it was tough when she was moving as fast as she was after the Galesburg stop)
I really need to thank everyone. This is fun learning!
Dominic Mazoch posted:This is transit, not main line items. But the oldest rail items still in daily use in the US are the SFO MUNI Cable Cars. The fleet averages about 104 years. Get a grip on that!
Knott's Berry Farm regularly operates two 1881 Baldwins (they used to be run daily). That's a bit older than 104 years.
Disneyland operates their 1894 Baldwin in daily operation.
New York City Transit number 6 is a GE steeplecab that was built in 1921 It is still used to shunt cars from Coney Island Yrd to the NYC Transit museum They still use her on fan trips.
645 posted:Uh - the New York City Transit steeplecab 6 is an electric, not a diesel!
Right! And neither are any of the steam locomotives discussed!
Probably my favourite engine on a yard , weight freight or road switcher.From a brakeman's point of view, easy to get on & off with good visibility .
Notice the snow around the brake shoes. Many inexperienced & experienced engineman have had an occurrence when they go to apply the independent and there's nothing there ,no brakes. Have to keep the shoes hot .
Engineer-Joe posted:Maybe I was vague in the question but the answers coming are amazing to me.
1939, still used, and says the champion!
I'd have to imagine that the routes and what they were subject to, played a big role. Of course any major accident, probably tipped the hand towards the scrap yard.
So any engine that survives in the harshest conditions and longest miles for anywhere near these examples have, amazes me. Maybe some had easier lives at some point....
Ace, will they give her the full paint she deserves? Maybe a heritage to leave her like that?
The biggest thing for me, would be re-defining just what exactly modern is. I thought the MP15AC I was building was a modern diesel until I looked at her service years. That search showed me other switchers that were astonishingly old! I keep finding more. I wonder if they will have digital logs kept for history to show the miles ran that anyone could look up?
6 + Million miles!
You were clear in the question and no one has answered it yet. You asked "Longest surviving diesel still in use?" - I haven't read any responses giving the length of an engine. Come on folks...simple question! 
Fascinating thread - I never realized there were this many examples of old engines still capable of running.
-Greg
Greg Houser posted:Engineer-Joe posted:Maybe I was vague in the question but the answers coming are amazing to me.
1939, still used, and says the champion!
I'd have to imagine that the routes and what they were subject to, played a big role. Of course any major accident, probably tipped the hand towards the scrap yard.
So any engine that survives in the harshest conditions and longest miles for anywhere near these examples have, amazes me. Maybe some had easier lives at some point....
Ace, will they give her the full paint she deserves? Maybe a heritage to leave her like that?
The biggest thing for me, would be re-defining just what exactly modern is. I thought the MP15AC I was building was a modern diesel until I looked at her service years. That search showed me other switchers that were astonishingly old! I keep finding more. I wonder if they will have digital logs kept for history to show the miles ran that anyone could look up?
6 + Million miles!
You were clear in the question and no one has answered it yet. You asked "Longest surviving diesel still in use?" - I haven't read any responses giving the length of an engine. Come on folks...simple question!
Yes, VERY "simple question", and I'm sorry I missed THAT part of it. The ONLY correct answer is now, obviously, the UP DDA40X #6936, which is the "longest surviving diesel still in use"!!!!!
Fascinating thread - I never realized there were this many examples of old engines still capable of running.
-Greg
Not a diesel, but another electric made in 1928. Rode behind this in 2004.
Steve
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