[drum118]

GO Expansion is a lot more ambitious then what was proposed in the 2018 FBC, and as such more consists (and cabs) are needed than previously expected.

However, now that I think of it, maybe this locomotive order is in place of ordering more cabs, and they’re considering running double ended diesel trains with no cab cars, they can get up to 26 additional double ended diesel consists if they order 53 engines, which is 26 less cab cars.

There is a huge cost difference going from cab car to locomotives and is it worth doing???

If you have dual end motor power, you don't have to worry which direction it is facing which is standard in Europe.

In various European countries, it was common to see power at both ends for 8-10 car single level trains, well others ran power-cab setup.

 

[WB62]

There is a huge cost difference going from cab car to locomotives and is it worth doing???

If you have dual end motor power, you don't have to worry which direction it is facing which is standard in Europe.

In various European countries, it was common to see power at both ends for 8-10 car single level trains, well others ran power-cab setup.

I agree with you, it’s a huge cost difference but I genuinely can’t think of any other reason why GO would suddenly want 53 new engines and also show interest in keeping all the engines they currently have.

 

[reaperexpress]

The reason that the Netherlands runs dual locomotives with 7-9 single-deck coaches is that the rented Traxx locomotives are not compatible with their ICR cab coaches so they have no choice. They are now retiring the dual-ended locomotive trainsets and replacing them with EMUs.

 

[KevinT]

I agree with you, it’s a huge cost difference but I genuinely can’t think of any other reason why GO would suddenly want 53 new engines and also show interest in keeping all the engines they currently have.

Something to do with electrification perhaps? They could run an electric locomotive on one end and a diesel in place of a cab car on the other on the lines that can't be electrified end-to-end (Kitchener, Hamilton/Niagara, etc.) Purely a guess here, I know nothing...

Edit, immediate misgivings and a retraction: It's probably unsafe to push a heavy locomotive with a stack of (comparatively) light weight passenger cars...

 

[smallspy]

Edit, immediate misgivings and a retraction: It's probably unsafe to push a heavy locomotive with a stack of (comparatively) light weight passenger cars...

It's completely safe, and happens all of the time.

Dan

 

[WB62]

Something to do with electrification perhaps? They could run an electric locomotive on one end and a diesel in place of a cab car on the other on the lines that can't be electrified end-to-end (Kitchener, Hamilton/Niagara, etc.) Purely a guess here, I know nothing...

Edit, immediate misgivings and a retraction: It's probably unsafe to push a heavy locomotive with a stack of (comparatively) light weight passenger cars...

As far as I know this isn’t being considered, but anything’s possible

 

[reaperexpress]

Something to do with electrification perhaps? They could run an electric locomotive on one end and a diesel in place of a cab car on the other on the lines that can't be electrified end-to-end (Kitchener, Hamilton/Niagara, etc.) Purely a guess here, I know nothing...

Edit, immediate misgivings and a retraction: It's probably unsafe to push a heavy locomotive with a stack of (comparatively) light weight passenger cars...

I think the issue with that is simply that it defeats the purpose of having electric power in the first place. The main advantage of electric power is to get faster acceleration, but surely the amount of time you'd save using the extra power of the electric locomotive would be offset by the time you lose by dragging it around unnecessarily under diesel power.

If they wanted to gain the performance benefits of electric traction on services which continue outside of electrified territory, they need actual dual-mode locomotives. I don't see them ordering new ones, but they might buy all 20 of Exo's ALP-45DP locomotives if they can get a good deal on them. Exo doesn't have any electrified lines anymore so they'd probably be quite happy to be rid of them.

 

[T3G]

202 at Willowbrook. They haven't gotten around to installing the inter-car vestibule on it yet. It looks better this way.

 

[RU479]

202 at Willowbrook. They haven't gotten around to installing the inter-car vestibule on it yet. It looks better this way.View attachment 532503

It being right next to the Series X cab car really just shows how the BiLevel has evolved over the years

 

[RU479]

Here's a random theory I've seen being floated around.

Perhaps the F59s will be overhauled to do MOW work, since GO will start dispatching work trains out of the Obico yard, and they probably will need locomotives to run those trains.

 

[SaugeenJunction]

Here's a random theory I've seen being floated around.

Perhaps the F59s will be overhauled to do MOW work, since GO will start dispatching work trains out of the Obico yard, and they probably will need locomotives to run those trains.

Hmmm that is interesting. OnXpress will need some pretty substantive work trains to build out OnCorr, and these could fit the bill.

 

[Metroscapes]

Quoting over from the general railways thread, likely relevant to the GO loco discussion.

This is a story out of Poland, but as we enter a new age of software being critical to anything and everything, I thought it'd be of interest.

Think of an MP40/54 bricking itself because GO sent it to a repair shop that wasn't run by MPI / Wabtec.

How a Group of Train Hackers Exposed a Right-to-Repair Nightmare

Polish hackers were hired to un-brick a train. Then the legal threats came. Now they're steering the right-to-repair movement right into Poland's train yards.

gizmodo.com

My understanding based on discussions on American rail boards is that one of the reasons the GE P32/40/42 passenger locomotive fleet will be far outlasted by the likes of F40/F59 is that EMD and GE seem to have very different ideas about who can make parts for their engines

 

[RU479]

Hmmm that is interesting. OnXpress will need some pretty substantive work trains to build out OnCorr, and these could fit the bill.

And maybe this is the way GO would finally be able to retire them from regular passenger runs without having to completely withdraw them from the fleet.

I mean with 27 to 53 locomotives on the way, that would make the F59s fairly redundant on passenger runs.

 

[RU479]

So looking at some old articles, this one says here that the Series 7 cars Alstom in Thunder Bay are refurbishing were supposed to start being delivered back to GO in 2023. Yet I have not heard nor seen of any them being delivered back to GO, guessing the struggles at the plant have slowed down work?

Ontario Newsroom

news.ontario.ca

 

[Bojaxs]

A Barrie Line GO Train collided with a semi truck earlier today (haven't heard of any injuries)

Not my picture but here is the damage to the cab car.
View attachment 534810

I hope there were no injuries. I wonder if things would have been worst had it been one of the older cab cars that hit the semi. Isn't this the very reason why Metrolinx invested in these newer cab cars?