Metro-North’s GP35R locomotive overhaul project moves along

As the first GP35R locomotive overhaul completed by Brookville Equipment Corp. entered service on Oct. 24, 2015 for Metro-North Commuter Railroad (MNR), the second unit (No. 107) began its journey back to New York, departing Brookville’s Pennsylvania-based facility on October 23, marking two major milestones in the seven-unit rebuild project.

The remaining five units will cycle through a progressive locomotive overhaul program and gradually re-enter rescue and maintenance-of-way service for the commuter rail operator between 2015 and 2017, adding a minimum of 20 years of additional service life to the maintenance locomotives, Brookville said.

The GP35R locomotive overhaul program requires a complete unit teardown and rebuild, including restoration to the all-steel frame, engine, air brakes, trucks, and a complete refinishing. In addition, several modernizations are being made to the locomotives, including integration of an all-new state-of-the-art locomotive control system, which provides wireless diagnostics for maintenance personnel and helps improve rail adhesion.

“This locomotive overhaul project captures every facet of the engineering aptitude and skilled craftsmanship Brookville provides as a locomotive rebuilder,” said GP35R Project Manager Tony Tofani. “While we recently took a brief minute to acknowledge our achievement in returning this locomotive to service, we are eager to continue applying our skills to the restoration of the remaining units and returning them to Metro-North Commuter Railroad.”

Originally manufactured by General Motors Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) in 1964, the locomotives previously underwent a light overhaul circa 1993. Brookville secured a contract to rebuild the seven units as GP35R locomotives in the summer of 2013.

The GP35R locomotive overhaul project marks a continued partnership with MNR’s parent agency, Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), which began in 2000 with the production of two 72-ton, two-axle, BL06 diesel-electric switching locomotives. Since that pilot order, Brookville has also manufactured two 115-ton multi-engine BL14CG 1400-horsepower CoGenerationTM locomotives; 12 BL20GH 132-ton, 2250-horsepower diesel-electric multipurpose locomotives with separate head end power; and four BL20G 2250-horsepower diesel-electric locomotives.