“We plan to continue to use (the Alco C415s) on a regular basis,” Director of Operations Jonathan Wingate tells Trains News Wire. “The MK1500s were needed for fleet expansion, not replacement.” C415 No. 702 is in Quincy, while No. 701, in full Burlington Junction red paint, resides upriver in Burlington, Iowa.
“We are evaluating the performance and maintenance demands for (the MK1500D) units,” Wingate says. “They are much cleaner running and more fuel efficient than the older EMD engines.” The
The MK1500Ds, which were built by MK Rail in the mid-1990s, have a single Caterpillar 3512 engine and entered service on the Burlington Junction in the first half of 2019. Nos. 9628 and 9630 have been painted; Nos. 9626 and 9631 still carry blue and silver paint of prior owner Houston Belt & Terminal.
The units were stored for several months in Texas, and observers can see some of the corrosion caused by being close to the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, some of the window seals and gaskets have been replaced due to water leaks, but overall the engines are in good mechanical shape.
“We are opportunistic in our locomotive purchases, if they are the right price and in the right condition for our application we will acquire them,” Wingate adds.
In July, David Fredrick, Burlington Junction’s Manager of Safety, was filing an engineer’s vacancy as he worked in the Quincy yard. “I love ’em, they are quick to load, have great visibility and the air conditioning is so good it can drive you out of the cab,” he says. “They are great for flat switching, a perfect fit for us.”
Vincent: These are not the MK1200G’s. These units were built with the cat diesels. The LNG units all worked in Los Angeles their entire lives, mostly on the LA Junction.
Are these the former BNSF/UP units that were natural gas that UP gave up on and all went to BNSF in the Houston area?
BTW, both of Burlington Junction’s C415s came from Oregon, where they had been part of the Mount Hood Railroad’s dinner train operation. Before going to the MHRR, the dinner train had been the Spirit of Oregon Dinner Train, operating on a stretch of the Port of Tillamook Bay RR northwest of Portland.
Are any of the MK1500Ds located in Burlington or are all 4 in Quincy?
Hopefully when the time comes, these 2 Alco C415s will end up in a museum. At least they are safe for now.