Observed on another board:

The two remaining Alco C636 demo units (owned by RRPX) are set to be scrapped. Located on LA&L property.Neither unit is even close to operable.

Dave

LA&L property?
Can you be a bit more specific? I can't be the only one who has no idea what that collection of letters means in regard to a physical place.

Real shame to see the 636 Demo's going, but its not like there location nor condition has not been known for several years.

C636's are at Cohocton, NY...and a pair of ex GB&W C424's (also to be cut) are at Lakeville, NY.

Dave

And it was reported elsewhere they're in process of being cut. Can any of this be substantiated?

CD

I live an hour away or I would go take a look.

And we are having lake effect snow. UGH

A pic I took in March 2011 of ALCO C636s #3660 and #3662:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=189011

Can someone identify the two C424s about to be scrapped? I know the only PRR C424 is up there on the LA&L, and I hope it isn't one of them..

At this time it is the 320 and 321 being scrapped. I was told that the 319 will get it later, so time is running out for it as well.

I find this whole situation strange. When my organization was in it's infancy we had been in talks with the LA&L about acquiring one of the C636 shells for preservation. They were at first open to the idea but then changed their mind saying that they decided to "hold them for future rebuilding". Same exact story (different time and transaction) with the three C424a in Lakeville. Plus, I have it on good authority that the DL was at one time interested in purchasing the C636s but the price was too high (even with both needing new prime movers). Now suddenly scrap price is good enough (price of scrap is WAY down)? I know the owners have the right to do what they want with the stuff but as the old saying goes: once they are gone, they are gone. Just as with the Morristown & Erie recently when they cleared out their stored ALCOs, something just doesn't seem right. None of these have been offered for sale on the market to my knowledge.

The 319 is one of the most significant Alco Centuries left in my opinion. Its good to hear there may be a little time yet for it. It started as a RS27 Demo unit, until being rebuilt as a C424, and making its way onto the PRR as the ONLY PRR C424, and I believe at this point it is the last PRR Century left, with the scrapping of the Lake State Railway Alco Fleet… I think an argument can be made to preserve it, or anything there, if its not too late, and someone acts fast enough.

The Trains magazine Newswire confirmed the scrapping in a January 13, 2015 item ALCO C636 demonstrators scrapped.

The article includes this information:

For why that is relevant, see Trainlawyer's Sat Apr 05, 2014 1:16 pm post in the Three FL9's, Alcos scrapped at Morristown & Erie thread.

In response to your last PRR Century comment, the Delaware-Lackawanna has a PRR C425. DL 2423 was built as PRR 2423 and unlike the Lake States units, still has its 16 cylinder engine.