| EMD GP40-based passenger locomotives | |
|---|---|
| Power type | Diesel-electric |
| Builder | Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) |
| AAR wheel arr. | B-B (UIC: Bo'Bo' ) |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The EMD GP40-based passenger locomotives were derivatives of the General Motors EMD GP40 diesel locomotive. For passenger service, the locomotives required extra components for providing steam or head-end power (HEP) for heating, lighting and electricity in passenger cars.
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The GP40TC was built by General Motors Diesel (GMD), for GO Transit in Toronto, Ontario (The 'TC' stood for 'Toronto Commuter'). To accommodate an HEP genset, they were built on an SD frame. After serving GO for many years (being replaced by various units including GP40-2W's and more recently, F59PH's) the units were sold to Amtrak. For Amtrak service the 575 volt HEP engine / generator set was replaced with one for 480 volt HEP. The units were based in Chicago and used on short-haul trains. Currently the units are used for MOW service and have been rebuilt into "GP38H-3" units for Amtrak by Norfolk Southern.
Thirteen GP40Ps were built in October 1968 for the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) and paid for by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The CNJ put the units in service on the Raritan Valley Line and the North Jersey Coast Line (New York & Long Branch).
The CNJ was folded into Conrail in 1976, and in 1983, New Jersey Transit began operating passenger rail service in the state. Shortly after, the steam generator, which had occupied the flat end of the locomotive's long hood, was replaced with a diesel HEP generator, and the units were reclassified as GP40PH. They would later be rebuilt as GP40PH-2 units in 1991-92.
In 1996, the Connecticut Department of Transportation purchased six GP40-2 freight locomotives from CSX Transportation to replace its existing fleet of leased locomotives for use in Shore Line East service, and sent them out for rebuilding and conversion to passenger locomotives. The rebuilt locomotives were given the GP40-2H designation, and were completed by AMF Technotransport in Pointe-Saint-Charles, an area of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
The six units came back numbered 6694 through 6699.
The GP40-2H is similar to NJ Transit's GP40PH-2 series, but sporting a smaller fuel tank.
All six units remain in Shore Line East service today.
In 1991-92, NJ Transit sent its ex-CNJ GP40PH units out for rebuilding. The units were rebuilt as GP40PH-2 locomotives and, with the exception of 4101, renumbered out of order. At this time, the units were restricted on the Newark Division and primarily kept to the Hoboken Division. By 1999, the units were often used on the Pascack Valley Line service, as they were the only units equipped with the Speed Enforcement System equipment needed on the line. They are now found mainly on the Hoboken Division.
New Jersey Transit would later order two more sets of GP40PH-2 units; these units were rebuilt from former freight GP40 units, not from GP40P units as the first order has been. The first order (GP40PH-2A) in 1993 consisted of six units, numbered 4145-4150, and were rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen. These units, with the exception of 4148, which was rebuilt as a GP40PH-2B and renumbered after a collision, are classified as GP40PH-2A, though the units lack the "A" designation on their stenciling. The second order in 1993-94 was rebuilt by Conrail, and was for 19 former Penn Central units, numbered 4200-4218. These units are classified as GP40PH-2B. A twentieth unit, the GP40PH-2A numbered 4148 wrecked in 1996, was also rebuilt into this class and renumbered 4219 in 1997.
Metro-North ordered a single GP40PH-2 unit; numbered 4190, it is officially classified as a GP40PH-2M. 4190 was rebuilt by Conrail in 1992. The current number of this unit is 4906
A GP40PH-2 is being used on Amtrak's Piedmont train. It is owned by the North Carolina Department of Transportation rather than Amtrak itself.
In 1987, New Jersey Transit and Metro-North ordered a set of GP40 locomotives called GP40FH-2s which were completed by Morrison Knudsen between 1987-90 and combine the standard cab and frame of a GP40 with the cowl from an ex-Burlington Northern F45. A total of 21 units of this type were built; 15, numbered 4130 through 4144, were delivered to New Jersey Transit, and the remaining six, numbered 4184 through 4189, were for Metro-North.
New Jersey Transit's units are slated to be retired eventually, replaced by new PL42AC locomotives from Alstom. GP40FH-2s 4130-4134 were sent to MotivePower Industries to be rebuilt into switcher units. Metro-North has begun sending their units out for significant maintenance and upgrades. Metro-North sent units 4184-4189 to MPI in 2007, when they were rebuilt as GP40FH-2Ms 4900-4905.
In 1993, Morrison-Knudsen was contacted by MARC to assemble a fleet of GP40s. These units are called GP40WH-2s. The GP40WH-2 is equipped with a Cummins head-end power generator and is rated at 3,000 hp (2,200 kW), allowing the locomotive to push or pull up to 6 bi-levels at up to 100 mph (160 km/h). The FRA exempted these MARC units from the "triangular light pattern" rule because the engines were ordered with Gyralites before the mandatory use of ditch lights. They are numbered 51 to 69 on the MARC roster and entered service in 1994. They are slated for retirement due to the arrival of new MP36 locomotives.
All examples of this model were built by EMD for Canadian National and GO Transit. Now multiple other railroads own them. A portion of the fleet is owned by Rocky Mountaineer and pulls their passenger trains in British Columbia and Alberta. One of the units was the Spirit of Quesnel in 2009, but in 2010, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations repainted its entire fleet to celebrate their 15th anniversary.
In the late 1980s, Morrison-Knudsen rebuilt six GP40s into 12 cylinder GP39s for MARC, numbered 70 to 75. They were downgraded from 3,000 horsepower (2,200 kW) to 2,300 horsepower (1,700 kW), and re-equipped with 4-stroke Cummins HEP generators providing 480 volts. Number 73 was the push unit for MARC #P286, which was involved in a fatal collision with Amtrak's Capitol Limited on February 16, 1996 73 was rebuilt, and continues to work for MARC. In 1996, the units received ditch lights on their anticlimbers, and during the late 90s, received reflective tape around the side sills and anticlimbers. The 268,000-pound GP39H-2 can push/pull a maximum of 4 cars at speeds of up to 90 mph (140 km/h).
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority currently owns a set of GP40 passenger diesels known as GP40MCs. They were originally built as GP40-2Ws for Canadian National in 1973-75. In 1997, these 25 units were extensively rebuilt by AMF. In this rebuild, the units were given Cummins K19TA HEP Generators, flared radiators, and a desktop cab. However, the engine, main generator and traction motors on these units remained the same. Although they have been traditionally held on the North Side, these locomotives can also be occasionally seen on the South Side of the MBTA system. They are still in frequent use. However, they have always been plagued by computer malfunctions, since the units were originally used for pulling freight. The turbochargers, main generators, prime movers and traction motors have also not been very reliable given their original age. Engines 1116 and 1119 have been rebuilt to be used as switchers as well as passenger units. These units also feature steps in the middle of the engineer's side of the units. A lower step was added to the stairs, and rear ditchlights were put on.
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