Ex-C&NW 5030A (Metra 518), now owned by the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad, may be facing an uncertain future due to the WSOR's sale of it's operational E-units. The WSOR had retained this unit (after it suffered an electrical fire) as a parts source for it's other E's. Now that the others are gone, I have been told that WSOR may let the scrapper have her. Has anyone heard different? It would sure be nice to see her preserved as a C&NW unit somewhere.


ddg14@msn.com

I was an enginner of this engine when it pulled the Dinner Train at Paw Paw, MI. She was a hard engine to run at FIVE MPH pulling the Transisco Dinner Train Set (now owned by UP). For more info on the Dinner Train Set, see Model Railroader, December 1989, Page 100. The Speedometer did not work.

The engine suffered many problems. The front air compressor froze one winter. The #1 traction motor when up in smoke going up Allens's Hill (2.5%). I was the engineer for this run. I was pulling the "normal" amps of about 1,050.

The rear prime mover bearings tightened up on later run. I was running KLS&C 85 with the sceinic train which was cuppled to the Dinner Train to help it up Allen's Hill and out of Lake Cora. This was quite a run to bring both trains home with a GP-7 in the middle providing the only power!

Running this engine was quite an experiance. One I will always remember.

Bill Geresy
Former KLS&C Engineer/Conductor


geresyb@aol.com

It would be great if the WSOR would donate it to a willing city that they run on. Since some of the WSOR is on a bunch of ex-CNW trackage would be a good history exhibit for a willing town. WSOR has the paint shop to make her look good. All you'd have to do is splice the main hook up some temp track and shove her in to her new home. 3 or 4 panels of track and a paint job and a willing caretaker. Should be great! We can hope for the best can't we.
Chris

ablemanscurve@hotmail.com

The Illinois Railway Museum would seem like a natural home for this one. I have no idea what WSOR would want for her, but with their collection of E's from CB&Q, MILW etc, this would seem to be a natural for IRM.

kevin.r.gillespie@verizon.net

I would suggest that a better home for WSOR's ex-CNW E-8A unit #5030-A would be to have the unit donated to the Minnesota Transportation Museum's (MTM) Railroad Division, headquartered at St. Paul, MN, at the Jackson Street Roundhouse facility.

MTM does NOT have an E unit in its collection, whereas IRM has 5 units already(2 ex-MilwRD E-9A's, a CB&Q E-5A(Nebraska Zephyr), a CB&Q E-8/9A(ex-BN Executive Train Locomotive/BN-3), and a ex-Amtrak Steam generator E-6?B unit). MTM does have a F unit in its collection, a ex-Great Northern F-7A(#454-A), but it is a Stripped Body Shell, with No Innards. It would need donation of an operable ex-ATSF CF-7, and a lot of time and MONEY to again make operable.

Mark D. Braun



mkbraun@hutchtel.net

As long as she ends up somewhere and not in my razors otherwise I'll stop shaving.

ablemanscurve@hotmail.com

Having inspected this unit today as part of an evaluation team, I can share the following:

1. The unit is not owned by WSOR. It is privately owned and must be removed from the WSOR Horicon yard shortly (perhaps due to impending relocation of that facility to a new site west of town).
2. Mechanically, this is a "parts unit", not a "runner". Many important electrical parts (e.g., reversers, voltage regulators) have already been removed. The HEP generator is gone. The air compressors are suspect. The principal remaining parts value of the unit is in the A1A trucks.
3. Cosmetically, the unit requires substantial work. It could not simply be painted and displayed. The carbody would have to be stripped down to the trusses due to rusted side panels and battens. New exterior sides would have to be fabricated and applied. There is also a sizable hole in the roof where a valuable part (auxiliary generator?) was removed. The magnitude of work required would exceed that expended by Bennett Levin's Juniata Terminal in restoring either of their PRR E-units.
4. The most economic solution would be to scrap the carbody and remaining engine room equipment on site (or at the nearest available scrapyard), retaining the trucks for use on another E8/9 restoration.

pnichol6@prodigy.net

If this locomotive is to be scrapped, thought should be given in removing other necessary parts from the locomotive that are valuable and very scarce. 1. Farr Grills-These are scarce and cannot be acquired new. Because of the fact that they're made of stainless steel they would be difficult to fabricate. These are missing on allot of locomotives and could be used in the restoration of another E-unit or F-unit. 2. Nose, the nose could be used in an interpretive exhibit or as a spare. FYI The plated over number boards were a modification of the Chicago North Western during the 1960's. 3. Pilot could be used in the restoration of another E or F unit.

If this locomotive must be scrapped it should be important to remove the above parts because they are one irreplaceable and two would aide in supporting other restorations of similar locomotives.

Though if the locomotive can be saved it should be and can become a parts hulk for other E and F units that are being restored while saving the carbody, possibly for a static display or a more extensive restoration or remanufacture.
-Andrew Cornillie

> Having inspected this unit today as part of
> an evaluation team, I can share the
> following:

> 1. The unit is not owned by WSOR. It is
> privately owned and must be removed from the
> WSOR Horicon yard shortly (perhaps due to
> impending relocation of that facility to a
> new site west of town).
> 2. Mechanically, this is a "parts
> unit", not a "runner". Many
> important electrical parts (e.g., reversers,
> voltage regulators) have already been
> removed. The HEP generator is gone. The air
> compressors are suspect. The principal
> remaining parts value of the unit is in the
> A1A trucks.
> 3. Cosmetically, the unit requires
> substantial work. It could not simply be
> painted and displayed. The carbody would
> have to be stripped down to the trusses due
> to rusted side panels and battens. New
> exterior sides would have to be fabricated
> and applied. There is also a sizable hole in
> the roof where a valuable part (auxiliary
> generator?) was removed. The magnitude of
> work required would exceed that expended by
> Bennett Levin's Juniata Terminal in
> restoring either of their PRR E-units.
> 4. The most economic solution would be to
> scrap the carbody and remaining engine room
> equipment on site (or at the nearest
> available scrapyard), retaining the trucks
> for use on another E8/9 restoration.


acornillie@yahoo.com

I sincerely hope this engine will be saved, even though numerous other E-units exist. Even as a gutted carbody it has potential as the mechanical and electrical parts to repair it are widely available and are likely to remain so for many years in the future.



ryarger@rypn.org

If this unit doesn't survive, at least there is another C&NW E-unit around. Ex-C&NW 5021B/522, ex-Metra 522, ex-NRC 522, WSOR 801 was sold a few years back to a tourist operation (I think in MI), and last I heard was still operating in it's WSOR colors. Anyone know of it's status? It would be nice to see it back in C&NW colors.


ddg14@msn.com

Just found out that it's actually in Ohio, being operated by the Lake Shore Railway Association on their Lorain & West Virginia operation in Wellington, OH.



Lake Shore Railway Association #101
ddg14@msn.com

Learned that there may be even more C&NW E-units out there. If they still exist, NRE in Silvis, IL had the following units stored on their property:
ex METRA 515, ex CN&W 515, nee C&NW 5029B,
ex METRA 516, ex C&NW 516, nee C&NW 5029A,
ex METRA 518, ex C&NW 518, nee C&NW 5030A,
ex METRA 521, ex C&NW 521, nee C&NW 5023A.
Can anyone confirm if these E-8s still exist?


ddg14@msn.com

As per info received via e-mail: The most likely fate of this unit is to be stripped of usable parts for use with the city of middleton's e-units (ex-wsor, see link), and the rest of the unit scrapped.
It's too bad Middleton couldn't save the body and paint it in C&NW colors. It would look real nice sitting next to their depot where their excursions depart from.

Allan


Middleton Express

ddg14@msn.com

Found this photo of ex METRA 518, (ex C&NW 518, ex C&NW 5030A) at NRE in Silvis, IL. So at least one of these units survived until at least 2001. Maybe they're all still there? Anyone know?

Allan




ddg14@msn.com

> As long as she ends up somewhere and not in
> my razors otherwise I'll stop shaving.
Time to stop shaving Christopher, she is going to be cut up for scrap.
The good news though, is that it sounds like many of her parts may be going to various Museums for restoration of their own e-units. Unfortunately none of them ex-C&NW.

Allan

ddg14@attbi.com