A fellow preservationist in Baltimore has guided me to a junkyard full of old surprises. Included in this open-air (but stored under a highway overpass) scrap pile are several Fairbanks-Morse prime movers, an Alco 251 (which was allegedly turned a couple times just recently), an EMD 567, a Cooper-Bessemer with a GE AC and DC generator attached (with a build date of 1944 on the generator's plate!), and several other surprises such a pile (literally) of older EMD pistons and connecting rods. Judging from both their location and their appearances, these engines are likely to be ex-marine rather thanm ex-railway.

There has been some obvious scavenging occurring--a water pump missing here, cover plates there, etc. But there remains the distinct possibility of some magic missing parts in this mess--by the time I left, I was scouting for an Alco 244!

The stuff is available, and I can somehow provide a contact for the owner. I do not know any prices, although rumor has the Alco 251 priced at around $10K. Heck, someone could probably steal some of this junk, and no one would be the wiser--no junkyard dogs or anything. If anyone wants more info, please contact me off list. This mess is within very easy access of the Interstate highways on the east side of Baltimore Harbor, some of these engines could probably be inspected from public property. (And no, it's not the Striegel scrapyard.)

lner4472@bcpl.net

And whats the difference of stealing parts from these privately owned engines and people stealing parts from un-restored artifacts at museum's?

Stealing is stealing.

> A fellow preservationist in Baltimore has
> guided me to a junkyard full of old
> surprises. Included in this open-air (but
> stored under a highway overpass) scrap pile
> are several Fairbanks-Morse prime movers, an
> Alco 251 (which was allegedly turned a
> couple times just recently), an EMD 567, a
> Cooper-Bessemer with a GE AC and DC
> generator attached (with a build date of
> 1944 on the generator's plate!), and several
> other surprises such a pile (literally) of
> older EMD pistons and connecting rods.
> Judging from both their location and their
> appearances, these engines are likely to be
> ex-marine rather thanm ex-railway.

> There has been some obvious scavenging
> occurring--a water pump missing here, cover
> plates there, etc. But there remains the
> distinct possibility of some magic missing
> parts in this mess--by the time I left, I
> was scouting for an Alco 244!

> The stuff is available, and I can somehow
> provide a contact for the owner. I do not
> know any prices, although rumor has the Alco
> 251 priced at around $10K. Heck, someone
> could probably steal some of this junk, and
> no one would be the wiser--no junkyard dogs
> or anything. If anyone wants more info,
> please contact me off list. This mess is
> within very easy access of the Interstate
> highways on the east side of Baltimore
> Harbor, some of these engines could probably
> be inspected from public property. (And no,
> it's not the Striegel scrapyard.)

> And whats the difference of stealing parts
> from these privately owned engines and
> people stealing parts from un-restored
> artifacts at museum's?

> Stealing is stealing.

Gad, I see I need a "tongue-in-cheek" or "sarcasm alert" icon again.

I'm not advocating going in and stealing rusty, well-battered, shot-to-heck EMD pistons that might not fit anything besides a Winton 201A after exhaustive restoration. What I was sarcastically noting is the probable "worth" of the junk in these piles. It's lying out in the open where almost anyone could seemingly walk in and carry off a connecting rod, prime mover, whatever. However, I do think if you try to back a truck in and sit there to disconnect a fuel pump, blower, or whatever, by the time you get it free someone will probably be asking you plenty of questions--the area is under the jurisdiction of some independent police force such as a railroad police, the Maryland Port Authority, or some such agency.

If you want FM prime movers or an Alco 251 badly enough, it's there. How badly do you want the stuff, though? (If I could only find some Baldwin parts, I could probably hear the boys at SMS Services getting into their trucks already!)

lner4472@bcpl.net