MK5000C - FresnoSubber/Fresno-and-Co.-Trainbuild-Tomfuckery GitHub Wiki
The Morrison-Knudsen 5,000hp C-C was announced in 1992 when MK Rail, who had been rebuilding other manufacturers' locomotives since 1972 in their Boise, Idaho plant, would begin to build its own homebrew mainline locomotives. Fitted with an enormous 12 cylinder Caterpillar engine and their in-house MK-LOC traction control system, the introduction of these locomotives started a brief horsepower race between the North American manufacturers; EMD responded with the SD80MAC and SD90MAC in July and October 1995 respectively (although the first 6,000hp model wasn't built until August 1996), and GE with the AC6000CW in November 1995. Initially offered in 5,000hp DC form, M-K also offered 5,000hp, 5,500hp and 6,000hp AC locomotives as well, but sadly none of these were ordered.
Southern Pacific were the first customer to bite, ordering 50 locomotives and receiving three for testing in August 1994 (SP 501-503) but quickly cancelled the remaining 47 in favor of GE's AC4400CW and AC6000CW (both of which would later go to the UP thanks to the 1996 merger) after discovering major mechanical and electrical problems with them. Unsurprisingly, Union Pacific were also interested in these high-horsepower locomotives and had ordered 12 units and received three demonstrators in August 1995 (MKCX 9901-9903). Unfortunately, their experience matched the SP's and would also cancel their order, instead opting for GE's AC6000CW and EMD's similarly ill-fated SD90MAC. BC Rail, who were taking a liking to Caterpillar powered equipment in their final years, briefly tested them in May 1998 but didn't order any, presumably because of the same issues that the UP and SP ran into.
In May 1996, Morrison-Knudsen declared bankruptcy. The rail division was spun off and renamed MotivePower Industries, taking on the trading name "Boise Locomotive". They would then merge with the Westinghouse Air Brake Company (WABCo) to form Wabtec in November 1999, but the MotivePower name was retained and would drop their trading name a year later. By this time the horsepower race was over, and three unbuilt MK5000C frames were scrapped in 2001, signalling the end of production of these locomotives. It is thought that like MPI's other products offered between 1996 and 2002, the MK5000C would've been renamed to "MP5000C" so as to distance themselves from the sinking ship that was their parent company, although Wabtec had no interest in offering these locomotives once the new millennium rolled around. The last remnant to come out of the MKx000 program was Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern #5000, an SD50-3 (sometimes incorrectly referred to as an MK50-3) rebuilt from ex-Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe EMD SD45B #5501 in December 1999.
The six that were built ended up getting a new lease of life after their brief stints with SP, UP and BCOL. They, along with five EMD SD50S' purchased from National Railway Equipment (originally built for Australian mining firm Hamersley Iron by EMD's Australian licensee Clyde Engineering), joined the Utah Railway in 2001. However, their initial woes would come back to haunt them a year later, and, ironically, would be rebuilt by MPI to similar specs as the SD50S' as they were considered far superior locomotives. They would re-emerge as MK50-3s and return to service with the Utah Railway in 2003, who at that point had been sold to Genesee & Wyoming. Between March and April 2017, after losing their coal contracts, the MK50-3s would be moved from the Utah Railway to the Kyle Railroad in Kansas, another G&W owned railroad. They continued operating until 2025 when all units were put into storage due to spare parts becoming very hard to find.
RLC PT2 Specific Information
| General Info | - |
|---|---|
| Engine | CAT 3612 |
| Power Output | 5,000hp |
| Truck Type | Dofasco ZWT-3 Hi-Ad (1) |
| Axles | 6 |
| Traction Motors | 6 |
| Minimum Weight | 397,000lbs |
| Maximum Weight | 420,000lbs ⚠ |
| Model Base Speed | 70mph |
| Top Speed | 70, 75, 79, 84, 93mph ⚠ |
| Electrical System | - |
|---|---|
| Alternator Max Current | 10,800A (Kato 16P12-27000) |
| Max Traction Motor (TM) Current | 1,800A |
| Max Continuous TM Current | 1,400A |
| Traction Motor Type | DC (M-K MK1000) |
| Factor Of Adhesion | 35% |
| Transition Mode | Automatic, No Selector |
| Transition Groups | 1 |
| Transition Shunts | 1 |
| Alternator Transition | Yes |
| Traction Control | ETC |
| Dynamic Braking (DB) Mode (if used) | Electrically Driven TM Blowers |
| DB Max Current | 900A (2) |
| DB Max Continuous Current | 900A |
| Blended Braking | No |
| Miscellaneous | - |
|---|---|
| Head End Power (HEP) | No |
| HEP Consumption | N/A |
| HEP Stand By/Run Mode | N/A |
| Load Ramp Speed | 1A/Tick ⚠ |
| TM Overload Protection | Yes |
| Starter Mode | Latched Prime, Manual Start ⚠ (3) |
| Air Brake Schedule | 26L |
| Compressor CFM | 202.9 (Gardner Denver WLN @ 1,000rpm) ⚠ |
| Main Reservoir Volume | 35cu-ft ⚠ |
Notes
(1) 42" wheels were optional for those fitted with the Dofasco trucks. Could also be ordered with the "what if" M-K/MPI Passive Steering C type trucks for those who want something akin to GE's Steerable trucks or EMD's HTCRs.
(2) If extended range dynamic brakes is desired, max dynamic brake current is 1,200A.
(3) Locomotives built from 2003-onwards would come with fully automatic start.