EMD Locomotive Now Part of the Cat Family

[quote="gwhdiesel75"]Moving a big locomotive to a showroom in Las Vegas for a convention.

http://www.progressrail.com/prs-vegas-video.html[/quote]


Hi George, Thanks for posting that, I had no idea cat made locomotives.

John, I think Cat only makes the "prime mover" - that is, the diesel engine that activates the AC generator. GWH

Thanks for posting George, very neat. Just shows anything can be put anywhere..... with enough coin.

Did your parts book get there?

Bruce P

I'm a bit fuzzy on memory but thought I read a while back that the whole locomotive works was moved to South America (Brazil I think) to avoid labor issues.

There was a big news story a year or two ago about CAT closing the EMD plant in Ontario Canada and moving assembly to Muncie Indiana. If I remember correctly they did it to reduce wages. Good for the folks in Muncie if they can raise a family on $15 an hour; not so good for the Canadians. I guess that's what you'd call Progress these days.

EMD was part of GM, GM was near bankrupt and was seeking cooperate welfare from the Canadian and US federal governments.
The carnage would have been beyond imagination had they and Chrysler failed. Not just the layoff of workers that first come to mind but the towns full of retired auto workers who's pensions might stop. It would be far reaching. As governments slithered around looking for a solution, the companies had to liquidate anything they had to raise cash. The workers in that plant got shafted in the deal, guess not all brothers are riding in the same class. Workers can live on half the money in Indiana as Ontario so there the plant went, untill the next move.
Later Bob

I believe this was the article I read.....not all production, just the opening of a new plant in Brazil...........at least not yet anyway.

http://en.mercopress.com/2011/07/25/caterpillar-expands-diesel-electric-locomotive-manufacturing-plant-in-brazil