BNSF remote control SD60M

[Conductor Rees]

Aparently BNSF is wanting to replace the SD40-2s they have for remote control with rebuilt SD60Ms. We have had one in the bowl and hump at argentine this week testing it and BNSF has at least 5 other sd60m headed to have rcl equipment added

 

[papio]

Here's one we saw wb on 1/12/13 at Ashland NE, not a very good shot, but you should get the idea

 

[BNSF650]

Thats awsome!!

 

[Tacoma Tom]

I remember switching with a SD45T-2 once. We had our work done in half the time. 6 axle power is much better as long as it can load up fast.

 

[Conductor Rees]

That's the one we are testing in argentine yard it's the 8131. I like the cab but that's about it the sd40-2s we use now are alot better to switch with. The 8131 just doesn't load quick enough and respond quick enough for rco and it couldn't shove the hump by itself

 

[NM_RailNut]

I wonder if this is why three (as of yet) unrebuilt SD60Ms have been operating out of Belen yard the past couple of weeks or so; seems like they've mostly been used on the daily runs between Belen and Albuquerque (including one of the largest trains I've seen heading north in quite a while at over 5000' in length; most of the ABQ-Belen runs are less than half as long) and on longer distance manifest trains originating and terminating there, although one unit has been used for assembling trains. (Mostly the aforementioned Belen-ABQ runs, and usually with a non-RCL SD40-2, so I'm not too sure this means Ft. Worth's interested in using units like 8131 out this way. Who knows...)

 

[Trainfanne54]

Nice shot.

 

[jbaakko]

Interesting! I like how they opted for the single stripe New Image vs the Tri-stripe. Tri-stripe was usually reserved for safety cab units, where the single was on standard cab. Wonder if it has to do with it's testing as a switcher.

 

[Conductor Rees]

It looks like they just painted it like an SD40-2.

 

[RCH]

I'm sure these will be miserable to switch with. They do this and meanwhile we have mothballed SD40-2s and SD45-2s sitting in yards across the system...

 

[Conductor Rees]

Its actually not that bad to switch with in rco.

 

[ECIRailfan]

Interesting! I like how they opted for the single stripe New Image vs the Tri-stripe. Tri-stripe was usually reserved for safety cab units, where the single was on standard cab. Wonder if it has to do with it's testing as a switcher.

Not sure about this, but BNSF 100 (GP60M) also got the standard cab H3 scheme on it in early 2013, but it's a widecab. I personally like the appearance more as well. Both have the same nose shape (the early design with out the notched corners), so I'm not sure if that's a coincidence or if BNSF is going to do that to the other units like this from now on.