SD80MAC - MagnumMacKivler/RLCPT2 GitHub Wiki
A 4 month old SD80MAC hauls an intermodal train through Berea, Ohio in March of 1996. These usually were on coal trains around the time. Photo credit Jay Brown.
The SD80MAC is a higher horsepower evolution of the popular SD70MAC locomotive. Equipped with a 20 cylinder 710 series engine, this locomotive's power-plant is unique to American railroading (the only other locomotives to use this was two exports; SD80ACes and GT50ACs). It is also the only locomotive to be equipped with a 20 cylinder engine since the SD45-2 had ceased production in 1974, and has been the only one to do so ever since.
While many railroads were interested in the 5,000 horsepower locomotive for coal drags and large unit trains requiring slow lugs, the 1990s for many railroads was around the time of consolidations; Chicago and Northwestern had wanted to order them for their Powder River Basin coal trains, however they merged with Union Pacific around the time that the SD80MAC became viable in 1995. Canadian Pacific too had considered purchasing these locomotives, however they had later cancelled for anticipation of the higher horsepower SD90MAC
Conrail was the only purchaser of this locomotive, with 30 locomotives made between November of 1995 to July of 1996. More had been anticipated, however Conrail too was split between Norfolk Southern and CSX, with SD70s and SD70MACs being changed in their place by each railroad respectively. One has been scrapped by CSX for frame damage, and the other 29 have been retired from NS (as CSX sold theirs to NS in 2011) as of February of 2020, facing an uncertain future in the used locomotive market.
| General Info | - |
|---|---|
| Prime Mover | EMD 20-710G3B-ES |
| Horsepower | 5000 |
| Truck Type | EMD HTC-R II |
| Axles | 6 |
| Traction Motors | 6 |
| Minimum Weight | 420,000 lbs |
| Maximum Weight | 435,000 lbs |
| Model Base Speed | 75 MPH |
| Top Speed | 75 or 80 MPH |
| Electrical System | - |
|---|---|
| Generator Max Current | 4530 Amps |
| Max Traction Motor (TM) Current | 755 Amps |
| Max Continuous TM Current | 755 Amps |
| Traction Motor Type | AC |
| Factor of Adhesion | 35% (1) |
| Transition Mode | Automatic, no Selector |
| Transition Groups | 1 |
| Transition Shunts | 1 |
| Generator Transition | Yes |
| Traction Control | ETC |
| Dynamic Braking (DB) Mode (if used) | Electrical Blowers |
| DB Max Current | 755 Amps |
| DB Max Continuous Current | 755 Amps |
| Blended Braking | No |
| Miscellaneous | - |
|---|---|
| Head-End Power (HEP) | No |
| HEP Power Consumption | N/A |
| HEP Standby/Run Mode | N/A |
| Load Ramp Speed | 1 Amps/Tick |
| TM Overload Protection | N/A |
| Starter Mode | Fully Automatic Start |
| Air Brake Schedule | 26-L |
| Compressor CFM | 254 (Gardner Denver WLA @ 900 RPM) |
| Main Reservoir Volume | 33.8 Cubic Feet |
###Notes:
⚠: Not verified or educated guess
(1): Conrail later increased this figure to 45%