The federal government's website for disposing of surplus property is offering USAF 1864, ex-USN 65-00374, a Baldwin S12 built in December 1952, as well as USAF 1606, a GE 80-ton centercab built in February 1953. They are at Hill AFB near Ogden, UT, which closed its base railway in May 2011. Here's the notice:

http://www.govliquidation.com/events?cm ... ldwin-S-12

I saw both locomotives during a visit in November 1999 and they were fully operational.

Also available from the same website are ex-VRE double-decker cars planned for the Army's troop train shuttle that was supposed to go from Fort Lee near Petersburg, VA, to a point near Fort A. P. Hill, not far from Fredericksburg, VA, a program that never got off the ground. Most likely the cars, languishing on Fort Lee's warehouse spur, will go to scrap. Here's the link:

http://www.govliquidation.com/events?cm ... -Rail-Cars

At last word the three ex-VRE locomotives were at the Army rail shop at Hill AFB but were still in VRE colors and had not been renumbered or repainted for Army service, nor reassigned to any particular Army post.

I saw one of the ex-VRE locomotives at Hill AFB this morning. It's visible from the freeway. Still in full VRE colors with small U.S. Army lettering.

These would be ex-VRE, exx-Metra, nee-C&NW gallery cars built by P-S.

The website lists four cars for sale: USAX #402, #404, #405, and #407. Were any additional cars acquired for the planned shuttle??

This article from October 25, 2011 stated the Army bought 3 locomotives and 10 cars.

http://progress-index.com/news/rail-car ... -1.1223420

I suspect they're not trying to sell them all at once, but instead are unloading them in small lots.

Thanks, Tim, for the info and link!

Notice that the opening bid is $25.00 YES! $25.00 !!!

Two problems with the Baldwin switcher, 1: plain journals,not rollers. 2: looks like they want it removed In about a week after winning the auction. You would have to get it moved somehow, very quickly, plus they won't let the buyer scrap it on site....so, they probably won't allow much work to be done on it on site either. Same is probably true for the other loco and the commuter cars.

There is no first bid yet, as the bidding has not started yet.

The $25.00 posted as a first bid is standard for the company that handles the surplus sales for the government.

At the time the Army acquired the cars from the VRE, a VRE employee sent to me an email with this information: “The following are the locomotives and cars going to the Army: V432, V434, V435, V436, V438, V439, V447, V455, V456, V457, V21, V22, and V24.”

The car numbers don't correspond to those in the recent advertisement (402, 404, 405, and 407), so it's possible the Army assigned its own new numbers to the cars while they sat at Fort Lee.

Fascinating that it has a "Western Electric" main generator and traction motors. I had no idea that Baldwin had developed a Strowger-switch electric MU control!

Apparently those ex-VRE locomotives in Army hands at Hill AFB, UT, have received new numbers after all. Thanks to Ken Ardinger for providing this information:

US Army 4670 ex VRE V21 ex KCS 759 ex 4759 ex CR 3187 ex PC 3187
US Army 4671 ex VRE V22 ex CSXT 6513 ex B&O 3697
US Army 4672 ex VRE V24 ex NJDOT 1768 ex CSXT 6583 ex B&O 4008

Thanks, Tim, for the info!

I get the impression that it's "$25.00 as is, where is, and get it the heck out of here."

The engine has already been sold to a vendor. The Oklahoma Railway Museum contacted about purchase a loading on flat for movement, however we were told on January 26, 2014 that they were already sold. Drake Rice, Secretary ORM

Thanks for the update. It'll be interesting to find out who the successful bidder was and where the locomotives go.