Georgia Road TGX Program Revolution Series Rebuild
Mar 25, 2010 10:47:10 GMT -5
antlorch, jazzlife1, and 1 more like this
Post by georgiaroad on Mar 25, 2010 10:47:10 GMT -5
This thread runs in tandem with the Georgia Road TARA T40 Road Slug set, since it utilizes the same parts stream.
First a little background...
Stephens Railcar has been in the rebuilding business since 1990, starting off maintaining railcars and doing woodchip conversions for Georgia Road predecessor Central Alabama & Southern RR. It backed into the locomotive leasing business when the CA&S fell into bankruptcy, as many of the owverhauled and rebuilt locomotives were capital lease units owned by Stephens Railcar, but painted for the CA&S.
After the collapse, Stephens Railcar had to quickly find a home for the orphaned units to try to offset the money it had invested in providing the power to the CA&S in the first place. There was little hope of recovering much of the owed money from the CA&S bankruptcy estate, so the Stephens Railcar Leasing business was started. Locomotive leasing was just really coming into its own at that time, and most leases were short term and not notable for being reliable units. One of its first customers was Georgia Road, the inheritor of the old CA&S property.
Georgia Road started operations in 1996 and soon found it needed a supply of good remanufactured and overhauled units. Stephens Railcar leased many units to them, with Georgia Road eventually opting to buy many. At that point, Stephens Railcar expanded again by becoming a major backshop operation for Georgia Road Southern Operations. As the railroad expanded and charged Stephens Railcar with finding more power to fill its roster gaps and shortages, Stephens Railcar began doing capital rebuilds to guarnatee reliable units for various pools.
Out of the "in kind" rebuilding sprang the TGX Program initiative, originally called the Third Generation eXtreme Rebuild, or TGX. Georgia Road wanted a standardized rebuild specification to not only create new power, but bring existing power up to modern standards. The TGX specification offered not only a modern rebuilt unit, but one that would meet EPA regulations and thus garner tax incentives. After prototype testing on modified GP40X units, the first 710 rebuilds appeared as the TGX Program Series One demonstrators. Series One was based around the EMD 710 primemover, and sported three variations deemed the GP65M (wide cab), SD65 (standard cab) and the SD65M (wide cab). Sales were strong in 2005 and 2006, and the program was deemed a success.
During this time, UP tendered the largest order for SD70M locomotives that EMD had ever logged in its order book, at over 1000 units. This put a strain on the London assembly plant as well related component suppliers. With no warning, GMLD ceased supplying 710 kits to the TGX Program citing over capacity demand for its own new unit production line. This effectively stunted the program by 2007, and the lloming change in EPA Emissions Standards from Tier One to more stringent Tier Two would soon remove the marketing "hook" of the program.
Designers mulled closing the program as what would be the the recession of 2009 built in late 2008, Orders for Series One units were flat with little hope of recovery even if 710 blocks could be had. There were no options for creating a Tier Two equivalent TGX Program unit, as there was no primemover in which to build a new model around.
A junior engineer in the program with historic ties with Caterpillar remembered the MPI MK5000C experiment, having worked been involved with it on the Caterpillar side. He felt a CAT supplied upgrade kit was the missing link to not only saving the Program but reinvigorating it. After several meetings between CAT and Stephens Railcar, the two entered into an agreement for a new Tier 2 rebuild, constructed around the proven CAT 3500 ACERT engine. Stephens Railcar then created a standard rebuild around this engine using EMD cores. The addition of the LEO cooling system marketed by MDRailShops finished out the specification. LEO, or Low Emissions, high Output, solved many cooling capacity issues faced by any Tier Two rebuilt locomotives, addressing physical space and cooling output requirements. Low emissions units had to run extremely cool in even the most demanding situations, and the ability to create a "drop in" system which could handle cooling needs was a breakthrough.
Despite the dismal economy, the TGX Program introduced its Revolution Series rebuild in mid 2009. While the Series One program pushed horsepower to its tractive limits, the Revolution set its sites on rebuilding second and third generation cores to meet EPA standards along existing design parameters. This made a cheaper, more universal appeal. There were not official demonstrator units, though prototype and the first production units occasionally tour in Georgia Road paint.
The Revolution Series features five main models. On the GP side, there is the GP39ME-CAT at 2005hp with a twelve cylinder block and the GP40ME-CAT with a 12 cylinder block rated at 3005hp. The SD side is represented by the SD40ME-CAT rated at 3005hp, SD55ME-CAT rated at 3505hp and the SD75ME-CAT posting 4405hp. Unlike the Series One version of the program, Stephens Railcar did not field a set of demonstrator units in a unique scheme, but created several units in hybrid Georgia Road paint since that road was one of its reliable customers.
The SD75ME-CAT is the pinnacle rebuild of the Revolution Series, designed to compete directly with the EMD SD70M-2. The heart of this high horsepower rebuild is the CAT 3500 series engine, which cranks out 4405hp with EPA Tier 2 plus emissions control. The unit featuresa completely new microprocessor control system, electrical cabinet, intake and EFI control, along with the LEO cooling system that resembles the EMD SD80 series radiator. The Revolution Series can utilize any Dash Two era core, including the long frame T-2 and SD45-2 units in addition to SD50, 60 and 60M units.
The SD55ME is a medium horsepower unit, creating a mid-range rebuider new locomotive without the expense and global reworking as in the SD75ME-CAT version. Rated at 3505hp, this unit plays on the longer third generation EMD frame to house a less radical "as built" locomotive appearance with only Revolution components added. Where the high horsepower SD75ME-CAt requires a completely reconfigured radiator and radiator location, the SD55ME-CAT uses existing layout with enhancements to maintain original horsepower rating at the higher EPA Emissions standards.
This SD40ME-CAT rebuild is based on a SD40, SD40-2 and SD40T-2 core and is the base version Revolution unit. This design is intended to move the 40 series core to Tier 2 plus emmissions with minimal core reconfiguration. This unit is an ecomonical answer to a 3000hp 40 series unit that meets EPA emissions. Cores range from any second generation EMD hood unit to refabricated longer frames, giving these versions a pronounced long rear porch look.
All units have in common the new silenced exhuast with inline intercooler, Revolution intake and electrical cabinets and completely remanufactured secondary components coupled to a CAT primemover.
Welcome the Revolution!
Stephens Railcar
TGX Program--Revolution Series
"Reliability through Innovation"
First a little background...
Stephens Railcar has been in the rebuilding business since 1990, starting off maintaining railcars and doing woodchip conversions for Georgia Road predecessor Central Alabama & Southern RR. It backed into the locomotive leasing business when the CA&S fell into bankruptcy, as many of the owverhauled and rebuilt locomotives were capital lease units owned by Stephens Railcar, but painted for the CA&S.
After the collapse, Stephens Railcar had to quickly find a home for the orphaned units to try to offset the money it had invested in providing the power to the CA&S in the first place. There was little hope of recovering much of the owed money from the CA&S bankruptcy estate, so the Stephens Railcar Leasing business was started. Locomotive leasing was just really coming into its own at that time, and most leases were short term and not notable for being reliable units. One of its first customers was Georgia Road, the inheritor of the old CA&S property.
Georgia Road started operations in 1996 and soon found it needed a supply of good remanufactured and overhauled units. Stephens Railcar leased many units to them, with Georgia Road eventually opting to buy many. At that point, Stephens Railcar expanded again by becoming a major backshop operation for Georgia Road Southern Operations. As the railroad expanded and charged Stephens Railcar with finding more power to fill its roster gaps and shortages, Stephens Railcar began doing capital rebuilds to guarnatee reliable units for various pools.
Out of the "in kind" rebuilding sprang the TGX Program initiative, originally called the Third Generation eXtreme Rebuild, or TGX. Georgia Road wanted a standardized rebuild specification to not only create new power, but bring existing power up to modern standards. The TGX specification offered not only a modern rebuilt unit, but one that would meet EPA regulations and thus garner tax incentives. After prototype testing on modified GP40X units, the first 710 rebuilds appeared as the TGX Program Series One demonstrators. Series One was based around the EMD 710 primemover, and sported three variations deemed the GP65M (wide cab), SD65 (standard cab) and the SD65M (wide cab). Sales were strong in 2005 and 2006, and the program was deemed a success.
During this time, UP tendered the largest order for SD70M locomotives that EMD had ever logged in its order book, at over 1000 units. This put a strain on the London assembly plant as well related component suppliers. With no warning, GMLD ceased supplying 710 kits to the TGX Program citing over capacity demand for its own new unit production line. This effectively stunted the program by 2007, and the lloming change in EPA Emissions Standards from Tier One to more stringent Tier Two would soon remove the marketing "hook" of the program.
Designers mulled closing the program as what would be the the recession of 2009 built in late 2008, Orders for Series One units were flat with little hope of recovery even if 710 blocks could be had. There were no options for creating a Tier Two equivalent TGX Program unit, as there was no primemover in which to build a new model around.
A junior engineer in the program with historic ties with Caterpillar remembered the MPI MK5000C experiment, having worked been involved with it on the Caterpillar side. He felt a CAT supplied upgrade kit was the missing link to not only saving the Program but reinvigorating it. After several meetings between CAT and Stephens Railcar, the two entered into an agreement for a new Tier 2 rebuild, constructed around the proven CAT 3500 ACERT engine. Stephens Railcar then created a standard rebuild around this engine using EMD cores. The addition of the LEO cooling system marketed by MDRailShops finished out the specification. LEO, or Low Emissions, high Output, solved many cooling capacity issues faced by any Tier Two rebuilt locomotives, addressing physical space and cooling output requirements. Low emissions units had to run extremely cool in even the most demanding situations, and the ability to create a "drop in" system which could handle cooling needs was a breakthrough.
Despite the dismal economy, the TGX Program introduced its Revolution Series rebuild in mid 2009. While the Series One program pushed horsepower to its tractive limits, the Revolution set its sites on rebuilding second and third generation cores to meet EPA standards along existing design parameters. This made a cheaper, more universal appeal. There were not official demonstrator units, though prototype and the first production units occasionally tour in Georgia Road paint.
The Revolution Series features five main models. On the GP side, there is the GP39ME-CAT at 2005hp with a twelve cylinder block and the GP40ME-CAT with a 12 cylinder block rated at 3005hp. The SD side is represented by the SD40ME-CAT rated at 3005hp, SD55ME-CAT rated at 3505hp and the SD75ME-CAT posting 4405hp. Unlike the Series One version of the program, Stephens Railcar did not field a set of demonstrator units in a unique scheme, but created several units in hybrid Georgia Road paint since that road was one of its reliable customers.
The SD75ME-CAT is the pinnacle rebuild of the Revolution Series, designed to compete directly with the EMD SD70M-2. The heart of this high horsepower rebuild is the CAT 3500 series engine, which cranks out 4405hp with EPA Tier 2 plus emissions control. The unit featuresa completely new microprocessor control system, electrical cabinet, intake and EFI control, along with the LEO cooling system that resembles the EMD SD80 series radiator. The Revolution Series can utilize any Dash Two era core, including the long frame T-2 and SD45-2 units in addition to SD50, 60 and 60M units.
The SD55ME is a medium horsepower unit, creating a mid-range rebuider new locomotive without the expense and global reworking as in the SD75ME-CAT version. Rated at 3505hp, this unit plays on the longer third generation EMD frame to house a less radical "as built" locomotive appearance with only Revolution components added. Where the high horsepower SD75ME-CAt requires a completely reconfigured radiator and radiator location, the SD55ME-CAT uses existing layout with enhancements to maintain original horsepower rating at the higher EPA Emissions standards.
This SD40ME-CAT rebuild is based on a SD40, SD40-2 and SD40T-2 core and is the base version Revolution unit. This design is intended to move the 40 series core to Tier 2 plus emmissions with minimal core reconfiguration. This unit is an ecomonical answer to a 3000hp 40 series unit that meets EPA emissions. Cores range from any second generation EMD hood unit to refabricated longer frames, giving these versions a pronounced long rear porch look.
All units have in common the new silenced exhuast with inline intercooler, Revolution intake and electrical cabinets and completely remanufactured secondary components coupled to a CAT primemover.
Welcome the Revolution!
Stephens Railcar
TGX Program--Revolution Series
"Reliability through Innovation"