Freightliner 70012

[DelW]

I came across this clip on YouTube, showing 70012 (the loco dropped during unloading at Newport). It was videoed out on test runs in the US last Friday, with a very smart paint job. I have no info' about the purpose beyond what's shown with the clip and in the comments.

 

[Tony2]

Wow! A loco I thought would never haul like that under its own power!

The comments also note it occasionally is out on a test run, but is very rare.

 

[fgwrich]

I believe it is now used as a test bed loco for GE in Erie though why it appears to have been repainted into Freightliner is a bit of a mystery.

It’s certainly doubtful that it’ll never run in the UK, even looking at the early part of the video it still has a drooped cab.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Really brings home how much bigger the US loading gauge is. Note the extra walkways installed along the sides of 70012.

why it appears to have been repainted into Freightliner is a bit of a mystery.

Was it ever not in Freightliner livery?
Even if it has had to be repainted, why bother designing a special livery that suits all those odd angles, when one exists already?

 

[Rail Quest]

The freightliner livery is definitely intriguing

Was it ever not in Freightliner livery?

The video linked in the OP features a shot of the loco in all grey livery, at least I'm assuming this is indeed 70012 given the number can't be seen

 

[Tony2]

In the grey undercoat photo, the left cab doesn’t appear to have a droop, as per the video in green. This is the same cab as the roof cooling fans are on the left in both views.

Possibly the grey photo was just used for illustration purposes, or is actually 70012 before painting and moving to the UK?

 

[jamie_]

It arrived in Freightliner colours and got quite a bend....

 

[Rail Quest]

In the grey undercoat photo, the left cab doesn’t appear to have a droop, as per the video in green. This is the same cab as the roof cooling fans are on the left in both views.

Possibly the grey photo was just used for illustration purposes, or is actually 70012 before painting and moving to the UK?

Perhaps, though that poses the question of why, in the grey colour - the loco has the extended side rails running the entire length of the loco, unlike the UK examples

 

[Defiance149]

Perhaps, though that poses the question of why, in the grey colour - the loco has the extended side rails running the entire length of the loco, unlike the UK examples

The railings are temporary fittings that were in place during construction of the class, presumably for safety. There are pictures of 70001 with them in place when it was still in undercoat grey.

 

[Rail Quest]

The railings are temporary fittings that were in place during construction of the class, presumably for safety. There are pictures of 70001 with them in place when it was still in undercoat grey.

Ahhh gotcha - fair enough

 

[Strathclyder]

I have been aware of it's use as a testbed/super shunter for GE for a while (a few threads have popped up in the past), but this the first time I've actually seen it pulling anything. GE did quite the job straightening it out, but that drooped cab is a hint of just how badly battered it was.

 

[wickham]

The video of 70012 is indeed most interesting - many thanks for sharing this gem !! Slightly frustrating that I can not find a date of these proceedings on the video, has anyone any idea about a date ? Of interest the loco behind 70012, GE 809 is also a permanant GE Test Loco, but I don't know it's history.

 

[DelW]

The video of 70012 is indeed most interesting - many thanks for sharing this gem !! Slightly frustrating that I can not find a date of these proceedings on the video, has anyone any idea about a date ? Of interest the loco behind 70012, GE 809 is also a permanant GE Test Loco, but I don't know it's history.

In a reply to one of the early comments, the owner of the YT channel says that it was recorded last Friday, 8th March.

 

[Doomotron]

I have been aware of it's use as a testbed/super shunter for GE for a while (a few threads have popped up in the past), but this the first time I've actually seen it pulling anything. GE did quite the job straightening it out, but that drooped cab is a hint of how just badly battered it was.

A screenshot from the video showing the side profile. There's a visible gap behind the cab on the left, and the cab seems to be angled downwards as you say.

 

[43096]

The video of 70012 is indeed most interesting - many thanks for sharing this gem !! Slightly frustrating that I can not find a date of these proceedings on the video, has anyone any idea about a date ? Of interest the loco behind 70012, GE 809 is also a permanant GE Test Loco, but I don't know it's history.

GE 809 is/was one of GE's testbeds for the Dash 8 model. It was used for various tests and was the prototype for GE's "widecab" (aka North American safety cab) during the late 1980s. The GE type is Dash 8-40BW (or, if you prefer, B40-8W) - which identifies it as a 4,000hp Bo-Bo.

 

[norbitonflyer]

I'm not convinced that the photo in grey is very recent - or indeed of the same loco. The location appears to be the same, but some structures in the foreground are different. The overhead utility cables by the roadside also seem to have been altered between the two photographs.

 

[notverydeep]

It really looks odd in a US context, but also sounds odd too with its UK horn sound and no bell for the level (grade) crossing. I presume it wouldn't be allowed out away from the test track without those being fitted (and possibly other modifications) so I presume a rail tour (railfan trip) wouldn't be feasible...

 

[The Puddock]

It really looks odd in a US context, but also sounds odd too with its UK horn sound and no bell for the level (grade) crossing. I presume it wouldn't be allowed out away from the test track without those being fitted (and possibly other modifications) so I presume a rail tour (railfan trip) wouldn't be feasible...

Later in the video you can hear it does actually have a bell (which I am sure is an FRA requirement). What I can’t work out is what GE is actually using it for. It looks to me like the UP locos are actually the ones on test, in which case why use the 70 to haul them rather than another American loco?

 

[DelW]

Later in the video you can hear it does actually have a bell (which I am sure is an FRA requirement). What I can’t work out is what GE is actually using it for. It looks to me like the UP locos are actually the ones on test, in which case why use the 70 to haul them rather than another American loco?

In among the replies to comments, the author of the video says that the UP locos were using dynamic brakes to simulate additional load, and that 70012 was being used to test updates to be applied to the UK fleet.

It's getting harder to find his input among the increasing volume of comments.

(Edit to add) The sound of the dynamics is audible during the passes at around 1:50 and 3:00.

 

[D6975]

I'm not convinced that the photo in grey is very recent - or indeed of the same loco. The location appears to be the same, but some structures in the foreground are different. The overhead utility cables by the roadside also seem to have been altered between the two photographs.

The loco in grey is in mint condition, there's no gap behind the cab that is clearly visible in the video. If it is 012, then it's before it left the factory.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Later in the video you can hear it does actually have a bell (which I am sure is an FRA requirement)

Isn't that the bell for the grade crossing?

 

[Strathclyder]

The loco in grey is in mint condition, there's no gap behind the cab that is clearly visible in the video. If it is 012, then it's before it left the factory.

I'm not convinced that the photo in grey is very recent - or indeed of the same loco. The location appears to be the same, but some structures in the foreground are different. The overhead utility cables by the roadside also seem to have been altered between the two photographs.

No evidence of cab drooping at either end is the biggest giveaway in that image of the loco in grey, so yes, it's clearly a pic of 012 (more likely to be one of it's FL classmates) not long after rolling out the factory newly built.

 

[nctd2306]

Isn't that the bell for the grade crossing?

I'm sure I heard a Graham White e-bell on the 70, which is the standard bell on most US locos and cabcars these days

 

[ac6000cw]

Re. the extra handrails - I think FRA rules require outside walkways on US locos to be fitted with handrails. Whether that applies to locos used exclusively within a private site I don't know (but it's a sensible thing to do anyway).

and that 70012 was being used to test updates to be applied to the UK fleet.

I wonder what updates those might be?

 

[DelW]

I wonder what updates those might be?

I didn't see any actual facts being quoted among the comments and replies, so I think they're probably speculation at this stage.

There is a caption at around 2:25 in the video stating that "... more Power Haul (sic) locomotives [are] being built ...", which (if true) is news to me. I suppose they could be for other parts of the world with a similar loading gauge to ours, though.

 

[wickham]

Power Haul is a "platform name" and does not only apply to UK Class 70s. There are a European gauge batch in Finland, originally intended for Germany and there are possibly more in other parts of the world.

 

[ac6000cw]

I suppose they could be for other parts of the world with a similar loading gauge to ours, though.

I thought that too - a version is still listed on the Wabtec website (as the PH37Ai)

 

[Ayrshire Roy]

Anyone else notice that 70012 has no buckeye and that the B-40 has buffers and hook to act as a converter.
I would of thought fitting a drophead buckeye to the 70 would be easier unless there is a height difference to the US locos.

 

[DelW]

Anyone else notice that 70012 has no buckeye and that the B-40 has buffers and hook to act as a converter.
I would of thought fitting a drophead buckeye to the 70 would be easier unless there is a height difference to the US locos.

There's some discussion of couplers in the comments on YouTube, including a reference to the "draught centre" being different between US and UK. That phrase means nothing to me (and search engines get diverted away into irrelevant draught excluders and draught beer ), but it might refer to coupler height.

 

[norbitonflyer]

There's some discussion of couplers in the comments on YouTube, including a reference to the "draught centre" being different between US and UK. That phrase means nothing to me (and search engines get diverted away into irrelevant draught excluders and draught beer ), but it might refer to coupler height.

Although looking at the video, the couplings at each end of the red loco seem to be at the same height, although they may well be of different designs.