If it was running 2 years ago and they stored it properly it should be serviceable without too much trouble, right? An S2 weighs about what, 115 tons. What's scrap going for now?

PRR 5656 was Alco-GE 77447, built March 1950. Later PRR 9836, then PC 9836.

JR

If getting it out of the way is the big concern, why not let those in the preservation community have the contact info? Surely moving it away and getting a tax break for the real historical value to boot is better than a lowball scrap value.

To be brutally honest about this, they might even get more than scrap value just advertising this commercially as n industrial switcher, despite the fact that it may have to be trucked or sent on a flat car. IF there is a large feed mill that needs to shove around cars, there's at least an argument to be made for this rather than a Trackmobile or secondhand EMD SW, parts issues aside.

And I won't even discuss the issues of "parting it out"..... just to be polite....

Ron Stafford sent me this history of the diesel:

Alco 76164, built 9/48

1. Originally Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac #64
2. Steelton & Highspire #65
3. South Buffalo #65
4. BethEnergy Mines, Incorporated #65 @ Marianna, PA
5. BethEnergy Mines, Incorporated #65 @ Vanceville (Cokeburg), PA
6. Eighty-Four Mining Company #65 @ Vanceville (Cokeburg), PA
7. Westmoreland Heritage Railroad [as PRR 5656]
8. Fayette Central Railroad [as B&O 9061]

Yes the Alco was RF&P, it was bought from the 84 mine by a private party and used in Westmorland county as PR 5656, it was taken to Fayette county and used as B&O 9061 by the Fayette central, it was sold to another person during this time.

Yes the track was sold to carload express who choose to not renew out contract.
When we started to run on the FM&P SWP RR came down there 1 time a week IF needed, they are now down there 5 to 6 time a week and take 90 car sand trains down there nearly every week for the gas well fracking companys (2 or 3 co. now)

The Alco is sitting on a siding inside the fence at 84 lumber and they want it out of there. It does not have roller bearings so it must be moved by truck, thats about $25,000 for the move alone. It was run this past summer when it needed to be moved for work on 84s building. It was still in 1 piece 1/2/15.

Tim C
Former Fayette Central RR member

Where did the coaches go?

I seem to recall that the coaches had been leased from Potomac Eagle Scenic RR. over in West Virginia.

/Andrew

Being an RF&P engine was it ever equipped with cab signal equipment? If still equipped that's a rare bird.

sounds pretty dang silly if it can move on its own. 765 has 1 set of friction bearings on its trailing truck still and it still runs all over the place.

The coaches were leased from potomac eagle and returned to them when we shut down.
You can run friction bearing stuff on the rail you have but to interchange it to another railroad is not possible. Union RR in pittsburgh was still running friction bearing hopper cars from the coke plant in clairton ( I work there) to the blast furnace at ET up till last year.
The Alco does not have cab signals, it also has a air throttle and is not MU capable.

Tim C

Once again, the bogeyman of "illegal plain bearings" comes up. Plain bearings can be interchanged if the railroads involved agree to it and they are in good condition. FRA does not prohibit them. AAR prohibits them on regular, revenue, less-than-40-years-old "current", unrestricted interchange UMLER freight cars.

IF the railroads involved wanted to move this unit, it could move in a week.

A number of organizations/companies have made up roller bearing trucks for moving locos like this, to avoid having the lack of roller bearings become a stumbling block. This looks like much too nice a locomotive to die on the spot; perhaps a set of those "moving trucks" could come to this Alco's rescue.

A couple of years ago, two Alco switchers were moved off Staten Island NY and up to Saratoga and Phonecia, NY by truck. I think those moves were in the $20K range each. So, that sort of move cost should be figured into what this loco is really worth.

Howard P.

Concur that plain bearings are only a problem if the railroads want them to be a problem. FRA doesn't care. I think it's safe to say every major railroad has a rule that says no plain bearings and as a result if you approach the local people you'll get a "no". You have to get an OK from someone high enough to care and also be able to bend the rules. I wrote to the president of the railroad. Once he said OK and told his people to "make it happen" things went easy.

FRA does require a waiver for freight cars over 40 or 50 years old. Do they require a waiver for locomotives, cabooses and/or passenger cars?

Greg

Air throttle? Must be a first for an Alco, as that was a BLW design feature. Maybe a mechanical linkage; rods. levers, bellcranks and rollers...

I took an air throttle out of an Alco S2 I scrapped years ago. It worked in a steel mill and had remote control. With the remote, you replace the standard throttle with an air throttle. This could be a hold over from the unit having had remote control or some other electrical updates.