Why Did General Motors Stop Making Switching Locomotives?

Question

a) The last locomotives that General Motors made for shortline railroads were the SW-1000/1001, SW-1500/1501 (as well as the MPs) and the GP-15. Why did they cease those lines?

b) I know that General Motors has been known for high sales prices prior to selling off their Electro Motive Division, which dampened the interest by shortline railroads to buy new locomotives, but do you think there was a conspiracy by the major railroads to have GM cease selling small locomotives so the "bothersome" individual carloads of smaller shippers could be stopped? You know the old saying, the major railroads are not interested in an online customer's business unless the railroads can get at least one-hundred carloads per day!!!

Answer 1

well number one gm sold off emd a few years ago.

number two i think the sure fact you can replace some of the stuff with more efficents stuff.  

also the railroads might be going to make your own trains and everything.  i know the wisconsin and southern does that.

Answer 2

While the market for switchers is not as prolific as it once was, make no mistake that they are still in demand to some degree, as you have to look no further than the "Green Goat" hybrids (which, due to their size and virtually no emissions are perfect for switching and light duty work).

Having said that though, mostly why you do not see them cataloged anymore is because the high demand for them prior to, say, the 1980s is no longer there; road-switchers are capable of doing almost every type of job switchers were tasked with as well as hauling main line freight trains (heck, even GE exited the switcher market back in the 1950s with the 70-tonner).  

Anyway, because switchers are making a comeback with Gensets and "Green Goats" I really doubt there was ever a conspiracy or deal worked out between the Class Is and EMD to end switcher production just to thwart the smaller shippers.

Answer 3

Because the wide bodies are just so much more d**n comfortable!

Answer 4

Well, economics is the major reason that EMD sales of switcher locomotives dwindled.

From the standpoint of the major railroads, the switch locomotives were always relegated to yard duties, and never had to be the reliability champs, like the long-haul units did.  

A saying that permeated the railroads when it came to switchers was, "Just one more overhaul".  That went on for many decades.  With that attitude, it was no wonder why railroads would rather plow their monies into new six-axle road units.

So demand was almost non-existant.  GM-EMD made one last foray into the switcher market in the 90s when they partnered with MK and Caterpillar to produce the GP15D and GP20D.  It was as economical as possible to make, yet there was still very little interest.  There was absolutely no conspiracy afoot.  EMD did what they could to stir up interest, but the market was just not there, not when a railroad could do another overhaul of what was there for a small fraction of the price for new.

Now with the hybrids available, there is often Federal and/or State $ that help defray purchase costs.  Now it makes sense for railroads to invest, because much of the mony they spend is not their own.

Answer 5

There was no market for them. Simple economics.  A switch locomotive is a special use piece of equipment. Railroads found it more cost effective to purchase locomotives that could do "multi-tasking", IE: perform more than one function.

Answer 6

GM stopped making all locomotives.

They sold their Electro Motive Division.

Switch engines tend to have a much longer life than freight locomotives so there simply is not as much demand.

Less profitable and so the locomotive builders stick with where the profits are biggest,

Simple economics.