Video posted to YouTube on Monday shows the Omni Midwest quartet of former NJ Transit E8s--two ex-PRR and two ex-IC--departing their long-time storage location on Ohi-Rail at Minerva, Ohio, reportedly en route to the Cleveland area and the Midwest Railway Preservation Society, along with OM's four storage/"support" passenger cars with Cleveland Terminal Valley reporting marks:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=727513953953504

This quartet was briefly based in Baltimore in the early 1990s when 60 was leased short-term for MARC service before the ex-BN/Metra E's were acquired.

NJT 4258 - nee IC 4033
NJT 4324 - nee PRR 5905
NJT 4325 - nee PRR 5793A
NJT 4327 - nee IC 4023, later MARC 60

From comments: "The first 2 cars are were former Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus cars, the 3rd car is an former UP Baggage Car, and the 4th appears to be an former Amtrak Baggage Car." That jibes with my memory.

Found some pictures on Flickr taken by Bob McGilvray, Jr., of the four cars:

1. CTVX #1367 (StLCC, Lot #1773, 1953) built as USAX kitchen #89650 sold in 1973 to Amtrak baggage #1367 converted in 1976 to dual steam-HEP sold (when??) to Omni Midwest-OhiRail (OMNI) #1367 to CTVX #1367: https://www.flickr.com/photos/n8myc/13519871244/sizes/l (Bob McGilvray, Jr. photo)

2. CTVX #5704 (AC&F, Lot #3026, 1949) built as UP postal storage #5704 redesignated/renumbered in 1969 as express #24435 transferred to MofW department in 1970 as tool car #904235 sold (when??) to Ringling Brothers as parts source sold (when??) to Omni Midwest-OhiRail (OMNI) #5704 to CTVX #5704: https://www.flickr.com/photos/n8myc/13519869534/sizes/l (Bob McGilvray, Jr. photo)

3. CTVX #461--I haven't been able to identify this car, other than being a P-S sleeper with fluted sides, formerly Ringling Brothers: https://www.flickr.com/photos/n8myc/13519868484/sizes/l (Bob McGilvray, Jr. photo)

4. CTVX #88--again, I haven't been able to identify this car, formerly Ringling Brothers: https://www.flickr.com/photos/n8myc/13519867294/sizes/l (Bob McGilvray, Jr. photo)

Sources:

1. "Streamliner Cars Volume Three: ACF - Other Builders" by W. David Randall (RPC Publications, 1981)

2. "Amtrak by the Numbers" by David C. Warner and Elbert Simon (White River Productions, 2011)

3. Jerry LaBoda's photo links database: http://passcarphotos.info/

4. Don Strack's UP passenger car pages: http://utahrails.net/pass/pass-index.php

# 88 is a former NYC 13 DBRM car - this is the hallway side. RBX 87 was also a former NYC 13 DBRM car, so this follows, and the trucks are 15" wide pedestal NYC variety.

# 461 appears to be a New Haven/B&M/BAR "Beach" series 6 roomette, 4 double bedroom, 6 section sleeper.

"#88 is a former NYC 13 DBRM car - this is the hallway side. RBX 87 was also a former NYC 13 DBRM car, so this follows, and the trucks are 15" wide pedestal NYC variety.

#461 appears to be a New Haven/B&M/BAR "Beach" series 6 roomette, 4 double bedroom, 6 section sleeper."


#88 is the former NYC Port of Boston, a 12 bedroom car built by PS in 1949.

I believe 462 is the former NH 6-4-6 Monument Beach, built by PS in 1954. Sold to the Long Island RR and named Sagtikos. Purchased by Ringling Bros from the Long Island RR circa 1976.

Note also that the Port of Boston is still relatively intact inside, since it is from the era when the Circus did not gut their cars down to the frame and install completely new interiors like they do today.

I would love to see an E8 restored in the Frisco original "Racehorse" paint scheme with the bronze gold edged in white on the red body.
And this is from someone who doesn't like diesels!

Thanks, MRLX1020 and Topfuel, for identifying NYC #10503 Port of Boston and NYNH&H #536 Monument Beach!

Those are the last two real IC E's right? I hope they will be preserved. Monticello would be an ideal place for them but anyone with the interest and ability will do.

Steve

Frisco1522 -

I thought I saw a photo of a SLSF "Racehorse" E8 diesel preserved somewhere. Maybe my memory is playing tricks with me (again!) and I have that wrong. As I recall, the E8's carried the names of famous racehorses such as Citation, War Admiral, Seabiscuit, etc. when they were first put into service. Perhaps those horse names were dropped in subsequent shoppings.

Les

It is interesting to see that the two actual IC E-8's did not end up with Iowa Pacific.

Rob

Yet. :-)

I have been told that the loco owner(s) and Iowa Pacific are very well aware of each other's existence......

Equipment was interchanged yesterday from the W&LE to the CVSR at Akron yesterday.

Link to article: http://akronrrclub.wordpress.com/2014/0 ... cleveland/

I'm sorry for asking if it has been posted elsewhere, but is the plan to just move these engines to another location for storage, or to give them restorations, or something else?

If it is for restorations, my vote is to put the two PRR E8s into DGLE. Bennett already has 2 Tuscan E8s, and the Two PRR E8s being transported were originally delivered in DGLE. Whatever the case of their relocation is, I am glad to see them going to a society that can look after them, even if its for a longer term of storage.

Another good home for the exIC units would be IRM and/or the Monticello Museum.

Not that I am bleating that they should or must take either one or both.

Both, but especially Monticello, have other IC cars/locomotives in their collections that could be complimented by a real IC E unit.

And both have proven to be VERY good at what they do.

CVSR moved the equipment fairly quickly to the North end of their track to the CSX wye at Willow in Independence.