Conrail Cadillacs: The SD80MAC

Recent Updates:

Select One: 1/22/25: A few new items added to Memorabilia 1/11/23: Several new Conrail era photos added 2/6/22: Several new CSX photos 2/5/22: Nine NS era Shots added 2/4/22: One Canadian Pacific era Shot added 1/30/22: Five New NS Action Shots 1/29/22: Five New Detail Shots 1/29/22: Three new NS Era Photos 1/29/22: Four new Conrail Era Photos 5/10/11: Become a fan of SD80MAC.com on Facebook

SD80MAC News:

10/5/2023: Note about SD80MAC.com - After being down for an undetermined period, this web site is back online but may have some broken images due to using an old backup. We'll be reviewing the pages as time permits to ensure everything works. 1/13/2022: The Conrail Historical Society informs us that Progress Rail has cut up the last several SD80MACs at Raceland this week. (looking for photo evidence) We're looking to confirm the status of the six units that went to CP. 12/13/2021: After a visit to Progress Rail's Raceland shop, several (possibly 10) SD80MACs have already been scrapped by Progress and others are having parts harvested before being cut up. It's pretty much the end of the SD80MAC saga. 6/28/2020: Units 7200, 7202, 7205, 7209, 7217, 7219, 7221, 7222, 7223, 7224, 7228 depart Altoona heading to Progress Rail. 6/23/2020: Unit 7213 departs Chattanooga (where it had been stored before sale) heading to Progress Rail. 6/18/2020: Units 7201, 7203, 7204, 7207, 7208, 7210, 7211, 7212, 7216, 7220 depart Altoona heading to Progress Rail Mayfield. x/2020: Units 7206, 7215, 7218, 7225, 7226, 7227 depart Altoona heading for Canadian Pacific. 2/2020: Progress Rail purchases the remaining 23 SD80MACs. 2/2020: Canadian Pacific purchases six of the SD80MACs for parts. 1/2020: Due to cuts in motive power caused by implementing PSR, NS places all 29 SD80MACs up for auction. 11/2016: NS 7210 suffers major cab damage after an electrical fire. 7/2015: NS 7222, the last of the CSX 80MACs, has been repainted. It will be some time before it enters service. 4/24/2015: The Juniata Shops have repainted NS 7218 and 7223 in the NS scheme. Of the four repainted at Chattanooga, only 7225 and 7220 are in service at this time. 4/16/2015: NS 7226 was released from Conway into active service still in CSX colors. 3/2015: Only four of the 12 former CSX 80MACs were ready for service right away. Those four are NS 7220, 7221, 7224, and 7225. All four were repainted at Chattanooga before entering service. See this chart: 3/2015: Three of the former CSX 80MACs were sent to the Juniata Shops for repairs: NS 7222, 7223, and 7227. More are likely to follow. 3/2015: CSX and NS have made a trade. NS gave up 12 SD40-2 rebuilds for CSX's 12 remaining SD80MACs. All the SD80MACs are now under one owner for the first time since 1999.

SD80MAC Introduction In January 1996 Conrail added a brand new locomotive breed to their roster. This new locomotive was the AC traction, 5,000 hp EMD SD80MAC and was the first model to use a 20-cylinder prime-mover since the SD45 series and Conrail's first and only independent order for AC power. In the coming months, EMD would build and the Juniata Locomotive Shop would finish 28 of these 80' 2" monsters for use on heavy trains on the Pittsburgh and Boston Lines. The SD45 series had a false reputation for being fuel hogs, however the SD80MAC's 20-710G3B has electronic fuel injection for increased efficiency and reduced emissions. The 80MAC makes use of the self-steering HTCR radial truck with large 45" wheels and flange lubricators for high adhesion and low rail wear. By far the most important feature of the SD80MAC not found in any other Conrail locomotive until this time is alternating current (AC) traction motors which coupled with the previously mentioned features create adhesion of 35%. Among many other advances and improvements is the isolated cab, also found on the SD60I, to improve crew comfort and Integrated Cab Electronics. The SD80MACs are also equipped with distributive power but it has been rarely used. Conrail was so impressed with EMD's versitile SD80MAC, that they purchased the two demonstrators, EMDX 8000-8001, outright. It was announced that 108 more AC-drive locomotives would be ordered, however this was scaled back to 28 more SD80MACs scheduled for delivery in early 1997. The merger with CSX and NS put an end to any additional SD80's and the order was changed to 15 SD70MACs for CSX and 24 standard cab, DC-drive SD70s for NS -- all of which would be built at Juniata. CR 4127 would be the last SD80MAC ever built and now that they have been serving their new owner longer than they served Conrail, the SD80MACs remain one of the most followed group of locomotives among railfans in the east. Today (3/31/15), 29 of the 30 80MACs are still in around with one having been scrapped after a derailment. In March 2015 CSX's remaining SD80MACs were traded to NS. Until recently NS has restricted their 80MACs to coal service between Altoona, the South Fork Secondary, and Shire Oaks in western Pennsylvania, but with declining coal shipments in the area, many are getting out on the road. With all existing SD80MACs now under one banner, NS has plans for a future rebuild program for the famed units.

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