Following its recent auction of locomotives, including its four Executive F units, Norfolk Southern is continuing to pare its fleet of units that are oddballs, old, or both.
The latest group of locomotives for sale includes the 29-unit, unique-to-Conrail fleet of Electro-Motive Division SD80MACs, carrying NS Nos. 7200-7228. Built in 1995-1996, they were part of Conrail’s small venture into alternating-current-powered locomotives, along with 15 SD70MACs. Listed at 5,000 hp, they are also NS’s most powerful single units. Thirteen of the locomotives went to CSX Transportation in the 1999 split of Conrail; one was scrapped after a 2009 mishap, but the remaining 12 were later acquired by NS, reuniting the SD80MAC fleet under one ownership.
During Conrail years and initially under NS, the 80MACs worked in coal service around South Fork, Cresson, and Altoona, Pa. Later, they operated in more widespread assignments. In implementing its own version of Precision Scheduled Railroading, NS has parked the units, so it is little surprise that they are on the sale list.
Also up for sale are RPU6 Slug 879 (a former EMD SD40) and RP-E4 Slugs 912 and 913 (former Norfolk & Western GP9s); MP15E’s 2368 (ex-Southern/Central of Georgia), 2374, and 2381 (both ex-Southern); GP38-2s 5202 (ex-Southern) and 5276 (ex-Penn Central); and GP40-2 3030 (ex-Conrail).
The largest group is a batch of 58 EMD SD40-2s. Among them are units of the following origins: Alabama Great Southern (Southern subsidiary; 1 unit); Burlington Northern (16 units), Canadian Pacific (two units), Central of Georgia (Southern subsidiary, five units), Cincinnati New Orleans & Texas Pacific (Southern subsidiary, two units), Colorado & Southern (BN subsidiary, one unit), Conrail (11 units), Georgia Southern & Florida (Southern subsidiary, one unit), Kennecott Copper Co. (one unit), Missouri Pacific (one unit), Norfolk & Western (nine units), and Union Pacific (two units).
Among the SD40-2s are a few that are 45 years old. Some were owned continuously by NS and predecessors, while others were acquired through locomotive lease firms CEFX, CITX, or FURX. Some were rebuilt with “Admiral cabs” by NS’s Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, Pa.
— Updated to note disposition of one CSX SD80MAC and additional Conrail AC locomotives.
