In case anyone is interested, I have learned from another board that B&LE F-Units 715A and 716B are hooked up and ready to roll. Destination is LTE. If anyone knows what their fate is to be when they reach there, please let me know, lets hope another set of irreplacable engines isn't scrapped.. You may not like diesels but one has to admit that they just don't make these anymore.
There may still be a good many of them around but every one counts and without good stewardship numbers could dwindle.

Just Train Crazy,

-Angie

Ladypardus@cs.com

. Destination is LTE.
Um, what or where is "LTE"?
I'd hate to see any more F units get lost!
S'
David D.


djdewey@cncnet.com

> . Destination is LTE.
> Um, what or where is "LTE"?
> I'd hate to see any more F units get lost!
> S'
> David D.

Oh David, So would I. LTE is Larry's Truck and Electric. (No, I'm not kiddng.) They do have a website. (The web address escapes me at the moment but I have found it.) They are located in Northeast Ohio. They are indeed scrappers.I've been tracking these engines for some time but being just po' folk I don't have much clout in their fate.There were originally four of them 3 A-units and 1 B-unit. One, I believe , sold to a museum in Tennesee there is one still at the roundhouse (what roundhouse I don't know) in Pennsylvania. I will, for the sake of argument, consider it as being somewhere near Greenville. The other two are hitched to go to LTE and they are an A/B set. All of these engines were sold at auction a year or two ago.I don't want to see any of them cut up but I hear LTE is sort of unfriendly. If someone can find out what is going on and is willing to try to preserve these engines, I'm willing to help in any way possible. I don't have a home to give them or money to acquire them but I can write, make phone,calls and come up with a full tank of gas on fairly short notice with a running car to put it in.These engines were running in Conneaut right up until the time of their sale. Granted, one was a slug run by remote. But I would believe they still have a useful life and don't deserve the scrap heap. Last I knew there was an ex VIA engine sent to LTE to be scrapped over nothing more than a broken drawbar. She may also be there but I'm not holding my breath.

Just train crazy,

-Angie


Ladypardus@cs.com

LTE is also LTEX (I think thats right) in addition to disassembly and parts sales they also lease units. I truly cannot imagine anyone cutting up an F unit unless it is really shot ... there is too much resale potential.


lamontdc@adelphia.net

Angie ,

The roundhouse in Pennsylvania may be the shop of Damian Hantz Locomotive Service, they are in the old Mongahela RR shops(I think )near Greenville. They rebuilt B&LE 725 for Ohio Railway Supply in the early 90's. If they have one of the F-units it is probably going to be rebuilt for someone, or rebuilt and offered for sale.

If anyone is interested in in the units going to LTE they should contact them ASAP, since a F-unit shares most major parts with a GP-7 or 9, these units will be worth more as parts than running units to LTE.


cvsrkahuna@aol.com

George Bakeris, who owns LTE once told me that he regretted cutting up 5 via FP9s and two E9s because there was such a demand for them. So he kept the VIA 6501 intact but I think he changed his miond about keeping her. Yes it does have value and is sought after but who wants to buy an FP9 for $85,000 with a bent mainframe? George values his locomotives way too high, and also values his parts too high too. I guess he is from the "sell fewer items for alot of money" school of thought instead of the "sell lots of stuff for small amounts of money" school. He may try to resell the Bessemer F units, but if there are no takers he won't hesitate to cut them up. BTW< I tried to buy one of the E9 carbodies from him for 10k with all the innards stripped out. He wouldn't go for it. However he did have a B&LE F7B unit body that he wanted 5k for it, sans trucks.

todengine@woh.rr.com

Well, what are you going to do with someone like that? He didn't have to bid on these F-units at all knowing darn good and well he wasn't going to get the exorbitant prices he will be asking for them. There were other bids from other places that wanted them for restoration purposes. He could have had other locomotives he could more readily sell for the price he would wish to charge. Why would someone bid on what are clearly historical engines, knowing that he may have to cut them up to recoup any of his investment? I don't understand the mentality. Hopefully, someone can reason with him to give these F-Units good homes. I've been fighting for them for a long time and letting everyone know their progress. (Yes, I posted when they went up for auction.) I'd hate to see them go to the torch. Any heplful suggestions anyone?

Just Train Crazy,

-Angie

Ladypardus@cs.com

George Bakeris, who owns LTE once told me
> that he regretted cutting up 5 via FP9s and
> two E9s because there was such a demand for
> them.

When did the 2 E9's get cut up? Were they the ex-NJT units that served briefly on MARC? If so one of them was the last Illinois Central E unit in existance. Sorry Angie, F units are more common, but E's are as scarce as whale droppings in Kansas. The loss of those two E's is worse than all the F's combined.

kevingillespie@usa.net

I understand that CN is starting to offer the Algoma F-units for sale at 115K to 140K.



lamontdc@adelphia.net

> I understand that CN is starting to offer
> the Algoma F-units for sale at 115K to 140K.

I should have added that there are approximately 15 ex-BN (nee CB&Q) E9's at Chrome Crankshaft in Silvis, IL. They were retired in 1992 or so, and as far as I know they are still around. Hope a few more can get good homes.


kevingillespie@usa.net

Why waste your money on F's and E's when you could purchase the Roanoke steam locomotives as a bunch, and move them to immediate protection and possible restoration? I'm sorry, but neither F's nor E's compare to live steam.

glueck@saturn.caps.maine.edu

Richard: God Bless the folks that can afford to do steam, may their efforts prosper, I think it's the greatest also. There are a lot of folks that can't afford it! While nowhere the "draw" of any steamer an E or F will still pull 'em in. The other factor is where do you operate? From what I read right here in this forum the cost of operating would require a heavy subsidy well beyond most operations capabilities.


lamontdc@adelphia.net

If so one of them was the last
> Illinois Central E unit in existance.

Kevin,

There was an IC E unit in Ohio that was for lease. I don't remember the number of it though and there is/was an IC B unit in Alaska.

Stuart

Mid-South Rail Heritage Foundation
gnufe@apex.net

> If so one of them was the last

> Kevin,

> There was an IC E unit in Ohio that was for
> lease. I don't remember the number of it
> though and there is/was an IC B unit in
> Alaska.

> Stuart

Stuart,

That's the one I was thinking of. I hope it's still intact.


kevingillespie@usa.net

I have to agree, my earlier remark was kind of "flip". I understand the value of F's and E's to the interpretation of railroad history, and for that matter to the singular thrill of standing next to a one-time wreck and listening to it perkle-perkle-perkle in the yard. My thinking is along the lines of this: There are plenty of F's and E's in museums or otherwise saved. They are design specific to an era, but they are largely cookie-cutter locomotives -one looks like the others. Steam locos generally are specific designs for specific railroads. The Roanoke locomotives are irreplaceable in every sense of the word. My sympathies would lay first with those who would preserve these last specimens, particularly when their bretheran were being cut up as late as 1975. Stea locos appear to have a soul of their own, whereas a Diesel is like on of a thousand Buicks. There are exceptions of course - the last PA, the last Trainmaster, the last FL9. I think it's a matter of personal values.
I definitely see your point from the preservationists view.


glueck@saturn.caps.maine.edu