Re: Newfoundland NG Diesel threatened

As has been discussed here MANY times - EMD had very few models for 36" gage - the GA8/GA18 and a few for Columbia. Only the Columbian units had the typical axle hung traction motor - extremely rare on EMD.

It might be possible to change gage on a G8. This would require replacing the EMD D29? traction motors with GE764, changing the axles and gage, as well as realigning the brake rigging. You may or may not be able to "just change trucks" - it depends on if the bolster bowls are compatible, and if the traction motor cooling ducting is adaptable. Assuming you could find the GE764 motors, and they can be adapted to mount in the EMD truck, and the cooling ducts line up. Parts for rebuilding an EMD 8-567 engine are available. If it is a B or BC series block - throw it away! You want a 8-567C block upgraded with 645 power assemblies. This is a roots blown engine, but you might be able to regain some of horsepower loss to to elevation with the 645 power assemblies.

This may take a bit of electrical engineering. I'm not sure how comparable the GE764 motors are electrically. On this size and era of EMD, these are typically full series to series-parallel. The GE764 likely might require a different electrical design.

As Chris says - not impossible, but expensive. Regardless my guess is that D&Sng will be into a 36" road diesel-electric in the neighborhood of a $ million each - awful expensive for "backup" power....