Orion Vuiellmot is at it again

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:20 pm

The post to his facebook page says it all;

Quote:

"NVRTP is honored to announce the acquisition of Boston and Maine Railroad ALCo s5 number 864. This is the last surviving ALCo s5. The 864 transportation will be an ongoing project throughout the next year. The goal is to return 864 to service in a reasonable amount of time. Cosmetic restoration (as seen in the photo below) has already started. The final destination for this locomotive is not yet decided. Logistics are still being worked out on the transportation part of things. More information to follow. A big thank you to the individual who presented this amazing opportunity!"

Now I didn't know there was still an S5 kicking around... From what I can tell the unit is out at the Mad River museum, so Brother Rowlands would probably know more. Suffice to say (outside of the great fakeout Orion made with the recent FL9 auction announcement on CDOT's part) the kid is on a role... What's the tally up to now? One B&M wood boxcar, an SPV-turned-Executive Car and a NH Washboard Parlor car, assuming I haven't missed anything...

Rick Rowlands · **Posted:** Sat Jul 07, 2018 9:20 pm

The locomotive is ours. We obtained it from Mad River & NKP a couple of years ago mainly as something to play around with and also to help it find its way back east. Aside from being the only surviving S5, this locomotive is also the oldest Alco with a 251 engine.

We made a deal with Orion that if he can find a way to move it that we would transfer the locomotive to him. I greatly admire his ambition and resourcefulness and felt that he was up to the challenge of taking on this locomotive. It needs some work to run again but I think it could be done, and with its historic significance it deserves to live again.

NS 3322 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 09, 2018 4:10 pm

What are his plans for it?