Uploaded January 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Climbing the hill out of Allentown yard, we catch local job NS H11 with a pair of "SD40E" locomotives in the lead.
These engines were rebuilt from former Conrail SD50s, with prime mover upgrades and other internal changes. They are essentially SD40-2s in SD50 carbodies. These were rebuilt and used mostly in manned helper service on the Pittsburgh Line over the Allegheny Mountains, the same route with the famous Horseshoe Curve.
Recently, NS has been using SD70ACu engines in helper service, which are rebuilt from former Union Pacific SD90MACs, which are basically SD70ACes in SD90MAC carbodies. With this change in motive power operations, the SD40Es which were once mostly captive to Altoona area, are now being used in various places elsewhere on the NS system.
For more info on the SD40Es, SD70ACus, or any NS diesel locomotive for that matter, visit this awesome website nsdash9.com created by Chris R Toth.
Climbing the hill out of Allentown yard, we catch local job NS H11 with a pair of "SD40E" locomotives in the lead.
These engines were rebuilt from former Conrail SD50s, with prime mover upgrades and other internal changes. They are essentially SD40-2s in SD50 carbodies. These were rebuilt and used mostly in manned helper service on the Pittsburgh Line over the Allegheny Mountains, the same route with the famous Horseshoe Curve.
Recently, NS has been using SD70ACu engines in helper service, which are rebuilt from former Union Pacific SD90MACs, which are basically SD70ACes in SD90MAC carbodies. With this change in motive power operations, the SD40Es which were once mostly captive to Altoona area, are now being used in various places elsewhere on the NS system.
For more info on the SD40Es, SD70ACus, or any NS diesel locomotive for that matter, visit this awesome website nsdash9.com created by Chris R Toth.
