CNW SD80MAC's... What Could Have Been

[Matt Short Line H]

Just wanted to see what all of your thoughts where on this - Here is what I found so far.


C&NW signed a letter of intent in June 1994 for the delivery of 15 SD80MACs from EMD, to be delivered in summer 1995 as an "add-on" to another Conrail order. The locomotives would have been numbered CNW 8101-8115. The units were to have been used in pairs on Wisconsin Electric (WEPX) coal trains between the southern Powder River Basin and WE's Pleasant Prairie power plant, just north of the IL-WI border. Over the BN-CNW Joint line, one of the C&NW C42-8 Locotrol units (8550-8552) would have been used as the rear-end DP unit. At that time, the Pleasant Prairie power plant was receiving about 1.5 loaded coal trains per day, and was the largest single revenue-generating station on C&NW. The order originated during a meeting with EMD at London the day the Irish JT locomotive departed London onboard the Antonov super jet freighter.

The Letter of Intent was cancelled by UP in late April 1995 after the merger had progressed sufficiently to the point where UP could issue the order retraction. UP, of course, at that time had it's sights set on the 6000 HP SD90ACs and C60ACs. The units would have been painted in the lightning stripe scheme, but without standard C&NW equipment like ATC-CCS cab signals and Locotrol, which would have been added after delivery, as that was not in the basic Conrail specification.

The order was reportedly to have been for 35 units, with the units being leased on a "power by the hour" type agreement as the Oakway SD60's were with the BN. The CNW was also interested in EMD AC power when it placed the initial order with GE for AC4400CW's but due to the fact that EMD's entire production run was filled with BN SD70MAC's the CNW went with the GE's which were able to be delivered during the specified time frame that the railroad wanted.

The 15-35 CNW SD80ACs probably would have had Operation Lifesaver logos on the engine car body sides, just like the 35 C44ACs CNW 8801-8835 delivered in December 1994. The next order of 50 C44ACs, which would have been CNW 8836-8885, would have had O.L. logos as well. Those 50 were delivered in Oct-Nov-Dec 1995 directly to UP. Since UP only had the first 3 pre-production C44AC test units UP 9997-9999, that CNW order of 50 became UP's first true AC delivery (numbered in the UP 68xx series).

They would have been the CNW 8101 series in lightning stripe traditional yellow paint. They would have been built as an add on to a Conrail order, and as such, probably would have had CR details, including the "bug eye" marker lights. If I remember correctly, the initial order would have been for 15 units, with options for more.

It was a letter of intent type of situation where CNW wanted to reserve production space. The final financial details hadn't quite been worked out before the UP merger squashed the deal.

C&NW ordered 35 units. They would have been the 8100 series. Here is a excerpt from the CNW Yahoo Group question: "Here is an excerpt from my C&NW news reporting on the railroad's merger-interrupted motive power plans:

From North Western Lines, Summer 1995:

"EQUIPMENT NOTES: C&NW's 1994 annual report noted that the company had budgeted about $144 million for capital expenditures in 1995. Included in the program were 52 new locomotives and 1,900 freight cars. According to EMD sources, by February 1995 C&NW had come close to agreeing to acquire 35 SD80MACs in 1995 on a power-by the-hour basis. EMD would have maintained the new units, along with all other big North Western EMD power back to the SD40-2s, at the Proviso diesel shop under a 'power by the hour' arrangement. Reportedly, EMD had been looking for managers to run the shop. C&NW line employees would have continued working under their supervision. The UP merger, however, ended the talks; future locomotive acquisitions will be made by Omaha.”