NSDash9's FB page is reporting that NS will be receiving new power: ET44ACs. The following is from the page:
NEW GE POWER! NS will be receiving an order of 50 new locomotives later in 2016 from General Electric, which will include 47 ET44AC Tier 4 certified units and 3 ES44AC Tier 4 credit units. The ET44AC's will be numbered in a new series as NS 3600-3646 and the ES44AC units will be numbered 8166-8168. ...
Now, there wasn't a link attached to any official announcement so I'm not 100% sure how accurate this information is. A lot of people are up in arms about more "generic widecabs" because of the wealth of stored units NS has.
Thoughts?
-NS
the contents of the above post are my opinion and mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
Saturnalia wrote:Hoping widecabs go away is like hoping the moon doesn't rise tonight. Ain't gonna happen. What's the alternative?
From a railroaders point of view. Wide cabs are nice. I do have a soft spot for standards cabs though.
As far as wide cabs, I find our own (NS) to be more preferable, if not a little barren on features (like a conductors side over head fan). UP and BNSF are usually pretty low on the list, vinyl seats and generally non working air conditioners (except the new GEVOs). CSX units are alright but, generally have the rear conductors seat in the middle of the cab (often referred to as a captains chair). CN/CP units are far and few between on my district but, the the last one I had (a CP AC4400) didn't even have an air conditioner. Makes for a rough day when its in the 90s, wide cabs don't "flow well" so to speek. Can't crack the front door with a flag stick like the ole standard cabs.