Krauss Maffei SP 9010 out for a run

Howard Wise · **Posted:** Wed Jun 12, 2013 11:47 am

The Pacific Locomotive Association's Krauss Maffei ML4000 C'C' has been under restoration for almost 5 years and with the completion of some substantial rewiring and fabrication work, we took it out for a test run on Sunday 9th. Our Maybach engine expert Rob Fern was over from the UK so he was in charge of this run-by with our SD9 5472 providing the power. Control was totally from the 9010 via MU. It was a great day for the team that has been steadily working on the 9010. There will eventually be more video of the day on Youtube but for now, have a watch at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xJrhE0vTWU

Howard

wesp · **Posted:** Wed Jun 12, 2013 12:30 pm

Congratulations!

Wesley

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

That is REALLY great! Seeing her makes me think with sadness of "Christine" (Rock Island 621), a "Big Apple", an "Emma", a New Haven GE EP-5 electric, and others that didn't quite make it to preservation. Wonderful job guys. May she long run!

Les

MEC_557 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 12, 2013 7:22 pm

You guys have really done an excellent job with that from what you started with. Seeing the whole nose complete is impressive.

Are there parts available to repair, support and maintain the Maybach prime movers?

Howard Wise · **Posted:** Wed Jun 12, 2013 8:20 pm

Are there parts available to repair, support and maintain the Maybach prime movers?[/quote]

Thanks for your kind words. The nose was a fun fabrication project. Yes, Maybach parts are available but quite expensive. The number 1 engine will never run again after having had the right bank open to the atmosphere for the past 46 years but its left bank seems to be in good condition. Our visual inspection of the #2 engine has left a very positive impression and after rigging up a prelube system, we have barred it over. The only problem found so far is stuck injectors. That will be addressed soon. The story is way to big to relate here but our web site http://sp9010.ncry.org keeps up on all the latest news.

Howard

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Wed Jun 12, 2013 8:47 pm

Nice save, guys. A unique rarity rescued from oblivion.

etalcos · **Posted:** Wed Jun 12, 2013 10:35 pm

Nice to see the Wig-Wag crossing signals still in action too...

Randy Gustafson · **Posted:** Thu Jun 13, 2013 8:19 am

Wow. I'm stunned...

I saw the 8799 when it was a camera car, somewhere around Los Angeles in June 1972. Even at 15 I knew the K-M's were 'wierd' and that spotting something that looked like that was an immediate passing shot from Amtrak's Coast Daylight with my Kodak Instamatic.

Looked up the history of it (as I thought 8799 was the only survivor, what's this?) and like I said....wow.

HudsonL · **Joined:** Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am **Posts:** 548

Wilbur Shannon was the last Chief Mechanical Officer for the Northern Pacific Railway, in 1965 he apparently took a trip to inspect the SP Diesel Hydraulics. He took a few pictures.

http://www.gn-npjointarchive.org

http://www.gn-npjointarchive.org/Lists/ ... Items.aspx

Search for SP under Railroads

-Hudson

filmteknik · **Posted:** Sat Jun 22, 2013 6:00 pm

The webpage says the ML4000C'C' units were

First imported mainline Diesel locomotive in U.S. history.

Which would ignore the first generation KM's, no?

Steve

Howard Wise · **Posted:** Sat Jun 22, 2013 10:39 pm

[quote="filmteknik"]The webpage says the ML4000C'C' units were

First imported mainline Diesel locomotive in U.S. history.

Which would ignore the first generation KM's, no?

No, it doesn't. The Germans referred to the Cab units as "Prototype units" and the hood units as "Series units" but they were all known as ML4000C'C'.

Howard

Howard Wise · **Posted:** Sat Jun 22, 2013 10:51 pm

[quote="HudsonL"]Wilbur Shannon was the last Chief Mechanical Officer for the Northern Pacific Railway, in 1965 he apparently took a trip to inspect the SP Diesel Hydraulics. He took a few pictures.

http://www.gn-npjointarchive.org

http://www.gn-npjointarchive.org/Lists/ ... Items.aspx

Search for SP under Railroads
============================

Wow, thank you for this. We are constantly amazed at the wealth of photos of the KM's that turn up and Mr Shannon's archive is a treasure.

Thank you again!

Howard

Howard Wise · **Posted:** Sun Jun 23, 2013 12:52 am

Here is a nice video of the day out produced by a friend of the project.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHtxG3ibwnw

Howard

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sun Oct 13, 2013 11:36 pm

Top bump this up to possibly THE most ambitious, "they said it couldn't be done" rail preservation project of ALL time:

Quote:

A retired KM tech advisor remembered that several sets of salvaged KM trucks were shipped back to Germany in 1968, to be used as heavy-duty power trucks for the RM 63 series of Plasser & Theurer ballast cleaners. And after the word went out, a set of rebuilt gearboxes and drivetrain parts from a retired RM 63 unit were located in a scrapyard in France, and are currently being secured for shipment to the PLA.

More at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

Howard Wise · **Posted:** Mon Oct 14, 2013 12:53 am

For those without Facebook access, the information is also available on the front page of the SP 9010 web site at http://sp9010.ncry.org
Getting these trucks from France is a monumental step towards powered operation of the 9010. They are the only complete set in the world.

Howard