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Progress Rail Services' entry into the genset market came by way of a formal announcement with a display at the RSI Rail Technology Exhibition in Chicago on Sept. 21-24, 2008. Not surprisingly, the Caterpillar-owned company's locomotives will use Caterpillar C18 engines for power. They will also be fitted with Cat's ACERT emissions reduction technology. Each genset is rated at 745 horsepower. Progress' three engine genset, model PR22B, will have a total rating of 2,235 hp, while their twin engine model (PR15B?) will be rated at 1,490 hp. Those are the highest horsepower ratings in the industry thus far. The locomotives will be built on refurbished frames, with all new cabs and appliances. Extended range dynamic braking is an available option as well.
The first of Progress' gensets showed up briefly in Georgia in late August and early Sept. 2007. That unit, PRSX 3802, was apparently a test bed of some sort, as the gensets sat very high on the frame, and the unit had a conventional cab. Future arrivals were spotted in March and April 2008 with higher visibility cabs and much lower hoods. Production of the units has been split between Mayfield, KY and Patterson, GA. Progress documentation also mentions a twin engine model, but no units have been produced yet. In addition to the units listed below, a number of frames have been sighted at Mayfield, KY stripped and prepared for conversion.
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Model: PR22B
2,235 hp 3-engine genset locomotive, engines: 3 - Caterpillar C18 (745hp each), on 4 axles.
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Roster:
Owner: |
Unit
Number: |
Donor
Unit: |
Originally
Built: |
Converted
At: |
New Build
Date: |
Serial
Number: |
Used
At:
|
Notes: |
| Progress Rail |
PRSX 2002 |
HLCX 3669 |
Nov. 1967 |
Patterson, GA |
Early 2008 |
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Demonstration |
1, A, B |
| Progress Rail |
PRSX 2003 |
HLCX 3630 |
N/A |
Patterson, GA |
Early 2008 |
|
Incomplete |
2, A, B |
| Progress Rail |
PRSX 2005 |
HLCX 3629 |
N/A |
Patterson, GA |
Early 2008 |
|
Incomplete |
2, A, B |
| Progress Rail |
PRLX 2005 |
CSXT 2015? |
N/A |
Mayfield, KY |
March 2009? |
|
Demonstration |
1, A, B |
| Progress Rail |
PRLX 2006 |
Unknown |
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Patterson, GA |
March 2009? |
|
Demonstration |
1, A, B |
| Progress Rail |
PRLX 2008 |
Unknown |
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Mayfield, KY |
Aug. 2008? |
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Demonstration |
1, A, B |
| Progress Rail |
PRLX 3802 |
ACWR 3802 |
Nov. 1967 |
Patterson, GA |
Mid-2007 |
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Test Bed |
3, A, B |
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General Notes:
1. 3 engine genset with dynamic brakes. Rebuilt on existing geep frame. Previous unit numbers listed through UMLER, though some erros have been found in the data listed in UMLER. They are corrected on the site where applicable.
2. Partially completed units prepared at Patterson and shipped to Mayfield in spring 2008 with cabs and dynamic brakes but no gensets. It is not known if these units eventually became the PRLX 2005 and PRLX 2008.
3. Apparently a test bed for Progress Rail's genset locomotive line, this unit was spotted in late August and early September 2007 moving around Georgia sans long hood. From various discussions, it appears that the cab was moved forward slightly to accomodate the genset units, which stand much higher on the frame than the production versions. Unit seen again moving with PRSX 2003 to Mayfield, KY in mid-March 2008.
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Notes:
A. Previous unit number is listed in UMLER as ACWR 3669, but that unit never existed. Separate reports list the unit as HLCX 3669. That unit's history from the Unofficial EMD Homepage is listed above. Update: Identity confirmed as ex-HLCX 3669 via frame number check by the webmaster in January 2009.
B. PRSX 2002 in NC in early May headed to the Aberdeen, Carolina & Western Railroad. From sightings and waybill info. Moved from the ACWR to CSX Intermodal (a Progress contract) in Fairfield, GA in Oct. 2008. Departed Fairfield in Jan. 2009 to NS. Tested at Inman Yard in Atlanta during January, then sent to Roanoke, VA for further testing by NS.
C. Previous unit number reported by an anonymous source. Previous unit info from RRPicutureArchives and the Unofficial EMD Homepage.
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History:
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Unit
Number |
Core Unit
Number |
Core Unit
Model |
Build
Date |
Builder's
Number |
Frame
Number |
Orig.
Number |
2nd
Number |
3rd
Number |
4th
Number |
5th
Number |
Notes |
| PRSX 2002 |
HLCX 3669 |
EMD GP38 |
Nov. 1967 |
33698 |
7060-68 |
C&O 3867 |
CSXT 2067 |
BAR 301 |
HLCX 3669 |
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A, B |
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Notes:
A. Unless otherwise noted, unit history compiled from the Unofficial EMD Homepage based on UMLER listings for previous unit number for the locmotive. Unfortunately, Progress hasn't been too concerned with keeping track of frame lineage, so 100% accuracy can't be guaranteed.
B. Previous unit number is listed in UMLER as ACWR 3669, but that unit never existed. Separate reports list the unit as HLCX 3669. Update: Identity confirmed as ex-HLCX 3669 via frame number check by the webmaster in January 2009.
C. NJT 4133 was rebuilt by MK in Boise, ID as a GP40FH-2, using the frame, cab, trucks, etc. from Conrail 3067, and the cowled long hood from EMD F45 BN 6607. This odd amalgam was retired by NJT and sent back to Boise to MK's modern incarnation, MPI-Wabtec. After brief testing, it was rebuilt into an MP20GP switching unit for NJT, number NJT 1004.
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Model: PR15B(?)
1,490 hp 2-engine genset locomotive, engines: 2 - Caterpillar C18 (745hp each), on 4 axles.
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| Roster: No Units Built |
Photos: (Click to enlarge)
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