Railroads and Models
Santa Fe followed its 40 standard-cab GP60s with an order for 63 custom GP60Ms. The first new units delivered in the road's revived "Super Fleet" Warbonnet Paint Scheme, and the only 60 series B-Bs built with North American Safety cabs, Santa Fe GP60Ms 100-162 were delivered between May and September 1990.
23 GP60 B units were built, all for Santa Fe. Taking advantage of the cabless configuration, the dynamic brake equipment on the GP60B was moved forward and away from the prime mover. Santa Fe 325-347 were the only GP60Bs. Some of these remain in service with BNSF.
BNSF rebuilt GP60B 347 to a standard GP60 by applying the cab of an SD40-2 to the locomotive in 2010.
Rio Grande's first (and last) 60 series units were GP60s 3154-3156, built to SP specs in May 1990.
Southern Pacific purchased the first, last, and largest fleet of GP60s, ordering 195 units between December 1987 and Feb. 1994. Nearly half of the SP Fleet was lettered for subsidiary Cotton Belt, but an even 100 were pure Southern Pacific.
Two units built for the Texas Mexican Railway were returned to lessor Helm Financial after Kansas City Southern acquired the Tex Mex. The pair operated for a while in lease service on CSX, then were briefly on the roster of the Vermont Railway System as its 381-382 before that carrier deemed them unsuitable for its operations. The 381 was even repainted into VRS red and white before being returned to Helm in 2004. These units were then sold to the BNSF as BNSF 168 and 169. Soon after BNSF received the locomotives, 169 was involved in a wreck and will most likely be retired. 168 is still with the BNSF to this date.
Read more about this topic: EMD GP60
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