Hi,

That's the GG1 photo I recall.

Thanks.

Doug vV

That's the 2nd GG1 incident. The first, on Oct. 6, 1974, involved Amtrak 925 and a bad bearing. She was hauled in with a 44-ton diesel (at walking speed). See TRAINS January 1975.

Then there was Conrail E44 4415 on Nov. 7, 1977 with a broken wheel. She was towed by the ex-PRR 4-4-0. See TRAINS March 1978.

Update:

https://www.facebook.com/altoonaworks/p ... 1257315637


Photo by Lee Carlson

I've been racking my brain trying to figure out where the E33s ran in Illinois. Can anyone help me with that one?

I don't think it really matters Rick. That E33 is better off cared for in Union then left to rot down in Old Saybrook...

The deal between RMNE and IRM for this unit was made about 4 years ago.

RMNE collected a lot of stuff in the 1980s and 90s. The 4601 was one of those items; it was about to become scrap at GE in Erie when RMNE made some inquires about it. Get it now, or it will be rebar in 3 months. Yes, we did not do any real preservation on it after arrival at Saybrook in 1988 or 89, but we did realize it was better off at a new home, and that's where it is headed.

And it will arrive looking quite presentable in fresh Conrail Blue, after a stop along the way in Altoona, where NS will be restoring the missing transformer panels and painting the unit for IRM.

Howard P.

Conrail Blue? Did I read right?!

So nice to see, that finally, a group understands not everything needs to go back into its "As Delivered" paint scheme..

Maybe the days of repatriating equipment to its home territory is over, and we are back to the good old days of thinking its great to have GG1s and NYC Mohawks in Texas. I happened to think that repatriation was a good trend and I myself have helped get equipment back to where it "belongs".

It will be one of those things that in a decade is put back on the deaccession list, with members wondering why the heck did we take this thing.

The generosity of NS continues to know no bounds...with more to come...

Dave

Rick, you're being rather malicious about where it's going. Not everything has to be where it operated. If that's the case, Pennsylvania would have only one or two operating steam locomotives native to the area. Everything at Strasburg would have to go back to Canada, Virginia and Colorado for example. Every last piece of equipment at Steamtown except for the 565 would have to go mostly back to Canada. The one shining example, the time capsule of rail preservation, the East Broad Top which in your eyes should have the only right to preserve what's there hasn't run a train in years with none on the horizon. Why not focus some of your attention there instead of bashing the people that are finding a new home, having it painted for its new owners and not just sending it straight to the scrap yard.

IRM I believe will be a good place for this thing. They have an expansive facility and miles of trolley wire. If there was ever a chance for this thing to run in some sort of capacity, this would be the place (if it still has its transformer anyway....).

Should the Henry Ford Museum only collect Fords? Or should they collect other cars to put the Fords in context?

The question really is should technology museums only collect local technology, or should they try to build a collection that is representative of the design progression in the industry as a whole. While the streetcar and rapid transit collections at IRM are pretty local in focus (there are several outliers that were acquired on the argument that the collection needed a more national scope, but there doesn't seem to be much popular support for this position) the mainline railroad collections have always been national in scope. IRM has an N&W Y-3, because there weren't too many Midwestern articulateds to choose from. It has a UP turbine to illustrate that line of motive power development. It has examples of heavy mainline electrification from NYC (the iconic S-motor) PRR (the GG1) and GE (the "Little Joe", which actually is local.) The E-33 will fit right in to that development progression.

Mission. What's the mission.......

Regional is a great way to limit your scope to something manageable. Specific time frame (1890-1930) , or industry segment (shortlines, industrials) are other great identities. Decide what is going to work best for you and have the rational and disciplined management to do it - and nothing else - well.

We have a few brave old line organizations that have not limited themselves, like St Louis and IRM. It's nice to be able to see a broad cross section of different things from many sources used in many applications from many eras in one place as a visitor, but it isn't easy to do a great job of maintaining a huge and varied collection. I'm grateful other people have chosen to take that on, I'd be pretty intimidated by the idea. The magnitude of the scope makes it impossible to do a great job of making it all easily accessible and photogenic, but that's a part of the trade off. It's surprising they can do as well as they do, and they deserve a lot of credit for it.

For the record, put me on the side of regional appropriateness. Railroads were and are built and operated in conformance with the demands of geography, so I have always believed they should be displayed in geographical context. I like Mid Continent because they have a fairly consistent (although not 100%) regional and era focus There are preserved items in various locations, that I'd prefer to see relocated. However, that's not necessarily the only valid approach, and I certainly won't fault a serious effort to preserve notable items, no matter where the savior is located. If IRM can save the E33, more power to them.

Tom

The E33's transformer (gone from what some have said) would only get in the way. If the beast still has traction motors it can be run just as we have said about the GG1. Trolley car apparatus including grids, switchgear, and controls, wired to 4 of the 6 motors. 600V MG & compressor and you're good to go. Not that this is likely to ever be done. But it could.

Any idea when NS will do the work and send it out here?

Any news about the E33 eventually heading to IRM?