Article: Progressive Railroading LINK

EMD is supposed to deliver the first Tier 4 F125 locomotives to Metrolink, but these are using Cat's C175 20 cylinder engine to meet Metrolink's specs. Haven't we been down the 20 cylinder path before? And how long will the small bore high speed diesel engines last before they aren't economically rebuildable? And not to mention the contract cost comes out to something like $6-7 million per copy. Oh well, just print more free money.

If the rumors are true - EMD's 710 will not meet the looming January 1st deadline as an EPA Tier 4 compliant engine, unless they use smog credits or maybe a diesel/natural gas blended injection system. And a Tier 4 compliant diesel engine not until 2017? Is this a reworked CAT (so why not the C175 if its good enough for Metrolink) or maybe they are surrendering the 567/645/710 two stroke line for an upgraded 265H? The 265H left in disgrace (remember the 6000 hp SD90?) but maybe as a 12 cylinder it will come back. I believe EMD did work out most of the bugs and it is used in marine and some overseas rail applications.

Now for the big panic - railroads and builders don't seem to really be sure yet how the looming EPA regulations, interpretations and White House edicts will apply to rebuild or prime mover overhauls. Rumors are that a locomotive rebuild exceeding 50% will require it to meet Tier 4, others are convinced that if you change over a certain amount of power assemblies in any given year the prime mover will have to be upgraded.

Many of the new engine technologies will require urea injection (DEF, cat piss, fertilizer or whatever you want to call it). I have heard that one builder designing around the Cummins QSK-95 is expecting to have to carry 8-1/2 gallons of DEF Urea for every 100 gallons of diesel. If my math is right, that means almost 13% of the fuel tank volume will have to be segregated to carry DEF. I can see where the logistics of DEF or Natural Gas might be tolerable at certain terminals or small operations where all the engines are fueled at only one or two places, but I don't see it practical in the near term for most Class 1 or Class 2 railroads. I also can't imagine any commuter operator considering the natural gas option, though there are plenty of CNG buses.

Between the huge traffic pattern shifts due to our and the world economy, imports, intermodal, coal and oil, plus implementation of Tier 4, PTC and EPC - railroading as we know it today is going to be changing at an unbelievable pace in the next couple of years. Not to mention what impact this fall's and the next Presidential elections might bring.

Anyone care to guess the odds that the whole thing might just melt down trying to meet all these mandates? The last I heard is that the railroads had already invested $BILLIONS$ into PTC - has any Class 1 freight operator cut over a fully working system on any substantial territory yet?

Surprise - The preview didn't seem to have altered anything I typed so all the misteaks are mine. I guess as long as I don't type @#$%& I'm OK.