Progress Rail PR43C
The Progress Rail PR43C is a 4,300 hp (3,210 kW) C-C genset diesel-electric locomotive built by Progress Rail Services Corporation. It is the result of a conversion of existing EMD SD50 locomotives. This involves replacing the original EMD 645 prime mover with a pair of Caterpillar engines, a 3,600 hp (2,680 kW) 12 cylinder C175 engine and a 700 hp (522 kW) C18 engine.[1][2] The locomotive was jointly designed by Progress Rail and Norfolk Southern Railway. Development began in 2008.[3]
| Progress Rail PR43C | |||||||||||
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 NS 4004 Progress Rail PR43C at Anniston Alabama | |||||||||||
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Three locomotives have been built; they were manufactured at Progress Rail's Mayfield, Kentucky factory.[1] Two are operating in revenue freight service on Norfolk Southern, while a third is operating as a demonstrator unit for Progress Rail.[2] Norfolk Southern has four more PR43Cs on order.[3] The locomotives operating for Norfolk Southern work on freight trains in central Illinois, leading to speculation that they are being tested, as Caterpillar's headquarters are located in Peoria, Illinois.[1]
The process of converting an SD50 to a PR43C alters the external appearance of the locomotive; the original radiator section is replaced with a larger one that is similar in appearance to that of an EMD SD70ACe or SD70M-2.[1]
As a result of repeated failures, the locomotives were retired in 2017, and all were cut up for scrap in 2018.
References
- Lustig, David (November 2009). "NS debuts gensets for road duty". Trains Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing.
- "Progress Rail Services". TrainWeb. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
- "Norfolk Southern orders additional PR43Cs". Trains Magazine. 8 September 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2010.