See also this thread.
http://railroadfan.com/phpbb/viewtopic. ... 9&start=20

There is a lot of rather important information missing about these locomotives. What is the asking price? Can they be interchanged on their own wheels after the expected prep work? Operational or close to operational? No I'm not interested in one. I already have one unit that I adopted as a result of this Forum. Don't need another. Just curious about the info.

When I touched it before Thanksgiving, it wasn't quite a question of "asking price", but of finding a place to store them in the short-mid term.

And now this. http://railroadfan.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=19991

Notice the defeatist talk among the foamers: practically deciding it OUGHTA be scrapped. I don't know whether that's the sound of resigned heartbreak, or foamer-ism (worthless to me unless I can chase it).

I joined that forum yesterday to hopefully try to spur some of those people around to the idea of preserving one of these units, but I'm depressed by the reaction of the people on that forum. Wow! One would think they all work for a scrap company.

You can say that again. The lack of information there is astonishing as well.

http://railroadfan.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=19991

Despite getting a little of track a plan does seem to be coming together. I can't not give any real info as nothing is set in stone, but from what I've been told there is hope for at least one of them.

Reports are that someone got LSRC/D&M 469. Don't know who. The other two are still up for grabs.

The following was posted on RR fan today:

The Alco's are not going to be scrapped anytime soon!
Weather and a New Customer will keep us busy for awhile.
I want to thank everyone for thier interest!

To ALL a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
From Waymore Power Co.
http://railroadfan.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=19991&view=unread#unread

So some more time as been bought for 974 and 975. Contact info can be found on Waymore Power Co's website, which can be found though Google.

While I am glad to see the RS-2 given a longer live span, the one thing that drives me crazy is that there is so much misinformation spread regarding ALCO parts.
There are NEW ALCO 251 parts as well as engines being built at FM/ALCO as well as used parts at many dealers across the country and Canada.
Many electrical parts are still available from GE as well as other sources.
Rail Swap.com and other Classifieds used ALCO locomotives as well as parts.

The bottom line is you have to known where to look.If you can't find them here in this country, there is India at DLW. They are still making brand new locomotives with 251 engines.

If you need help finding a part, contact me off list and I will give you leads to try.
John

Hence what I tried to stress over there. For what its worth as well, RR's in general need to remember MARINE supply houses for parts as well. ALOT of these older engines are still in use, and many places carry parts for alot of engines you would never imagine.

There are a couple of problems facing Alco locomotives today.

One, is no one wants to carry any spare parts in inventory. There are so many after market suppliers of EMD parts, that it has made their parts plentiful and cheap. I never could understand RSI and their demand that you no only own, but show them proof of ownership before they will sell you EMD parts. It only drives people who work on locomotive, but do not own them to the other suppliers.

Two, is having someone with the desire to work on Alco locomotives. I have no problem with doing it, but have run into many mechanics that feel that the only good Alco is a dead Alco. Many younger mechanic who learned on EMDs, have no interest in learning to work on the Alcos.

All well and good, but as far as I know D&M 469 is equipped with an Alco 244 engine block, not a 251..........

What I am saying can also be true with a 244 engine as well....

I'm trying to picture in my head the mechanical officer of a certain short line or dozen of which I have been acquainted--any short line with some serious traffic needs or a serious train-load customer or two, for example, not a shoe-string operation held together with chewing gum and chicken wire like many of the short lines of yore--going to the boss and trying to justify shipping in a container-load of parts from India to keep the locomotives chugging along to the junction..........

And unless the boss has a soft spot for a particular brand of loco, I'm picturing an order for more recent domestic locomotives off the used market instead.

Is there a bumper sticker for "I'd Rather Push an Alco Than Run an EMD"?

This is not to say that there can't be a useful economic market for an older locomotive. Aren't there still a couple Alco HH-series switchers at work for Relco grain-mill switching?

..No, It's not true for the 244 block as well. To the best of my knowledge, NOBODY is making 244 parts.

Jeff