EMD GP49
Encyclopedia
An EMD GP49 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive
built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division. Power was provided by an EMD 645F3B 12-cylinder
engine which generated 2800 horsepower
(2.1 MW). The GP49 was marketed as one of four models in the 50 series introduced in 1979. The 50 series includes GP/SD49 and GP/SD50. Both the GP and SD50 was relatively popular with a total of 278 GP50's and 427 SD50s built. The SD49 was advertised but never built and a total of 9 GP49's were built.
Alaska Railroad
is the only company that ordered it in two orders; the first was ARR 2801-2804 under order number 837049-1-4, built in September 1983 and the second was ARR 2805-2809 under order number 847035-1-5, built in May 1985. Six GP39Xs were built in November 1980 for the Southern Railway under order Number 786284-1-6 and upgraded to GP49's shortly thereafter.
auctioned five units (numbers 2801, 2803, 2804, 2806, and 2807) plus parts; Helm Leasing was the winning bidder with a bid of $1.3 million. The Alaska Railroad's four remaining units (2802, 2805, 2808, and 2809) are still in service as of March, 2007.
The units 2805 and 2808 are now part of the 28's fleet of one of the biggest chilean freight operators, Ferronor S.A (Empresa de Transporte Ferroviario S.A) and were transformated from GP-49's to SD-49's. They are in the Llanos de Soto Workshops (Vallenar) of Ferronor S.A and they are operating in Ferronor Vallenar trains, moving iron ore trains from Los Colorados Mine to the Guacolda Port in Huasco, Chile. 2805 is working with a slug locomotive, and old GE U9C
rebuilt, now numbered 285, and 2808 is waiting for its slug, 288, too a rebuilt of a U9C.
Tri-Rail
in Florida has since bought Norfolk Southern's six GP49 variants (ex-GP39X units) for use on commuter trains in Florida. The locomotives have since been rebuilt with HEP, and have been de-rated to 2400 hp from 2800.
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division. Power was provided by an EMD 645F3B 12-cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
engine which generated 2800 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(2.1 MW). The GP49 was marketed as one of four models in the 50 series introduced in 1979. The 50 series includes GP/SD49 and GP/SD50. Both the GP and SD50 was relatively popular with a total of 278 GP50's and 427 SD50s built. The SD49 was advertised but never built and a total of 9 GP49's were built.
Alaska Railroad
Alaska Railroad
The Alaska Railroad is a Class II railroad which extends from Seward and Whittier, in the south of the state of Alaska, in the United States, to Fairbanks , and beyond to Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright in the interior of that state...
is the only company that ordered it in two orders; the first was ARR 2801-2804 under order number 837049-1-4, built in September 1983 and the second was ARR 2805-2809 under order number 847035-1-5, built in May 1985. Six GP39Xs were built in November 1980 for the Southern Railway under order Number 786284-1-6 and upgraded to GP49's shortly thereafter.
Performance
While possessing a fairly high power rating (2950 total HP), the traction horsepower was rated at 2800 while 150 hp was used to run the onboard appliances. The GP49 is known for its slow acceleration, this was due to the radar unit that is mounted under the front pilot to monitor the actual ground speed when the engine is moving to prevent wheel slip. This system is known as EMD's Super Series wheel slip control that was introduced on the GP40X. It tells the engine's computer to slow the speed of the motors to prevent wheel slip. The GP49 is equipped with a 12-645F3B engine with an AR15 alternator rated at 4680 amperes and has four D87 traction motors. Externally the GP49 looks like a GP50 but has two 48" fans above the radiator instead of three as on the GP50, and the engine-room has eight access doors on each side under the Dynamic Brake blister for engine and turbocharger maintenance, while the GP50 has ten.Use
In December 2006, the Alaska RailroadAlaska Railroad
The Alaska Railroad is a Class II railroad which extends from Seward and Whittier, in the south of the state of Alaska, in the United States, to Fairbanks , and beyond to Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright in the interior of that state...
auctioned five units (numbers 2801, 2803, 2804, 2806, and 2807) plus parts; Helm Leasing was the winning bidder with a bid of $1.3 million. The Alaska Railroad's four remaining units (2802, 2805, 2808, and 2809) are still in service as of March, 2007.
The units 2805 and 2808 are now part of the 28's fleet of one of the biggest chilean freight operators, Ferronor S.A (Empresa de Transporte Ferroviario S.A) and were transformated from GP-49's to SD-49's. They are in the Llanos de Soto Workshops (Vallenar) of Ferronor S.A and they are operating in Ferronor Vallenar trains, moving iron ore trains from Los Colorados Mine to the Guacolda Port in Huasco, Chile. 2805 is working with a slug locomotive, and old GE U9C
GE Universal Series locomotives
The GE Universal Series locomotives were diesel locomotives launched by GE in early 1956.Initially, there were nine U-series models: U4B, U6B, U9B, U9C, U12B, U12C, U18B, U18C and UD18B. They were designed to be readily adaptable to different track gauges for export markets. The U5B and U8B...
rebuilt, now numbered 285, and 2808 is waiting for its slug, 288, too a rebuilt of a U9C.
Tri-Rail
Tri-Rail
Tri-Rail is a commuter rail line linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. It is run by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. The system has 18 stations along the South Florida coast...
in Florida has since bought Norfolk Southern's six GP49 variants (ex-GP39X units) for use on commuter trains in Florida. The locomotives have since been rebuilt with HEP, and have been de-rated to 2400 hp from 2800.
Related Sites
- http://www.trainweb.org/emdloco/gp40-2.htm
- http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/emd/gp402/gp402proto.html
- http://trainiax.net/mescalelocophase.htm
External links
- Sarberenyi, Robert. EMD GP39X, GP49, and GP50 Original Owners