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| BL2's; what's the status? https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=28402 |
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| Author: | Les Beckman [ Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | BL2's; what's the status? |
I must admit, I'm a little hazy on what's going on with the surviving EMD BL2 locomotives. Here's a list, which may or may not be right: Western Maryland 81 and 82 - One's at the B&O Museum right? The other one.....? Monon 32 - At KRM; supposedly with mechanical problems. The story.......? Bangor & Aroostook - How many preserved? I think one is still on the BAR; true? I believe two are (were) on NRM property in Green Bay; anything happening with them? And is that all of them? Thanks. Les |
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| Author: | Steve Freer [ Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
Eyewitness Report: WM #82 was in use on a chartered "Cheat Mountain Salamander" trip on Tuesday, Oct 6. I saw it pull into Belington after dropping off passengers in Elkins. |
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| Author: | Richard Glueck [ Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
There is one BL2 in the Cole Land Transportation Museum, in Bangor, Maine. She's indoors, but it's unlikely she'll ever come out again. There are no others in Maine, although several went to other operations as curiosities. How they've faired, I don't know. |
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| Author: | Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
The only other one "unaccounted for" is former BAR 54, still at the Lackawaxen & Stourbridge/Stourbridge Line out of Honesdale, Pa. By now, it seems like it's been there for 25 years or so! |
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| Author: | wilkinsd [ Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
Monon 32 recieved some wheel work and/or replacement this year. Last I heard, through a secondhand source, the work was complete and the front truck was back under the locomotive. I have no word on whether it is back to being operational. |
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| Author: | ATK [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:43 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
What are the major mechanical differences between a BL2 and say a GP7 or GP9? Just the carbody? I've never been inside of a BL2 before, but I've seen pictures of the inside (IIRC, the pictures posted on the Cole Museum's site are pretty good). I gotta ask this question.... how does one change a liner out of one of those engines??? I've done work inside of an F-unit carbody and there's not much room to swing a wrench in there.... |
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| Author: | Stationary Steam [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 8:38 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
You have stumbled upon the reason why there were so few BL2s built! The BL2 had a lower truss frame that the F units, but still needed some sort of truss to compensate for the weak mainframe. Otherwise it was pretty much identical to the F7 or GP7. The only major differences being the carbodies. |
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| Author: | wilkinsd [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:48 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
A BL-2 is more closely related to an F-3 than a GP-7. The Monon 32, even has an F Unit style control stand. |
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| Author: | dinwitty [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:22 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
The BL2 was pretty much the tween design between an F unit and a geep to gain engineer visibility. |
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| Author: | Mike Swanson [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:41 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
dinwitty wrote: The BL2 was pretty much the tween design between an F unit and a geep to gain engineer visibility. Actually, the BL2 was EMD's answer to customer requests for a road-switcher like Alco's RS series locomotives. All EMD did was cut back the F3 carbody above the truss to provide better forward and rearward visiblity for the engineer, then it shortened the carbody at both ends to make room for end platforms, which made switching much easier. It wasn't what the railroads wanted, though, since the BL2 lacked the removable hoods which made Alco's locomotives (and EMD's own switchers) easier to maintain. Most railroads either bought RS's or fitted switcher steps and footboards to their older FTs and F-units (as Santa Fe did with several of its FTs when they were bumped from mainline duties by F3s and F7s); only about fifty-five BL2s and a single BL1 demonstrator (which was identical to the BL2 in all respects) were built and none were sold outside the U.S. |
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| Author: | mikefrommontana [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
Whatever became of Dan (?) Monharts collection in Illinois (somewhere on the old Chicago, Madison and Northern). I thought he had a BL2, a gorgeous E6 or 7 painted in ACL colors and some other equipment--where'd it go? Michael Seitz Missoula MT |
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| Author: | cjvrr [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:19 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote: The only other one "unaccounted for" is former BAR 54, still at the Lackawaxen & Stourbridge/Stourbridge Line out of Honesdale, Pa. By now, it seems like it's been there for 25 years or so! And this one is supposed to be sent out for wheel work soon. Its owned by the local Chamber of Commerce in Honesdale and they intend on keeping it running AFAIK. |
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| Author: | filmteknik [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:17 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
Michael, after Glenn Monhart died in an auto accident the Atlantic Coast Line E3A #501 was sold to the State of North Carolina DOT which has it on long term loan to the North Carolina Transportation Museum (Spencer Shops) in Spencer, NC. This puts it properly in the territory in which it spent its working life. I do not know what's become of the BL's and F. Steve |
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| Author: | Gary Gray [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:29 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
mikefrommontana wrote: Whatever became of Dan (?) Monharts collection in Illinois (somewhere on the old Chicago, Madison and Northern). I thought he had a BL2, a gorgeous E6 or 7 painted in ACL colors and some other equipment--where'd it go? Michael Seitz Missoula MT I don't know about his other stuff, but the E3 is a star at Spencer now. http://www.nctrans.org/exhibits/rail_equipment1.php http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 12&nseq=10 |
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| Author: | Steve Freer [ Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: BL2's; what's the status? |
Per this discussion: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,1206473 Quote: Glenn apparently had two BL2's as well as three F-units. The "A" units were #901 and #106, and the "B" unit was 102B. The BL2's and at least one of the F-units (#901) are at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, WI. Here is a photo from the 1997 EMD open house courtesy of Railpace Magazine: 
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