Grand Elk motive power

[Super Chief]

Today saw newest engine on the Elk. 4206 on 302 heading north to Kalamazoo from Elkhart. No logos on the sides though. Dont know if this is a Watco decision so units can be swapped easier or what. Yellow frame paint and on ends was more of a lime color than yellow. Also heard one of the WSOR units burned up all its traction motors.

[PatAzo]

The 4077 burned up it's #3 motor.

[Super Chief]

Tonights train sitting at CP Cowling had NS SD60E 6969, WSOR 4076 and 4009. Any idea why the operations now involve trains coming to this point and sitting. Been going on the last two weeks now? Is this an extra 700 class train due to grain harvest coming in or is this there another reason?

[NSSD70ACe]

Not sure why they were sitting down there, but I doubt it was a 700...mixed freight, at least 30 cars. The 4076 and 4009 were no surprise but where the heck did the SD60E come from? NS doesn't run up here any more, obviously, and I never heard of it coming up here. However it's the first widecab those tracks have seen for a few years now so I'm not gonna complain.

[Super Chief]

Thats what I'm trying to figure out . Normally NS power only runs on the stone trains to White Piegon to Anderson's but for some reason they have been at Cowling now for the last two weeks running southbound. My sighting of 6391 last week pumping air on demand to the covered hoppers sitting in the very same spot I thought was a one time shot. Guess not.

[conrail7695]

Tuesday morning that NS6969 loco come up from Elkhart yard on a dead 302 crew that was parked at CP-14. As well as a dead 501 crew parked behind them.. On Monday both trains went south very late in the day, this is why they went dead.

12 Sept. they three loco consist went south about 07:30 and the NS loco 6969 was cut off and parked at CP-14 this morning. The two GDLK loco pulled the 302 to the yard as from what I just heard on my scanner.

Not sure why they were sitting down there, but I doubt it was a 700...mixed freight, at least 30 cars. The 4076 and 4009 were no surprise but where the heck did the SD60E come from? NS doesn't run up here any more, obviously, and I never heard of it coming up here. However it's the first widecab those tracks have seen for a few years now so I'm not gonna complain.

[NSSD70ACe]

Wait...so if it's parked at CP 14, then will it be coming back north? Will it stay parked for a 700 train?

[PatAzo]

4124 is out of action. Blew two power assemblies Thursday night.

[conrail7695]

It is working the 700 job right now I can hear them on my scanner..

Wait...so if it's parked at CP 14, then will it be coming back north? Will it stay parked for a 700 train?

[NSSD70ACe]

4124 is out of action. Blew two power assemblies Thursday night.

Thanks for the update Pat.

Jeez that means GDLK in down two of their higher HP locos: 4077 and 4124. Probably dead-in-tow on 303 within the next few days if not already up in GR. Kinda wish that SD60E stayed up here...Grand Elk needs the HP.

[PatAzo]

The 4124 had a part I believed called the fork rod basket fail. This is the piece that connects the piston rods to the crank. It came apart. Two pistons and rods landed in the crankcase. The crank and the block are damaged.

The 4206 will be on the road once it gets a new set of batteries.

[conrail7695]

I agree GDLK needs to sell all of the junk and but a few new or well taken care of used loco's! There always breaking down!

4124 is out of action. Blew two power assemblies Thursday night.

Thanks for the update Pat.

Jeez that means GDLK in down two of their higher HP locos: 4077 and 4124. Probably dead-in-tow on 303 within the next few days if not already up in GR. Kinda wish that SD60E stayed up here...Grand Elk needs the HP.

[Bulby]

I agree GDLK needs to sell all of the junk and but a few new or well taken care of used loco's! There always breaking down!

You can buy the newest and best maintained locomotives in the world, but they will still blow up and break down if you don't maintain them and treat them right. One of my friends works for WSOR and he is pretty annoyed about loosing some of the WSOR's units to the GDLK. Something about needing the decent power to stay put.

The WSOR locomotives are (or at least were) well maintained, and treated right in the Bill Gardner era of WSOR.

[Super Chief]

Does GDLK do these types of repairs in house. Changing out traction motors and blown pistons? Last position hired I think on start up was diesel mechanic at GR. Or at least the posting was open for a while. I don't know what or how much equipment they have at the shop at Hughart?

[NSSD70ACe]

I know that they do use (or did) use the shops at Hugart for car/locomotive repairs but I'm not sure if they still do. It would make sense because I don't think Elkhart has a repair facility like that and I can't think of a single terminal on this side of the state that houses a major repair facility. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like the most likely thing is that they do it "in-house" unless it's REALLY bad (like, collision bad).

Is there a major repair facility on this side of the state? If so, where?

[PatAzo]

They are going to pull 4124's engine in Grand Rapids and send it out. I'd assume they will change 4077's traction motor in GR since that is where they sent it.

[Saturnalia]

Marquette has used Peaker Services of Green Oak in the past for larger repairs. IIRC some time ago there was major work done on the then-GLLX 3003? Where it was brought to GR Steel (the old PM Backshop at Wyoming yard) where the crane was big enough to lift the prime mover out. I think the last time they needed something like that done they contracted a mobile crane service. Class three repairs sure can get interesting...I guess these could be the same!

[12Bridge]

Pushing the side of a cylinder liner out is a sound I never want to hear again, I don't even want to think if dropping a pair of assembly's. Thank god nobody was hurt and there was no base explosion (all the more reason to NEVER stand next to one of these any longer then you need to, especially under load..)

Having the best maintenance standards or engines isn't going to do a thing if the crews don't treat things right...something to remember.

[conrail7695]

GDLK 4206 the new loco is going south now on the 302 passing Three rivers, mi. 10:35 16 Sept.2014

[PatAzo]

There is a WSOR GP7 in Elkhart due to come north today. It will be used on one of the yard jobs. Northbound they will have all three WSOR units in the consist plus the 4125 and 4206.