Conrail SD80MAC Repaint
Operating instructions can be found here
The SD80MAC was a 5000 HP C-C diesel electric roadswitcher locomotive manufactured by EMD built between 1995 and 1996. Only 2 demonstration and 28 production units were made. The locomotive employed a 20 cylinder EMD 710 prime mover for power generation. The locomotive was designed to be a stronger alternative to the SD70MAC. There were no locomotives made by GE that could be considered a competitor to the SD80MAC. The SD80MAC could be considered a modern version of the SD45, which was designed to be a more powerful alternative to the highly successful SD40 however was riddled with issues. These issues were later corrected but remembered during the development of the SD80MAC. The bending frames and crankshaft failures present on the SD45 were not present on the SD80MAC, however the SD80MAC had its fair share of teething troubles that went unresolved due to its lack of popularity. Like most early locomotives that used the 710, she ate through lots of engine oil and had even worse fuel economy due to the larger engine. The electrical systems were also new and unreliable. The SD80MAC was outshined by the more powerful SD90MAC (which turned out to be an even worse failure), leaving Conrail the only railroad to purchase the SD80MAC from the factory. These SD80MACs were ordered to run with the SD70MACs Conrail had purchased. When Conrail went under in the late 90s, CSX and NS split the SD80MAC roster. Eventually CSX sold their SD80MACS to NS who used them up until recently, when all were retired. Most were sold off for parts and scrap. Despite the efforts of a few organizations, none have been preserved. The class is ruled extinct, however, there are some rumors that one SD80MAC in fair condition remains in a Progress Rail yard in Illinois.
Conrail Quality?
In 1991, locomotives in Conrail’s fleet began wearing paint schemes with special "Conrail Quality" lettering and an alternate version of the so-called "can opener" Conrail logo. This was part of a movement during the 80s and 90s in America, with many companies focusing on quality and improvement in their corporate structures. Whether or not this worked can be debated, but the new design and logo were some of the most drastic changes made to Conrail’s livery. When Conrail received its 30 SD80MACs, they were painted in a special version of the Conrail Quality livery, with a sweeping white stripe on the nose. This was done to differentiate them from anything else in Conrail’s fleet, as the SD80MACs were the railroad’s first locomotives with AC motors, 20 cylinder engines, and EMD’s new radial truck design.
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This locomotive is compatible with all WABSIM equipped rolling stock, a collection of which can be found here.
