Forlorn Rock Island ALCO diesel

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Located in Kansas City, Kansas:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=955127

Submitter of photo is asking if any museum might be interested in saving this former Rock Island C-415. Kind of a rare unit (not sure how many were built), the one in the photo is the last of the 10 that the Rock Island purchased (numbers 415-424) and the number it currently carries is from a later renumbering. Not sure how many of these have been preserved, or where.

Les

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:19 pm

Only the ten for RI and 16 others built--other owners include Hammersley Iron of Australia, SP (ten), Monongahela Connecting, SP&S (two), Columbia & Cowlitz, and Chehalis Western. John Komanesky's excellent Preserved Diesels roster at www.thedieselshop.us shows three preserved: the MCRR one at RR Museum of Pa., former SP 2406 at Monterey, Mexico where it served a steel mill, and the Australian one at the Pibara Ry. Historical Society in Australia.

As usual, this would come down to "find a place in RI territory that wants it".

JohnC · **Joined:** Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:20 pm **Posts:** 217

The Buffalo Southern in New York has number 423. It is slowly being restored for operation some day.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

JohnC wrote:

The Buffalo Southern in New York has number 423. It is slowly being restored for operation some day.

John -

Thanks for the info on this other Rock Island C-415.

Les

mxdata · **Joined:** Thu Jun 16, 2005 11:54 am **Posts:** 609

It would probably help if they had an 1182 series Navy LST that they could scrap for spare engines because that 8-251 is a pretty rare bird.

MX

Gerald W. Kopiasz · **Posted:** Tue Dec 25, 2007 12:28 am

I believe some group in KC owns it. The have or had ambitions to either reactivate some trackage or create a museum. My old memory doesn't work as good as it used to. If you're interested, I can probably dig up a contact for you. Let me know.

Regards,
Gerald W. Kopiasz

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:41 pm

Any idea if the owner would donate it outright to another up and coming operation?

Stationary Steam · **Posted:** Tue Dec 25, 2007 11:19 pm

Its owned by by a fellow named DJ Roberts. He was interested in getting a short line/tourist rail operation going several years ago when I knew him. We looked at several lines, the Youngstown & Southern, East Texas Central aka Blacklands RR were two that we hirailed and proposed to operate. He was a former RI engineer turned short line consultant. I haven't talked to him in years but that is the owner last I knew.

Don C. · **Posted:** Wed Dec 26, 2007 11:47 am

The Burlington Junction Railway has two C-415s at their Burlington, IA, operation. I photographed both of them in late October on a Sunday. I believe they came off of the Mount Hood Railway as they are painted maroon and blue. One appears to be ex-SP and the other may be a C&C unit.

Don C.

NH0401 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 26, 2007 10:04 pm

If one was to pick a locomotive for a start-up operation, the C-415 would be my last choice. Way too odd-even as Alcos go.

DPK