Walking to the Rear of DDA40X (DD40X)

This is a low-tech video of my walking toward the back of the DDA40X #6936 at Roseville, at dusk. No image stabilizers or special moving platforms that movie and video producers use.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• DDA40X
• DD40X
• Centennial
• 6936
• Union
• Pacific
• Roseville

[BNSF7508]

Those things are still in service? and if they are are they in revinue service?

[cchan006]

Just one in service now, part of Union Pacific's Heritage Fleet. It's used mainly for passenger excursions and business specials.

[cchan006]

1985 was when all but the 6936 were officially retired by the UP.

[Guilford88panam]

do they ever use it in frieght service any more or just company specials and stuff? its rated at like 6500 hp too right?

[cchan006]

The 6936 might get put on a freight for ferry moves, but usually not on the point. So far, the 6936 hasn't been on any specials this year, but with the summer coming up, I'm hoping to see it in action. Originally rated at 6600 hp.

[justin0185]

THAT THING IS A BEAST i heard it was built like in the 70's correct me if im wrong and it close to 100ft long. the sd 90's are huge but their 20ft shorter this thing is a beast. whats the power rating on these?

[cchan006]

First batch (#6900-#6924) was built in 1969, and the next and last batch (#6925-#6946) were built in 1970 & 1971.

6600 hp from both prime movers.

[greywolf45]

Your Deltics are decent locomotives, but they are also lighter, and not designed for heavy freight service, the Centennials were. Can a Deltic pull a heavy freight at 90 MPH, like the DDA40X can? The DDA40X was not designed for passenger service, like the Deltic is. All of the DDA40X locomotives, except for 6936 are retired.

[thetrainman407]

ITS A MONSTER!

[the0utsider1]

@justin0185 The frames to these were so long they were not built at the EMD LaGrange Il factory

[WPRR1]

@Guilford88panam No, it runs passenger and business excursions.

[palexandersquires]

Is there a train simulator for pc`s avalable that lets you drive one of these diesels our deltics are fast but I like any big huge diesel rather than a fast car!

[kittty2005]

The dda40x is 98 feet 2 inches long minus drawbars,on it's "maiden voyage" it pulled a 100 car coal train plus 5 sd-45s through the rocky mountains,the engineer of lead sd-45 said 6900 only needed their dynamic brakes for going down hill,the 6900:king of deisel locomotives,always has been always will be.

[Sevalecan]

Beautiful train.

[mococosub]

@Shield1751 EMD rushed the production of 6900 only so it could participate in the Centennial celebration. The next unit wasn't delivered for another 3 months. It wasn't until 1976 that the first re geared SD40-2's ("Fast Forties") went into service. They were geared back down to the fleet standard in 1980.

[mococosub]

@greywolf45 And at 90 mph they were still putting out 19,800 Pounds of tractive effort.

[mococosub]

@Shield1751 GP50s came out 11 years after the DDA40X. The DDA40X was the test bed for was the -2 technology. 6900-6942 were already delivered and in service before the first full -2 locos, (the SD40-2s) were completed. The 7000 hp on 6900, 6901 and 6902 was for testing prime mover and some other electrical components. By the time those tests were done there was already 26 factory 6600 hp DDA40X's in service. They were detuned so they would match the fleet standard for the loco class.

[Shield1751]

@mococosub These were the fore runners to the GP-50 series with 3500HP....hence the 7000 HP. but they were all detuned to save crankshafts and other parts.

[Shield1751]

@justin0185

Built in 1969 for the centennial. They have 6600 HP from 2- 16 cylinder diesel engines.