I was past the ITM site about a half hour ago. I do not know if the fireless steamer was cut or not, but the EMD SW1 is sitting there, looks to be next in line.

The cab for the fireless was gone.

Why are items being scrapped now? I thought that wouldn't happen until after the July 12th deadline had passed.

Someone on Facebook has said that the Monon SW1 has been acting as a "hearse" moving the equipment around. :(

Someone also posted a very detailed roster of the ITM collection. Please let me know if this has been posted here before.
https://cs.iupui.edu/~rrybarcz/itm/itm.html

Thank you Kelly!

I've looked at my PM messages. Nothing has appeared to come through yet. If possible, could you drop me an email at e.strohmeyer@cnjrail.com ?

I can appreciate the challenges your organization is facing. As for wading into "troubled waters", the possibility of litigation is not an issue which would prevent my organization from pursuing one or more of the cars that we have an interest in seeing preserved.

What I don't know is - What's still available?, What's already spoken for?, and What litigation might need to be reasonably anticipated?

I have a desire to help with two of the Pullmans cited previously, and obviously, the ex-CNJ coach..... We recently moved our former CP Pullman car to a location in Jersey City. Our former B&O caboose, and our former CN flats will soon be enroute there as well. I'd love to help out with any reasonable effort to preserve a couple of the ITM cars that might be in danger. I just don't know who we need to contact.

The Milw SW1 is shocking. I am wondering if NKP 587 will make it out at all.

Robert

For the record. There were two EMD SW-1's at ITM. The Milwaukee Road switcher was not operable and gave one of its trucks to the other; Monon # DS-50. Although it was not running, a couple of members gave it a beautiful cosmetic, and authentic, Milwaukee Road paint scheme a year or two ago. Sad to hear it was scrapped. Monon DS-50 WAS operable and used often in days past.

Les

Any news on the Baldwin VO1000 or Milw F units or the Amtrak HC13? Would SMS not want the Baldwin VO1000? If anyone has connections at SMS maybe they could be notified about a potential addition to their roster?

Robert

According to a post on Ahead of the Torch, as of 6 PM 7-3-18 the MILW SW1 1613 had not been scrapped yet, but it is the next to go. If you are or know someone who is interested in purchasing it, contact Chris Campbell with Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation.

https://www.facebook.com/soup24?fref=gc ... 7942171029

Saw FB photos of parts of 587 heading out, Cab, domes etc. Not the big chunks, but they said disassembly and loading is well under way.

Do we have a list gentlemen of the surviving equipment from the last few weeks? I recognize the severity of these actions could lead to vital artifacts being forever lost. If you are associated with a museum in a position to accept equipment I'd encourage speaking with your board members about this difficult conflict. Anything of value should be preserved at all costs there are no second chances here.

How do I contact Chris Campbell about saving the Milw rd sw1?

Thank you AlcoC420 for your information! I do appreciate it.

I was not expecting the cars that are sitting on that siding to be "pristine". Quite to the contrary, I was expecting them all to be mostly "basket cases" at best.

You indicated that it appeared to you that one of the four cars sitting there might be "saved"... I must ask, were all the cars that you were referring to at the Cicero siding? One of the ex-Lackawanna MU Trailers (ex-4328) was stored in Nobelsville. If all four of the cars you were speaking of are at the Cicero location, then I can reasonably deduce which car is likely the one you felt might be worth saving. (Having previously owned two similar cars, I'm well aware of which car would shed water significantly better than the other three, even if it was completely "neglected".)

While I love the old Pullmans, 12-1 sleepers are well represented in preservation today. (However, I could certainly find a use for the trucks currently under that car.) However, Plan 3992 Lounge cars are a lot more rare. Would you happen to know if the "other heavyweight" you spoke of was the former ex-Pullman "Poor Richards Club"?

I can appreciate the warning regarding personal protection equipment and the local vermin. When my firm bought the former 8-1-2 Pullman "Trapper" from CP a number of years ago, my crew and I had to remove so much pigeon scat from inside the car that it nearly filled a 55 gallon drum. So, I do understand that problem well!

You mentioned that the double door boxcar was an ex-Wabash "Auto Boxcar". When you say "Auto boxcar", I tend to think of a boxcar that also has "end doors" (at least on one end) as well as usual side doors. Do you recall if that boxcar also has end doors?

Thank you for the information on the N&W car!

And finally, I understand you didn't have a lot of time to look at the equipment there. From other posts you've recently made, it appears you may be fairly "local" to the area. How difficult would it be for you to return to the site for another look at the equipment there?

My question is could a quick reconnection be accomplished to remove any equipment that can move on its own wheels i.e. the F units? I understand if that were possible then ITM would conceivably have a lot less to scrap/sell.

I was involved once were an industry track was disconnected, and at a later date a car left there had to be removed. NS built a temp connection by cutting up from the web of the rail, and laying it over the mainline in lew of a frog. Worked well and they had it in and out in 3hrs. Of course an F unit weighs a bit more than the hopper they removed, but where there is a will...

Getting the big RR to do anything even slightly out of the ordinary can be difficult at best.

I am sure much more could be saved if there was still a connection, both by ITM and outsiders. So if your organization is in danger of losing its connection, fight for it. You never know what the future holds, even if you do own the track and land.

[quote="airforcerail"]My question is could a quick reconnection be accomplished to remove any equipment that can move on its own wheels i.e. the F units? I understand if that were possible then ITM would conceivably have a lot less to scrap/sell.

I was involved once were an industry track was disconnected, and at a later date a car left there had to be removed. NS built a temp connection by cutting up from the web of the rail, and laying it over the mainline in lew of a frog. Worked well and they had it in and out in 3hrs. Of course an F unit weighs a bit more than the hopper they removed, but where there is a will...


I was ask by the new operator to give advice/be involved in moving their equipment in.

I suggested that everyone pool their resources and repair the track through Tipton, Indiana and then make a tempary run-over on the NS main at Tipton. There is a video on Youtube of a temporary run-over, on a UP main by the California State Railroad Museum, so they could get an "F" unit to the other side.

Tipton removed several street crossings illegally, the HHPA let the NS connection be removed, ITM needed to get equipment out and the new operator needs to get equipment in. I thought that all sharing in the cost to reinstall the trackage through Tipton, would be a betterment for all. Should the new operation fail, they will need to get their equipment out to recover any value in it. A new connection at Tipton could help with industrial development alone this line.

My idea was completely blown down.

For those who are not from the area, you have NO idea of the bitterness that has been ongoing here for several years.

I am sorry, but I have NO sympathy for the ITM. I do care about the equipment and what is going on, is, plain and simple, "IF we can not have it, NO one will".

I live a few miles from the ITM site and made several trips through the park, after they were told that their lease would not be renewed. On many very beautiful weekend days, there was NO one on site doing any work at all. In a conversation that I had with John McNichols, I brought this up. He was taking the position that they would win all their lawsuites.

I told him that he could advertise on RYPN and Railswap for nothing. Have any of you seen an ad there? Why not post on RYPN a list of the equipment you no longer want?

I ask about some pieces of equipment, if they were for sale and was told NO they were being retained for their collection. Now atleast one piece was offered to someone else for nothing, if he could get it off the property.

Now it has become a very short firesale, if you can beat this "so called scrapper". This scrapper is a demolition company from out of the area, according to the name on the excavator. All they do is rip it apart and through it in a scrap tub. They appear to have NO interest in setting any parts aside.

I am currently scrapping a GE 80 ton centercab locomotive that I have been trying to sell for a customer for over 2 years. Several parties were interested in purchasing it, but backed out because of the cost involved in moving it. I purchased the locomotive and am currently completing the scrapping of the locomotive. The parts are were the money is, not the scrap. The diesel engine/generator set went to an operation to repower a locomotive. The trucks, air compressors, coupler, pockets and some electrical parts went to someone else. The air brake system went to another party. No reusable parts are being scrapped, even the door latches were saved.

ITM could have done this, but there appears to be NO interest at all. The sale of parts, can be used to off-set the cost to the scrapper and still have some money left for the ITM's moving cost.

This is the SW1?

p.s. can't tell due to the small tree, is the cab end on shop truck?