I remember when the SD-80MAC was brand new in ‘96. I got to climb all over one as a guest when it arrived on a cold winter day on CR property (Oak Island NJ) for employee familiarization. The engineers I spoke with were very impressed with the locomotive’s ability to stop a heavy train going down hill using only dynamic braking. The relocation of the dynamic brake grid to the back eliminated most of the cab noise. Steerable Trucks, Electronic fuel injection, Earthquake mode, DC-Link, Single liquid-cooled inverter/truck, automatic parking brake and the fact that you’d better be seated in the cab during high-power, slow-speed operations in the event an inverter should fail or the resulting shock wave could knock you on your butt are some of the characteristics I remember about this incredible machine. I haven’t kept up with this locomotive but would like to know how many of the original 30 are still turning a wheel in revenue service? Was this engine considered a success now that it is in the twilight of its career?
Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.
