Going, Going, Gone part 1 − Pedigree Geeps

The blog “Boxcar Red Collection” marked the 10th anniversary in February last year, before even I noticed it. Also is that many things are going or gone in this decade before I hardly noticed it. So, let me look back at what we’re missing or missed.

: Bryan, OH. Sep. 5, 2019
: Fairbanks, AK. 2012
: Fairbanks, AK. 2012

We seem almost missed the active "Pedigree Geeps". Here, Geeps mean four axes locomotives built by EMD from 1949 to the 90s, and pedigree means staying in one railroad without rebuilding, trading, or retiring since its inauguration.

For example, 28 GP38-2's are the only active pedigree Geeps on Union Pacific (UP/UPY) roster at the time of writing. It also lists several GP39-2's, GP40-2's and GP60's, but there isn't a pedigree Geep.

Another example is that out of 20 GP9's, 24 GP18's, 112 GP30's, 71 GP35's, 114 GP38's, 257 GP38-2's, 56 GP38AC's, 3 GP40X's, 6 GP49's, and 90 GP50's Southern Railway (SOU) brought to Norfolk Southern (NS) in 1982, only 102 GP38-2's survives today at the time of writing[1].

Accordingly, I'm taking photographs of every Geeps I meet during my holidays in the United States, but most of them were rebuilt, traded, or absorbed through the storm of mergers. The number of photos of pedigree Geeps I could get in this decade is only three; NS GP38-2 #5209 and ARR GP40-2 #3001, 3003. Let me introduce them:


NS GP38-2 #5209 is originally an SOU unit built in 1977 and currently stored, but is narrowly on the NS roster at the time of writing.

As I mentioned above, SOU rostered 257 hi-nose GP38-2s, and NS keeps 102 of them today. But 44 of them were rebuilt with low short hood and 25 units are stored[2]. Accordingly, the number of active pedigree GP38-2s, ignoring the type of control arrangement, on NS today is only 37. #5209 does keep the hi-nose and also the "bi-directional" control stand.

ARR #3001 and 3003 are the active ARR pedigree units. 15 units were built between 1975 and 1978. Only 3 units including #3001 and 3003 keep the original paint scheme. #2006 is a repainted former Conrail unit acquired in 1986.


I think the charm of the pedigree Geeps lives on details. See the bell, horn, and F marking on the long hood end of NS #5209. Still working marker lights and additional headlights on the cab roof of ARR units prove their pedigree. These details are often omitted in crossbred locomotives.

However, fortunately, some crossbreds still keep their details from their old days. UP GP40-2 #1348 barely shows the marks of the oscillating Mars Light from the Rio Grande days at its nose.

Not a Geep but SD, ECDC SD9 #4355 shown below keeps Light package base on the short hood and hump cowl behind the cab from the SP days.

[1] Toth, Chris R., (2020) Norfolk Southern 1982 to Present Diesel Locomotive Roster Summary, NSDash9.com;
[2] Toth, Chris R., (2020) Norfolk Southern Current Active Diesel Locomotive Roster Summary, NSDash9.com;

: Grand Junction, CO. Sep. 11, 2017
: Ogden, UT. Sep. 10, 2014

: East Carbon, UT Sep. 10, 2014
: Ogden, UT Sep. 10, 2014
　　
　　
気が付いたら、このブログを始めてから10年以上経っている。記事を改めて見直すと、長いようで短い間にも色々と変化があることに気付く。そんな回顧を「Going, Going, Gone」というタイトルでまとめてみた。

タイトルにある「Pedigree Geeps」とは、機種名にGPを冠する、1949年からEMDで製造された４動軸機関車のうち、退役・売却・改造されることなく、新製時から同じ鉄道会社に在籍し続ける機関車を指す造語である。近年、旅客列車を除けば、本線列車のほとんどは６動軸機関車の牽引で、４動軸機関車などまず見ない。たまにローカル列車の先頭や引き込み線などに見つけても、大概改造車もしくは編入車である。

旅行中、４動軸機関車を見かける度に写真を撮ってきたが、今ここで「Pedigree Geeps」として見せられるのは３両だけである。１両はNS、２両はARRの機関車。筆者の考えるこれら「Pedigree Geeps」の魅力は細部にある。細部とは、NS機関車における前身のSOU機関車に特有のlong hood fowardに連関するディテールや、ARR機関車における補助前照灯や列車種別表示灯を指す。このような細部は改造車や編入車では省略・撤去されることが多いので、これらこそ「Pedigree Geeps」の魅力といえよう。

そんな細部を譲渡後も残す機関車もある。UP GP40-2 #1348の鼻先にはD&RGW時代の警告灯台座が残っている。Geepでこそないが、産廃処理場の入れ換えに用いられていたECDC SD9 #4355には、SP時代の前照灯台座などがまだ残っていた。「三つ子の魂百まで」といったところか。