@1cctlives - Glad you asked, AJ! It's one of Santa Fe's former GP40X units, which were test beds for the GP50 and SD50 models. The Santa Fe and Southern Rwy. versions had Blomberg trucks, as seen here, but the UP and SP models had newer, odd-looking HT-B trucks. Santa Fe also had the most of this model, with ten. UP had six, SP four and Southern three units. Back in their prime, these units were frequently used as leaders on priority trains, Santa Fe and UP especially. On the UP, they rotated back and forth between Omaha and North Platte, NE, so it was possible to catch all six on a really good day of train chasing. The rebuilds of these are a welcome sight, but the nomenclature of the finished ones varies slightly. For whatever reason, some of the rebuilds retain the X in their new model name, as GP25X. Like their GP50 rebuilds, BNSF is de-rating them to 2500 hp for use as yard and local power.
@Maersk.146 Thanks, Keith. I didn't realize so many of the GP40X's were built. I thought there were only two or three as prototypes to work out the bugs in the GP50 design.
@white.dead BNSF and other railroads are seeing the value of rebuilding older B-B trucked power, to save on costs over new units and also to have locos more suitable for yard and local operations. The major American builders no longer offer new B-B freight power (this is partially due to EPA Tier 4 regulations which require extra equipment inside the carbody - there simply is not enough room inside a B-B unit). Even B-B passenger power is much longer than used to be the case, so that the EPA-required junk will all fit inside.
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The rebuilds of these are a welcome sight, but the nomenclature of the finished ones varies slightly. For whatever reason, some of the rebuilds retain the X in their new model name, as GP25X. Like their GP50 rebuilds, BNSF is de-rating them to 2500 hp for use as yard and local power.
BNSF and other railroads are seeing the value of rebuilding older B-B trucked power, to save on costs over new units and also to have locos more suitable for yard and local operations. The major American builders no longer offer new B-B freight power (this is partially due to EPA Tier 4 regulations which require extra equipment inside the carbody - there simply is not enough room inside a B-B unit). Even B-B passenger power is much longer than used to be the case, so that the EPA-required junk will all fit inside.