EMD SD60E

The SD60E represents Norfolk Southern's effort to extend the service life of its aging SD60 fleet through a comprehensive rebuilding program carried out at the railroad's Juniata Shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The program began with the delivery of a prototype unit in 2010, with the bulk of production occurring between 2013 and 2017. Rather than simply refreshing worn components, Norfolk Southern undertook a thoroughgoing transformation of the original locomotives, giving them a distinctly modern appearance and substantially upgraded mechanical and electrical systems. Norfolk Southern assembled its pool of rebuild candidates from multiple sources, including units that had originated with Conrail and additional SD60 cores purchased specifically for the program from Helm Leasing. The railroad initially planned to rebuild a total of 240 locomotives under this initiative. However, the program was discontinued after approximately 135 units had been completed, a decision that left a sizeable inventory of unrebuilt SD60, SD60M, and SD60I locomotives without a long-term future on the railroad. Those remaining units were subsequently sold off or scrapped in 2019. The SD60E occupies a notable place in recent Norfolk Southern motive power history as an example of the railroad's preference for internally managed locomotive rebuilding over outright new purchases during certain periods. In a minor but interesting footnote to the program's history, two SD60E units were regeared in May 2021 to allow operation at up to 79 miles per hour, assigning them to passenger excursion duties on the railroad's Office Car Special train, a role quite different from the heavy freight service for which the original SD60 had been designed.

The SD60E is built on the C-C wheel arrangement of the original SD60 platform, retaining the six-axle configuration suited to heavy freight service while incorporating substantial upgrades throughout. The prime mover was changed to the EMD 710G3B engine, which produces 3,800 horsepower and represents a later and more refined variant of the 710 series compared to the 710G3A found in standard SD60 production units. The traction system retained conventional direct current motors rather than adopting the alternating current technology that had become common in newer locomotive designs, reflecting a pragmatic approach to cost management in a rebuild program. One of the most visually distinctive aspects of the SD60E is its entirely new cab structure, which was designed by Norfolk Southern engineers rather than adopted from any standard EMD offering. This wide-nose cab incorporates enhanced crash protection, giving the rebuilt units a forward appearance quite unlike the various cab styles found on original SD60 variants. New electronics were integrated throughout the locomotive as part of the rebuild, modernizing the control and monitoring systems to standards more in keeping with contemporary railroad operational requirements.

Models by: Athearn