Russian TEM7A Locomotives - Port of Houston
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Russian TEM7A's - Port of Houston
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Ever since their arrival in the United States in March of 1993, a handful of Russian-built
TEM7A locomotives have been stored at Greens Port Industrial Park in the Port of Houston.
In case these Russian locomotives look strangely familiar, Trains Magazine ran photos
of them in its July 1993 issue (p. 17) and also in the June 1997 issue (p. 31).
The locomotives were originally received as trade compensation for grain delivered to Russia by
American Grain, Inc., but were seized by U.S. Customs during an investigation into trade
irregularities. The U.S. government has since released the locomotives, and they are now
for sale. Want to buy an eight-axle switcher? The locomotives are 2000 hp, 180-ton
diesel-electric units powered by V-12
engines. They ride on two four-axle trucks, with a total of EIGHT traction motors.
They can
be viewed from a public road in the Greens Port Industrial Park area of the Port of Houston...
take the Federal Rd. exit from I-10 and head south, then make a left and head east on
Industrial. Follow Industrial for a couple miles and -- if they have not been moved --
you should see the locomotives on your right, immediately before Industrial dead-ends at the
Houston Ship Channel.
I wasn't joking when I said that these locomotives are for sale. For more information, visit
the following url:
http://www.pernet.net/~james1/russian/index.html .
The following photographs were taken during my visit to Houston on May 19, 2000.
Please click on any of the following pictures
to see a larger image:
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These Russian TEM7A locomotives were photographed in storage at the Port of Houston on May 19,
2000.
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A face only a mother could love? Here's a head-on view of one of the Russian TEM7A
locomotives in storage at the Port of Houston on May 19, 2000.
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This view of the cab of one of the Russian-built TEM7A locomotives affords an excellent
look at one of its four-axle trucks.
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This builders plate on the side of Russian TEM7A locomotive # 1002 identifies the
"Year of Output" as 1992.
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Two rows of Russian TEM7A locomotives are lined up in storage at the Port of Houston on
May 19, 2000.
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This shot of the stored TEM7A locomotives reveals that one of the units has received a new,
reddish-orange paint job, while the others wear the lighter orange-and-white scheme in which
they were delivered.
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Demonstrating that the locomotives were built to the specifications of the Metric system is
this stencil on the side of one of the engines' fuel tanks.
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Those crazy Russians!! I can only assume that this stencil on the side of one of the Russian
TEM7A locomotives indicates that the unit's maximum speed is 100 kilometers per hour.
Somehow, I doubt the engines would quite reach that threshold on the Port of Houston's
industrial trackage...especially considering they've been averaging zero kilometers per hour
for the PAST SEVEN YEARS!
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All images on Wes Carr's Southwest Shorts © 2000 by Wes Carr. All rights reserved.
Wes Carr claims no affiliation with the Port of Houston, American Grain Inc.,
U.S. Customs, the Russian government,
or with any shortline or industrial railroad.
