Re: Newfoundland NG Diesel threatened

I've seen photos of these before. Just found another photo of a No. 25, so there may be five of them - all three known are a little different suggesting custom jobs. They are also claimed to have converted some GE diesel-electric end-cabs to straight-electrics.

The core locomotives appear to be common EMD 1200hp SW9/SW1200 models which were built in standard gage or wider. A very common domestic model (I've run several over the years) and some exported (primarily to South America). I am reasonably sure the trucks are GE, as is the headlight on 21 & 22.

Assuming they either bought new or used salvaged GE trucks, I would guess they now have six GE761 traction motors. Reagrdless, this would mean substantial changes to the electrical system. This era of EMD uses full series (4S) to series-parallel (2S-2P) to stay within the limitations of the smaller main generator. My guess the switchgear would have to be changed to 6S/3S2P or 3S-2P/2S-3P - not impossible to do. The more interesting situation is how they handled traction motor cooling. The EMD arrangement on these is to box in the center sills as an air duct, through a hollow center plate into a hollow bolster then to the motors. This would require something very different, though in some limited low horsepower cases I've seen them use motors without cooling (radiant only), or maybe they changed the traction motors to a GE double-reduction, self ventilating type?

Regardless - not cheap and easy, not to mention the stock SW is 10 feet wide and these show no evidence of being narrowed.

Dan