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"Qube" locos in Alaska

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      jmt Deputy Commissioner

    The undelivered Qube 1109-1112 have been purchased by the White Pass & Yukon.

    1109/1110 due to depart NRE for Seattle in the next week or so, then be barged north to Skagway.

    3000 [1110] & 3001 [1109] painted in YPYR green/yellow livery.

    To fit 3’ they are using GE 764 traction motors with CMT gauge Bradken 5650 bogies. Loco weight for WPYR is 265,000 lbs, so around 120 tonnes. White Pass has good  track, heavy welded rail, AAR C profile, these would be way too heavy for Colombia.

    3002 & 3003 will be the unfinished 1111/1112.

    The next 6 will be SD40 "rebuilds" on a new frame with the export cab. can't really refer to the cab as "Australian" as there is a genset in the Congo Republic on Cape gauge with the same cab. Will have to be "rebuilds" to circumvent Tier 4. As the ex Qube units were built in 2012, they are kosher at Tier 3.
    Posted: 01 Mar 2020 23:21

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      lkernan Deputy Commissioner
    Posted: 02 Mar 2020 15:24
      bevans Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    It is great to see this happening but any clue why Qube did not take delivery of the further units?
    Posted: 02 Mar 2020 16:14
      M636C Minister for Railways

    It is great to see this happening but any clue why Qube did not take delivery of the further units?
    bevans
    Apparently they weren't as reliable, at least initially, as Qube expected.
    They are using all eight of them, however so things can't be too bad.

    Peter
    Posted: 03 Mar 2020 00:18
      Graham4405 The Ghost of George Stephenson

    Location: Dalby Qld
    It is great to see this happening but any clue why Qube did not take delivery of the further units?
    Apparently they weren't as reliable, at least initially, as Qube expected.
    They are using all eight of them, however so things can't be too bad.

    Peter
    M636C
    They are also as ugly as sin...
    Posted: 03 Mar 2020 01:06
      Bill Maltby Beginner

    Some photos of the finished product fully painted.


    New WP&Y Locos
    Posted: 17 Mar 2020 12:41

    Last edited by Bill Maltby on 17 Mar 2020 12:44; edited 1 time in total
      SA_trains Deputy Commissioner

    Location: ACT
    Hmmmmm..... I didn't realise that the WP&YR had been purchased by  Carnival Cruise Lines.  Interesting business integration. Makes sense though. The WP&YR is a major stop for all cruise lines in Alaskan waters.
    Posted: 17 Mar 2020 22:13
      lkernan Deputy Commissioner

    Location: Melbourne
    Cruise lines own a lot of the businesses in Skagway I believe.
    Posted: 17 Mar 2020 22:36
      DBclass Chief Commissioner

    Location: Western Australia
    In laws have been on a few cruises, they say often the town, or most of the main attractions can be owned by the cruise line. If they don’t get your money on the boat, they get it at the port. Not at every port of course, but they would preference their own where they can.
    Posted: 17 Mar 2020 23:25
      Poath Junction Chief Commissioner

    Location: In front of a computer most of the time.
    Unveiling video at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=509117293091466
    Posted: 12 Apr 2020 16:20
      KRviator Moderator

    Location: Up the front
    The trains start at sea level in Skagway and climb to almost 914 metres in 20 minutes. With tight curves and steep grades, the route is challenging for the aging locomotives  

    "It's a four per cent grade, which is remarkably steep by North American standards," Taylor said.
    Going up a 1:25 rising grade, that's not to be sneezed at! Coming down would be even more exciting...
    Posted: 13 Apr 2020 08:56
      12CSVT Chief Commissioner

    Location: Drowning in accreditation red tape!
    The classic vintage G.E. and Alco locos were an intrinsic part of the WP&Y's appeal. It will lose a lot of its character with the new locos. Glad I got to experience the WP&Y in all its original classic glory in 2016.
    Posted: 13 Apr 2020 19:22
      Sulla1 Chief Commissioner

    The classic vintage G.E. and Alco locos were an intrinsic part of the WP&Y's appeal. It will lose a lot of its character with the new locos. Glad I got to experience the WP&Y in all its original classic glory in 2016.
    "12CSVT"


    Four of the WP&YR 101 class Alcos have been sold to the Durango & Silverton in Colorado, two left Skagway a couple of days ago. They'll be used for work trains and to expand seasonal operations out of Durango. The 1,200hp 95.3-tonne 101s had previously been sold to Columbia in 1988, and then repatriated in 1999 - so they're well travelled already.
    Posted: 14 Apr 2020 12:56
      jmt Deputy Commissioner

    The classic vintage G.E. and Alco locos were an intrinsic part of the WP&Y's appeal. It will lose a lot of its character with the new locos. Glad I got to experience the WP&Y in all its original classic glory in 2016.
    12CSVT
    The average punter who purchases tickets on the WP&Y only sees a "cute" ng railway, and "vintage" carriages, they are totally ignorant of what is working at the sharp end. These are the cruise line passengers who ride in bulk, and produce the profit, most don't give a toss re the motive power, and would be totally ignorant re types of diesel loco. They are in Skagway for around 10 hours at the most. Passengers are load on at the Skagway wharf, and the train delivers them back to their ship. They have had a ng experience. Now that there is a baloon loop installed at Fraser, there is no need for the loco to run around the train, so the average punter will never sight the loco. The new units will allow the WP&Y to move 16 carriages with a single loco, so profitability should improve over using a pair of the older units to move 12.
    Posted: 27 Apr 2020 15:18
      lkernan Deputy Commissioner

    Location: Melbourne
    When I was there in 2006 I didn't even ride the train. I has having way too much fun around the station and walking up to the yard.  Watching the various trains leaving and returning was a great day.  

    That snowplow is a beast, even when it's parked at the station.
    Posted: 27 Apr 2020 20:23
      jmt Deputy Commissioner

    Hmmmmm..... I didn't realise that the WP&YR had been purchased by  Carnival Cruise Lines.  Interesting business integration. Makes sense though. The WP&YR is a major stop for all cruise lines in Alaskan waters.
    SA_trains
    Carnival lines is only a minor shareholder in the WP&Y.

    The majority shareholder, and the manager of the WP&Y is the Skagway port operator, Klondike Holdings, LLC.

    Klondike Holdings is a joint venture of Survey Point Holdings, Inc., Rail Management Services, the founding Shareholders of Carrix, and Holland America Princess Alaska Tours. Klondike Holdings purchased ownership of WP&YR effective August 1, 2018. Survey Point Holdings is a family business with roots dating back to 1952. Over the last 40 years, Survey Point Holdings and its affiliated entities have been representing and working with cruise lines throughout Southeast Alaska, and running the port operations in Skagway.

    http://rmsintermodal.com/home
    Posted: 27 Apr 2020 21:00
      jmt Deputy Commissioner
    Posted: 04 Jun 2020 10:27
      lkernan Deputy Commissioner

    Location: Melbourne
    White Pass has had the new units out for testing.  
    They uploaded a video too: https://www.facebook.com/WhitePassRailroad/

    Posted: 28 Aug 2020 09:59

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