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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 9:26 pm 

Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 12:30 am
Posts: 290
F units in far better shape have gone to scrap in the 2000's. The Erie B units, scores of FL9's, etc.

Heck, how many FL9's can even be considered preserved? The vast majority of the fleet made it to the 2000's in revenue service, yet I doubt that we've hit 5 units that are in museums, owned by historical societies, etc. The rest that survive today that haven't already been cut up are either rusting away, parts units, or working locomotives that could yet go to scrap the day the operator decides they're finished with it.

Tourists organizations like the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, for one that has sold F units for scrap in recent years, don't view locomotives as historic artifacts to be treasured even though history is a key driver for attracting paying customers. They're just equipment to be ran until it's wore out, parted out, and scrapped. Heck, even museums do it like that one in Texas that scrapped two SP units in ATSF colors when the running gear was damaged by flooding. Once their life as running units were over, they eagerly cut them up despite the chance to utilize them as static displays (Is there even a preserved SP F unit in SP colors?).

And if they're not already gone, the rebuilt FL9M's surely must be nearing oblivion after several years of storage. Next to perhaps the units Burlington Northern rebuilt and shortly afterwards retired and donated to IRM, CPR's executive fleet, and Norfolk Southern's in-service fleet, they're the best condition F units in the land thanks to their mid 1990's rebuilding and HEP equipment from ~2000. Yet no museums can afford the asking price, their condition surely is declining in storage, and they're worth more parted out and scrapped than most any shortline and such would be willing to pay.

Heck, there's a FTB or two out there that survive yet are in derelict condition despite the small numbers that survive for FT's and their importance in the history of American railroading. Just not enough money and time for those that love the history of this key American industry to save everything that's important, even when they're rare and among the last of their kind.


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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:07 pm 

Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:40 am
Posts: 489
Leo, Sigh. You pretty much hit the nail on the head sadly. Diesels due not fair well in preservation. Steam still gets all the attention.

The ELS just recently acquired a former Mile snow plow F7 B power unit from the IRM I think it was. So even diesels in museums are often let go of to turn over some cash for other projects.

The UP still has former SP F7 b units in snow plow service wearing their former SP black paint. Can't think of any A units though.


I always thought the CP 1019 and 1018 were relatively safe at NRE till NS bought the 1019. Now it seems it will finally die. How long till NRE cuts up it's sister 1018? God only knows.

I guess this bugs me more than others because of my long time love for the CP system and Canadian passenger trains in general.

Sadly I am not Donald Trump by any means or I would have done something about the CP F7 B units and the CN 9177 since true CP A units are kinda scarce. The ones we have are now preserved and I'd hate to make any changes to their status since they all seem safe. Except for those two ex AMT nee CP units that reportedly lived at the Ohio Central for a short time.

Robert


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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:00 pm 

Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2005 9:06 pm
Posts: 2526
Location: Thomaston & White Plains
Leo:

RE: FL9s, there are 6 held by three Connecticut museums. While I may be a bit prejudiced, I think this one is the best FL9 anywhere:

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It is currently blue-carded and operates on RMNE's Naugatuck Railroad on occasion. RMNE also has NH FL9 2059, the LAST F-unit built.

Howard P.

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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:06 pm 

Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 12:30 am
Posts: 290
Glad to hear it's a bit more than I thought it was. I hope they all treasure what they have and give them as good of homes as that one has.

Too bad that the prototype didn't survive to complement that one in preservation. But as I recall that was one of the victims for the ill fated FL9AC program. And as we all know, what should've ended up as the ultimate North American realization of the F unit ended up being a disaster with the units being shop queens before being parted out and scrapped just a few short years after their very expensive rebuilds.

I still wonder what could've been had they just stuck with a more conventional rebuilding, since I doubt it was the EMD 710 inside them that was the source of most of their woes. But I digress...

Speaking of repowerings, was sad to see the Ontario Northland examples with their modern CAT's inside all be cut up not too long ago without so much as a sound from the railfan community. They were the last operating F units with their original owner and I believe they all hit the 50 year mark before their end.

I don't even think we have an example from their sizable FP7 fleet at any museum, despite their longevity and the second lives that many of them had after their Ontario Northland days as HEP equipped cab cars. May even be extinct at this point given Go Transit dumping their APCU's years ago when the last non-HEP equipped power was retired.


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 Post subject: CNW Executive F units
PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:23 pm 

Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2004 2:35 pm
Posts: 351
Location: Pacific Northwest
Caveat:

I'm getting to the age where things that happened decades ago seem to have happened "recently" to me so buyer beware.

I seem to remember that when the CNW executive train was broken up for sale that there was a nice A-B-B-A brace of F units plus a spare A or B unit as well. This units were operable and in good condition as was the entire train at that time.

Anyone know the current whereabouts of this F set or even if they're still together?


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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:32 pm 

Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 8:31 am
Posts: 366
Location: Morganton, N.C.
Quote:
I don't even think we have an example from their sizable fleet at any museum, despite their longevity and the second lives that many of them had as cab cars.


GO 904, ex-9852, nee-ONT 1513 survives at the Gold Coast RR Museum. Don't have details but it was known to have been there for a while now, after first being sold to Tri-Rail and then donated to the museum.

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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:36 pm 

Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 8:31 am
Posts: 366
Location: Morganton, N.C.
Quote:
Anyone know the current whereabouts of this F set or even if they're still together?


CNW 400 is on the Wisconsin Great Northern while a couple are at Cheyenne under the protection of Union Pacific. No plans for them are known but at least they are carried on UP's Historic Fleet...

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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 1:16 am 

Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:44 am
Posts: 740
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
UP only has one of the ex-C&NW F-units, #401, and it's been rusting away outside at Cheyenne for years.

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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 9:22 am 

Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 8:41 pm
Posts: 53
GO Transit 904 is no longer at GCRM, hasn't been there for several years.


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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 1:33 pm 

Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 8:31 am
Posts: 366
Location: Morganton, N.C.
Shucks...

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 Post subject: Re: CNW Executive F units
PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 2:25 pm 

Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2011 9:40 pm
Posts: 840
Scott wrote:
Caveat:

I'm getting to the age where things that happened decades ago seem to have happened "recently" to me so buyer beware.

I seem to remember that when the CNW executive train was broken up for sale that there was a nice A-B-B-A brace of F units plus a spare A or B unit as well. This units were operable and in good condition as was the entire train at that time.

Anyone know the current whereabouts of this F set or even if they're still together?


I take exception to that. Prior to the merger with UP, these units had been stored by CNW for quite some time. None were operable and many parts were missing, plus the usual damage from vandals and vagrants that can be expected.

One of the B units had been a parts source for the others for years and had tons of stuff missing. It never ran on CNW's executive trains.

Two of the A units went to the Royal Gorge Scenic and were put in service there. 3 of the B units (including the parts source) went to St. Louis Car for use on their dinner train. Most of that equipment was sold the the KCS, but I do not know if the B units
went with it or not.

Another A unit was sold to an outfit in eastern Iowa.

That leaves one very incomplete A unit in Cheyenne.


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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 4:19 pm 

Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:40 am
Posts: 489
What happened to GO 904?

Robert


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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 4:31 pm 

Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 8:22 am
Posts: 32
Location: Central PA
The three 'junk' NS F units were auctioned as-is where-is at Altoona (they were never stored at Roanoke, nor were they ever intended to be parts sources) and sold to Cresson Steel for scraping.
Another interested party didn't get a chance to bid, may end up buying them from Cresson Steel.

In fact, they're still sitting at the Juniata Shops today.


~L. Myers
AltoonaWorks.info


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 Post subject: CNW Exec units
PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:18 pm 

Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2004 2:35 pm
Posts: 351
Location: Pacific Northwest
Thanks Lincoln Penn. I stand corrected.

Scott


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 Post subject: Re: "New" NS F-units (SOU 407, 1019, 9177)
PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 9:08 pm 

Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:40 am
Posts: 489
Seems as of 2014 GO 904 was still in Florida.

Don't think I saw anything about it being removed or scrapped but I might be wrong again.

Robert


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