EMD GP49

Infobox Locomotive
name=EMD GP49
powertype=Diesel-electric


caption=
aarwheels=B-B
gauge=RailGauge|ussg
builder=General Motors Electro-Motive Division
buildmodel=GP49
builddate=
primemover=EMD 645F3B
cylindercount=12
poweroutput=2800 hp (2.1 MW)
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.

Performance

While possessing a fairly high horsepower 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 GP59 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 verses 10 on the GP50.

Use

In December 2006, the Alaska Railroad auctioned five units (numbers 2801, 2803, 2804, 2806, and 2807) plus parts; [ [http://www.akrr.com/pdf/Bid-Surplus%20GP49Engines-wrh%20rev.pdf Alaska Railroad Corporation invitation to bid] ] Helm Leasing was the winning bidder with a bid of $1.3 million. [ [http://www.akrr.com/pdf/Scan1063.pdf Alaska Railroad Corporation bid results for ITB 06-001, GP49 locomotive engines] ] The Alaska Railroad's four remaining units (2802, 2805, 2808, and 2809) are still in service as of March, 2007. [Combs, John. " [http://www.alaskarails.org/ARR-at-a-glance.html Alaska Railroad at a Glance] ", John's Alaska Railroad Web Page. March 8, 2007, retrieved March 20, 2007.] [Combs, John. " [http://www.alaskarails.org/glance/complete-roster.html Alaska Railroad Locomotive Roster] ", John's Alaska Railroad Web Page. December 15, 2006, accessed March 20, 2006.]

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. [Destination: Freedom. " [http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df07212003.shtml#Alaska Alaska Railroad buys eight locomotives] ". July 21, 2003, retrieved September 8, 2006.]

Related Sites

* http://www.trainweb.org/emdloco/gp40-2.htm
* http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/emd/gp402/gp402proto.html
* http://trainiax.net/mescalelocophase.htm

References

* Combs, John. " [http://www.alaskarails.org/specs/GP49-specs_2801-2804.html GP-49 Specifications, locomotives 2801-2804] " and " [http://www.alaskarails.org/specs/GP49-specs_2805-2809.html, locomotives 2805-2809] ", John's Alaska Railroad Web Page. September 24, 1998, retrieved September 8, 2006.
* Foster, Gerald. (1996). "A Field Guide to Trains." Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-70112-0
*
* Sanders, Dale (1998) "EMD GP49; Diesel Data Series-Number 8" Hundman Publishing Company, Mukilteo, WA