IRM acquires U28B

Jdelhaye · **Posted:** Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:15 pm

Delivered to the IRM interchange track this afternoon (07/24/2019)
ex TTI 260, exx BN 5458, nee CB&Q 114 (blt 1/67)

Attachment:

irmx260.jpg [ 131.15 KiB | Viewed 19537 times ]

(photo by Robert Olson)

Jeff

Jdelhaye · **Posted:** Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:19 pm

In CB&Q colors: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5070464
in BN colors:http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3903854
Jeff

Steamguy73 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 24, 2014 3:15 pm **Posts:** 635

Is this the first U28B in preservation?

Jdelhaye · **Posted:** Wed Jul 24, 2019 11:13 pm

Steamguy73 wrote:

Is this the first U28B in preservation?

That depends on how you qualify the other "U28B", which was rebuilt to U30B specifications (VLIX 5323, at Southern Appalachia Railway Museum).

Jeff

CREEPING DEATH · **Joined:** Sun Oct 24, 2010 6:22 pm **Posts:** 275

Wow! I thought everything there was cut up quite a while back, glad to see one preserved!

Eli

Steamguy73 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 24, 2014 3:15 pm **Posts:** 635

Jdelhaye wrote:

Steamguy73 wrote:

Is this the first U28B in preservation?

That depends on how you qualify the other "U28B", which was rebuilt to U30B specifications (VLIX 5323, at Southern Appalachia Railway Museum).

Jeff

Well I guess it might be the same way we look at ACL 501. Built as an E3, damaged in delivery to the ACL, rebuilt to E6 specifications.

Tyler Trahan · **Joined:** Fri Jan 01, 2016 5:47 pm **Posts:** 43

Steamguy73 wrote:

Well I guess it might be the same way we look at ACL 501. Built as an E3, damaged in delivery to the ACL, rebuilt to E6 specifications.

I think you're confusing Nos. 501 and 500. The latter was wrecked in 1943 and sent back to EMD where it was rebuilt (I believe as an E8), keeping the same number.

In the third-to-last post on this Trainorders thread, the pseudonymous HotWater gives more information about the locomotive's history and clears up several misconceptions. They state that the electrical upgrade to E6 specs was simply part of routine maintenance.

Jdelhaye · **Posted:** Thu Jul 25, 2019 3:31 pm

Tyler Trahan wrote:

Steamguy73 wrote:

Well I guess it might be the same way we look at ACL 501. Built as an E3, damaged in delivery to the ACL, rebuilt to E6 specifications.

I think you're confusing Nos. 501 and 500. The latter was wrecked in 1943 and sent back to EMD where it was rebuilt (I believe as an E8), keeping the same number.

In the third-to-last post on this Trainorders thread, the pseudonymous HotWater gives more information about the locomotive's history and clears up several misconceptions. They state that the electrical upgrade to E6 specs was simply part of routine maintenance.

Nope.

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2876

CREEPING DEATH wrote:

Wow! I thought everything there was cut up quite a while back, glad to see one preserved!

Eli

Agreed, though presumably all of the former Rock Island units were unfortunately lost. Anyway, it will be good to see a unit in Q Chinese red.

cood101 · **Joined:** Tue Jul 05, 2011 1:18 am **Posts:** 198

In regards to the TTI Railroad, what still exists on property? Assumedly with this being off property, all the U28Bs are gone. Are the U36Bs or B36-7s still on property?

And as for the IRM, it's great to see another pre-XR series GE preserved! I'm thinking this may have been the last one outside of a museum. Hopefully a 2nd generation CB&Q EMD can join it in the future!

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Thu Jul 25, 2019 5:40 pm

SURPRISE.

Guess who donated it.

www.irm.org/in-the-news/u28b-acquired

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2876

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

SURPRISE.

Guess who donated it.

http://www.irm.org/in-the-news/u28b-acquired

CSX has donated quite a few units recently, good for them.

A few years back when these units were being disposed of a depot museum in Eldon Iowa where the long-removed Rock Island Golden State Route and Keokuk branch crossed before 1980 was looking for a unit to display. I winced in pain when they bought an ex-Santa Fe GP-7 with the Cleburne cab from NRE in Silvis and painted it in RI red. I know it was cheaper to transport it from Silvis than to get one of the ex-RI GEs from KY, but one of the RI U28Bs would have been perfect.

filmteknik · **Posted:** Fri Jul 26, 2019 8:30 am

Where is IRM hiding the U25B? I'm not sure I've ever seen it. Or maybe I have and didn't realize it. I've been in the newish barns.

Robert J · **Joined:** Fri Jun 01, 2018 12:05 pm **Posts:** 92

CREEPING DEATH · **Joined:** Sun Oct 24, 2010 6:22 pm **Posts:** 275

It's been reported elsewhere that this unit is complete and in operable condition. Thank you CSX!

CD