AC&W F-units--recognize the name?

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:17 pm

Snipped (and edited) from Trains Magazine's daily News Wire:

Quote:

STAR, N.C. - The F-units recently purchased by short line Aberdeen, Carolina & Western will be used for business and special train movements, according to ACWR's General Manager William G. Bartosh. "The units are in good shape," Bartosh told Trains News Wire. A total of five F-units were moved from the Ohio Central to the ACWR this week (see Trains News Wire, Jan. 18, 2007). Three units, two ex-Milwaukee Road F7As and an ex-Burlington Northern F9B unit, are owned by ACWR, while the other two, an ex-Milwaukee F7A and ex-BN F9B unit, are owned by locomotive dealer Ed Bowers. The railroad intends to use Bowers B-unit to assemble an A-B-B-A set. "I want them to stand tall and run as God intended," Bartosh said. That includes making sure the units' Mars warning lights operate and painting them in Aberdeen, Carolina & Western's green and cream colors, although Bartosh said he is open to suggestions on the paint pattern to be used on the units. Bartosh expects the units to be running sometime this spring.

The F-units will be used mainly on ACWR's business car train. The train includes a streamlined twin-unit diner lounge, a 1912 Pullman-built diner Defender, a 1923 business car once owned by the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton, and the Pennsylvania, a former Burlington Zephyr dome car, and a flat car with railings for open-air rides.

The last I saw of "Billy" Bartosh was the Chesapeake Railroad, on the Clayton, Del.-Easton, Md. ex-PRR line (last run by the Md. and Delaware) on the rural Eastern Shore. It sounds like the business car and twin-unit diner are ex-EnterTrainment Line (nee-Maryland Midland), and the Pullman "Defender" has been a nomad for years, with stints on the MDDE, Chesapeake RR, and elsewhere. Now, anyone want to remind me where the ex-Beaufort & Morehead center-cab Whitcombs that were the Chesapeake RR's motive power got to?

Incidentally, a possible reason for the "failure" of the Chesapeake RR: The Baltimore Chapter NRHS, as I recall, formally approached the Chesapeake RR and attempted to charter a photo charter. Bartosh's wife was supposedly in charge of passenger arrangements, and there was supposedly no way that Chapter officials could get her to get her head around the concept of a railfan trip; the only thing offered was the train as a luxury lounge--I think I heard $500 an hour..........

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Fri Jan 26, 2007 10:45 am

An acquaintance from Pa. chimed in with an update on the Whitcombs:

" I believe the two Chesapeake RR Whitcombs were purchased by a couple of
the SMS [Baldwin] guys and moved to the Kutztown branch of EPRY by road. However, after their arrival there, the owners had a falling-out with John Nolan. He ordered them to remove the locomotives asap, which they were unable to do. It is my understanding that both were scrapped shortly thereafter."

I was also told that the wife in question at the Chesapeake RR is no longer "in the picture" and was purportedly responsible for the downfall of the Chesapeake RR--in a sort of "O. Winston Link's shrew of a wife" sort of fashion. As that is at best rumor, all we need to know is that any setup at the AC&W apparently won't involve her. (Good, maybe we can get a photo charter this time.....)

John Bohon · **Joined:** Sun Aug 29, 2004 1:04 pm **Posts:** 625

The F units are currently bad ordered in Hamlet, NC with air brake trouble. ACWR sources are not sure when they will get to Aberdeen for interchange. There are rumors of a dinner train out of Charlotte swirling around this part of the world. It remains to be seen if the rumors are true.

John Bohon

Ray Reter · **Posted:** Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:34 pm

I had the pleasure of riding in the Defender on a Baltimore Chapter NRHS excursion from Baltimore to Oakland (Md.) some years ago. I met Bill Bartosh and thought he was doing a very nice job on preserving that parlor car. I'm glad to hear it's still in existence! -- Ray

John Bohon · **Joined:** Sun Aug 29, 2004 1:04 pm **Posts:** 625

For those who may be interested it seems Bill Bartosh is no longer employeed by the ACWR. I do not know all of the details so I will only state this fact and not risk starting any rumors.

John Bohon

AC&W F-units--recognize the name?

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