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| Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be saved? https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=20987 |
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| Author: | hoydie17 [ Sat Jul 15, 2006 9:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be saved? |
For those of you who may remember the former St. Lawrence Railroad, this shortline occupied the former Rutland trackage between Waddington, NY and Ogdensburg, NY. The trackage between Norfolk and Waddington has long since been abandoned, although the track is still there in most places. And Norfolk to Ogdensburg is the only remaining trackage including the interchange with present day CSX (ex-NYC/PC/CR). The NY&O RR now runs a train maybe 3 times a week and uses I believe an SW7 for all their work. I took a quick spin over to talk with a couple of the guys, I've known most of them since I was knee-high to them. And they were working in the woods behind the old St. Lawrence RR Carshops. And what to my surprise but they were pulling former NSL #1 out of the brush. Everything I can find says that this is a former ALCO S4, of D&H heritage and unknown if anything prior to that. I asked the Trainmaster a few days ago what they'd pulled it out for. Apparently the Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority has given them 30 days to "get rid of it" by any means necessary. It was sold to a Canadian guy about 6 years ago, but the guy nor his company ever showed up to claim it. It's suspected that the fellow was probably going to restore it for use on a scenic line or maybe a private industry, but for whatever reason the S4 was just forgotten about. I'd need to confirm it, but I think the RR would happily just give it to the first taker willing to provide a flatbed truck and crane service. I really don't know if it's in any condition to be transported via CSX anywhere. If someone wants to e-mail me offlist, and inquire, I'll happily ask about it next time I see them. I'm not sure when it'll happen, but as I'm told the plan right now is to have a demolition company come in and cut her into scrap and haul it away. I THINK they would reconsider that if someone was interested in taking it. <----- strictly speculation there. Heck, it wouldn't hurt to try at least? It'll truly be a heartbreaker, as I remember riding this engine very many times as a kid between Waddington and Ogdensburg, so it's sort of sentimental to me. You can find a photo here, click on it to enlarge it: http://www.hoydie17.com/gallery/display ... m=14&pos=0 Sean[/url] |
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| Author: | crij [ Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
Where is it located? Rich C. |
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| Author: | hoydie17 [ Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:00 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
Norfolk, NY about a 3 hour drive North of Syracuse, NY. Sean |
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| Author: | JohnCloos [ Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:08 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
Even if the locomotive itself can not be saved,, perhaps an effort can be made to salvage various parts for others ? Just a thought |
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| Author: | scottychaos [ Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:02 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
This page: http://yardlimit.railfan.net/gallery/nsl/index.html says she is: originally D&H 3048 then Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority, then Norwood and St. Lawrence Railroad. Scot |
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| Author: | bobyar2001 [ Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:52 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
That's a nice page for this interesting RR, which Steamtown has a 2-6-0 from. The old enginehouse is a shortline classic, and I hope the water plug is still there. Beebe and Clegg once visited the N&SL. I've read elsewhere that the Alco has very bad wheels, so could not move in a train without some work. It would be good if our preservation community had some motorless, roller bearing trucks in both the AAR A and B form to move plain bearing locomotives on to their destinations. Fortunately, it is not the last D&H Alco switcher extant, so if lost it won't be a complete tragedy, but usable parts should be saved first, and I'll bet the owners would donate them if they could be contacted. |
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| Author: | hoydie17 [ Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:23 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
I'll swing down to Norfolk tomorrow (5 minutes away) and talk to them a little more extensively about it. More to follow. Sean |
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| Author: | robertjohndavis [ Tue Jul 18, 2006 10:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
The NY&O is owned by the Vermont Rail System, which is a company that has been very, very good to preservationists. You might check over there. I'll post a note on the VRS Yahoo Group and see what we learn. I imagine the unit is whupped, as the VRS is known to revive the dead with expert results. Rob http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/VRSandRutland |
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| Author: | robertjohndavis [ Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:43 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
From the VRS List: Quote: Just to add a little to this, this locomotive can only go out by
truck, either one piece or many pieces... The friction bearings prohibit it from interchange with CSX. As well, the wheels have been worn so bad, the flanges are like razors. Again, it can only go by truck. The unit has been heavily vandalized over the years so restoring her would be a miracle. Maybe one of those shortlines with Alcos could use parts but I suspect the parts they have are probably in much better shape than the ones on this unit... Sorry to see her go but I am not sure what one would do with a unit in this condition. As for the intents of the guy who bought it 6 years ago, I heard he planned on setting up a static display in a playground. Kind of an expensive prop if you ask me. Enough of my babbling. Bill Ogdensburg, NY |
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| Author: | hoydie17 [ Wed Jul 26, 2006 10:45 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
Hi guys, Sorry I'd not been back in so long. I came down with the our old friend the flu and hadn't spent much time by a computer. Anyways, what was taken from the VRS list is pretty accurate, that engine will not be interchanged to CSX in any way, shape, or form. The car inspectors have already been in from Massena and to say they laughed at the old thing would be an understatement. The railroad is proceeding with the plan to demolish the unit on site, I made a few phone calls to the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority and they wouldn't return my calls, except one time. That phone call was basically a "Thanks for your interest, but we've no plans to restore or save this engine, nor will it be donated to a historical society." The VTR does not "own" the NY & Ogdensburg Railway, rather it is operated under a separate budget of the Ogdensburg B&PA. Vermont Railway sends the quarterly bills to the agency who then reimburses VTR for it's services. Oh well, it was worth a try. :-( Sean |
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| Author: | scottychaos [ Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:21 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
So..its been almost seven years since the last post in this thread! I still have this poor old S4 listed on the NY Alcos list: http://gold.mylargescale.com/Scottychaos/NY-Alcos/ Because I have never seen it confirmed that she was in fact scrapped.. I assume she must be now, but can anyone say for certain? anyone actually see it happen? Or..can anyone say that the loco is definitely no longer in the environs of Norfolk, NY? (It was pretty clear it wouldn't be moved..so if its no longer there, we can probably safely say it has been scrapped..) I have googled about just now, but cant find anything specific.. thanks, Scot |
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| Author: | superheater [ Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:34 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
Isn't there somebody that has a fondness for D&H Alcos.... |
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| Author: | sbhunterca [ Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:53 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
It's hard to tell, but the Google Maps image still shows something that looks like her in Norfolk: http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ll=44.806617,-74.99516&spn=0.001121,0.002553&t=h&z=19 Of course we don't know when the image was taken. I'm only twenty or so miles away, but can't enter the USA without a passport... and on the principle of the thing, I'm not about to jump to George W's command and get one just so I can visit my neighbours. Eventually, but not in "Shrub's" lifetime. Is there anybody in upstate NY who could wander over to Norfolk? Steve Hunter |
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| Author: | Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Mon Apr 22, 2013 11:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Old ALCO S4 to be scrapped, anyone think she can be save |
This page: http://home.cogeco.ca/~yardlimit/nsl/index.html reports that the loco was shoved about 400' north of the enginehouse "next to the power lines sometime prior to 2004. The Google Maps is horribly fuzzy, but the Bing Bird's-Eye View is razor sharp; whenever it/they were taken, it shows the former CP snowplow up north of that location deep in the overgrowth, and no sign of any Alco. The line is still alive as of 2012, running by the Vermont Railway with a former Vermont Railway/Clarendon & Pittsford GP18 #802 and the occasional use of the SW800. some of the most recent moves were of windmill blades last year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUIwAazNvDc For that Alco, ain't looking good............ |
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