NS F units

southern154 · **Joined:** Mon Jun 24, 2013 12:54 pm **Posts:** 321

With the talk of the Stream Liner Event in Spencer this year, what is going on with NS's 3 "new" F units they bought? I saw a picture of one being towed to Altoona last February and made me think of it.

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Fri Jan 24, 2014 4:31 pm

More importantly, will these "new" F units be painted green?

southern154 · **Joined:** Mon Jun 24, 2013 12:54 pm **Posts:** 321

wilkinsd wrote:

More importantly, will these "new" F units be painted green?

I don't know, but considering they were all marked SOU # etc. I would not be surprised!

Reading 900 · **Joined:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:27 pm **Posts:** 118

They would be nice in green, but they were marked Sou # just for shipping to Altoona. My guess is that those F units would be taken down to the frame and rebuilt from the ground up, they were very rough. Haven't the in-service F units been converted to ac traction? Seem to remember reading that when NS replaced the electrical cabinets in them.

Alan

NH0401 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:40 pm

The NS F-units are all conventional DC traction. The B units have had their DC main generators replaced with AR-10 main alternators-the A units have not.

The issue is this: On an F unit, the air compressor is close-coupled to the DC main generator. The AR-10 has no provision for doing this.

Accordingly, the layout of the machinery on the B units was substantially revised in
order to drive the compressor off the free end of the engine. Performing this same modification on the A units will be a challenge on account of space constraints.

Dave

Mr.Pullman · **Posted:** Fri Jan 24, 2014 10:04 pm

I believe the three units presently stored in Altoona are the three f-units you are talking about 2 "A"s and a single "B"...

Just so we can all see what we are talking about, here are some images of the units being discussed.

Reading 900 · **Joined:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:27 pm **Posts:** 118

Thanks Dave for the explanation and Steven for the photos. I understand that one of the electrical panels from an executive F was donated by NS to go in one of the Lackawanna F's at Steamtown. Either way, after those engines go through the Altoona shops they'll look and run great!

Alan

filmteknik · **Posted:** Sat Jan 25, 2014 11:50 pm

Did the AR10's come with Dash 2 electronics?

Steve

Gary Gray · **Posted:** Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:39 am

Conjecture seems to be popping up here also. From experience I tend to lean towards "Occam's razor". Could it be that these units were simply purchased as "parts cars" for the OCS F-units.......

Unseenthings · **Joined:** Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:51 pm **Posts:** 155

Gary Gray wrote:

Conjecture seems to be popping up here also. From experience I tend to lean towards "Occam's razor". Could it be that these units were simply purchased as "parts cars" for the OCS F-units.......

I would agree that most if not all of these will never see service again.

Bulby · **Joined:** Tue Nov 12, 2013 6:45 pm **Posts:** 258

Gary Gray wrote:

Conjecture seems to be popping up here also. From experience I tend to lean towards "Occam's razor". Could it be that these units were simply purchased as "parts cars" for the OCS F-units.......

Quote:

The NS F units share the same basic specifications as a GP38AC or GP38-2 geared for passenger service. They share no major components with original F units.

If the above (from http://www.altoonaworks.info/rebuilds/ns_funits.html) is true, the only things that NS could get as parts are the trucks and the bodies.

The F7b they purchased is clearly lettered as a slug; why would NS purchase a slug to give parts to powered engines when its only components (trucks/traction motors) are available without buying the locomotive and shipping it to Altoona?

If they only bought these for parts, they went to a lot of trouble to get those parts.

NH0401 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:43 pm

Quote:

Did the AR10's come with Dash 2 electronics?

No. NS used TMV (microprocessor-based) controls. Observed with my own two eyes.
Altoona works is incorrect.

I wouldn't underestimate JLS's ability to perform just about any task with respect to locomotives-including erecting new locos.

Dave

Reading 900 · **Joined:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:27 pm **Posts:** 118

My thinking is that if you're going to tear a loco down to the frame and trucks and get rid of all else, then start on loco's that are already at that point. I don't see where NS needs more executive F's but then again I don't run the company. JLS can make those shells into really nice F38's!

Alan

filmteknik · **Posted:** Sun Jan 26, 2014 4:41 pm

Why not an F70PH powered by a 16-710? It would probably go like a rocket.

Steve

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Sun Jan 26, 2014 5:02 pm

Still limited to 79 mph on NS' own tracks and probably 100/110 on the NEC. It's all in the gearing anyway. So, you get the capability of having an A-B-B-B-A set of power with one or two spare A units in case one of the current ones breaks down.