GP60/60M/60B

From RailroadfanWiki

Contents 1 GP60 2 Roster of GP60's 3 GP60M 4 GP60B

GP60

The GP60 is a four axle, 3,800 HP diesel-electric locomotive built by EMD from 1985 to 1994, and were the first units classified as third-generation locomotives that were equipped with 3 microprocessors that monitored system functions, which reduced the amount of wiring and relays systems. Like the SD60, the GP60 uses a 16-clyinder 710G3 engine rated at 3,800 horsepower.

The GP60 was the last Geep built by EMD. The need for a high horsepower, 4 axle locomotive for freight service had all but disappeared by the time the GP60 went into production. 294 were built, most of which going to Southern Pacific and it's Cotton Belt subsidiary. GP60's are hotrods compared to most Geeps, and the railroads that did order them put them to work on fast freight and intermodal trains. They can still be found today on Class 1's, pulling everything from hotshot TOFC trains to locals.

EMD also built 3 GP60 demonstrator units. Numbered EMDX 5-7, they were built to SP specs and featured bulbous cabs, SP style 5-Light packages, and other features that would be changed or ommitted on production GP60's. The units spent a brief time in the LLPX pool before being sold to CSX.

Roster of GP60's

Railroad Quantity Road Numbers Notes Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 40 4000-4039 To BNSF 8700-8730, 8732-8739 US Department of Energy 1 106 Savanah River Switcher EMDX 3 5-7 Demonstrators. Now CSX 6897-6899 Norfolk Southern 50 7100-7150 Rio Grande 3 3154-3156 To UP 1900-1902 Southern Pacific 100 9600-9619, 9715-9794 To UP 1903-1921, 2015-2097 St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt) 95 9620-9714 To UP Texas Mexican 2 869-870 Now HLCX 7700-7701

GP60M

The GP60M is a varient of the GP60 built by EMD in 1990 for the Santa Fe. The locomotive is a standard GP60 with a North American Safety Cab instead of the more conventional standard or "Spartan" cab. EMD built 63 such units for ATSF as parts of their all new Super Fleet. As delivered, they wore ATSF's classic red and silver "Warbonnet" paint and were numbered 100-162. 59 of them are still in service with BNSF (4 were wrecked).

Though a good idea, the GP60M's ride very rough due to the excess weight the wide cab puts on the front truck. Picture of BNSF GP60M 159 at Eola, IL

GP60B

The Electromotive Division GP60B is a cabless variant of the GP60. EMD built 23 GP60B's for the Santa Fe in 1992 to use with the railroad's GP60M's and similar locomotives. The majority remain in service with ATSF sucessor BNSF. Recently, BNSF sent out one GP60B to be rebuilt with a standard cab. If deemed a sucess, all remaining GP60B's will be rebuilt with cabs, making them essentially GP60's. Picture of 2 then new GP60B's enroute to ATSF on a CP train on CSX in Michigan

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