Exterior:
This type of locomotive is ugly, in my opinion. EMD designed a more comfortable, quieter, and more environmentally friendly locomotive, however it has a very strange shape, especially on the nose. Having said that however, the paint job on the locomotive is very crisp, although BNSF has allowed it to get a bit dirty. It is their most recent orange paint scheme, with the large "swoosh" logo on the nose and side of the locomotive. This paint scheme was inspired by the orange and green paint scheme of the Great Northern Railway, which is one of the predecessors to the BNSF. Additionally, the required reflective safety stripes and warning decals are all present and in their appropriate location.
The detail parts on the locomotive, such as the sanders, handrails, grab bars, and air hoses are in the appropriate locations. They are all factory applied, and applied separately, just like on the model! The unit I was on was missing the multiple unit cable on the front, however the one on the rear was in placed and being used. Additionally, all air hoses were in place and in working order. The unit came factory equipped with type F knuckle couplers, and spare knuckles can be found on the rear end plate of the locomotive. All the grilles and vents on the locomotive are metal, and are see through. In most cases, I cannot actually tell what is behind them, but the machinery is visible back there!
Interior:
The interior of the locomotive is nice, but it is not that different from other units. One very positive feature is the height of the nose door. EMD, the locomotive builder, calls it a full sized door. While I would not go that far, it is definitely an improvement over past doors, which were typically shorter and had a diagonal top. I still must duck to enter, though not as much as on other locomotives.
Another very positive feature is the isolated cab. The cab is not directly connected to the frame of the locomotive. It is basically bolted to a large rubber doughnut, which absorbs a lot of the vibrations and sounds that travel through the frame. This means the ride is generally smooth and comfortable for the crew, and it is surprisingly quiet.
Other smaller features that I enjoy is the placement of the radio. It has been moved to the left side of the desk, which means the wire is more out of the way when the handset is used. The radio keypad has bigger buttons, which push in farther, making it easier to tell if you have pushed the button hard enough to do anything. Also, the refrigerator now faces into the cab, towards the rear of the locomotive, allowing for the conductor to reach it without even getting out of the seat. Additionally, the brakeman's seat has been moved into the center of the back wall of the cab, giving the brakeman more legroom, and allowing for a baggage rack behind the conductor's seat.
What I did not like is that there is no adjustable reading lamp. When it is dark out, I prefer to have the reading lamp on the dimmest setting, so that I can do my paperwork and still see out the window. On the SD70ACe, the reading lamp is either off, or on full. It can be momentarily blinding when it is turned on, and then you cannot see for a minute when it is turned off. Additionally, the desk and control stand sit a bit farther back from the windshield. This means there is more glare, and it is more difficult to reach the sun visors. When the sun came up this morning, I had to stand up and go to the stairs to reach one of the sun shades and position it. The placement of the control stand and desk also effects the space inside the cab. While the cab is large, it feels surprisingly small. This is due to the control stand and desk being placed a little farther back, and due to the brakeman's seat being in the middle of the cab. It has a way of always feeling cramped.
Operation:
The locomotive operated moderately well at low speeds. Under power it was a bit shaky at speeds under one mile per hour. Once above about one mile per hour, the operation smoothed out a bit, and the ride became more comfortable. Once up to any sort of speed, the ride was comfortable and quiet. The locomotive seemed to operate well with the 17,000 ton coal train behind it. An earlier crew warned us that they had found the brakes to respond slower than expected, but we did not find any problems with the brakes. They operated just as expected at all speeds
Technical Information and Features:
16-710GC3-T2 Turbocharged Diesel Engine, EPA Tier 2 emissions certified, bio-diesel compatible
4,300 Total Horsepower
AC Traction Motor Technology
157,000lbs Continuous Tractive Effort
191,000lbs Starting Tractive Effort
106,000lbs Dynamic Braking Effort
Designed for one million miles between overhauls
Impact Resistant Fuel Tank
Full Height collision posts, with one million pound resistance, for crew protection
Total Weight: 420,000lbs (210 tons)
Height: 15' 11"
Length: 74' 3"
Fuel Capacity: 4,900 gallons
Lube Oil Capacity: 420 gallons
Cooling Water Capacity: 275 gallons
Integrated Distributed Power System
Electronic Fuel Tank Gauge
GPS System
Remote download of Event Recorder system
Electronic Wheelslip and Sanding Control
Manufacturer: Electro Motive Diesel
Model Number: SD70ACe
MSRP: $1,750,000 (varies depending on options)
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