Speak for yourself!

Les

Amen, Les.

I'd love for us to get our "grubby little hands" on an N&W GP9. I'd also like to see an N&W SD40-2 go to VMT eventually.

Actually, I'd love to have a GP9 and a pair of SD40-2s for the CRHS. Gotta find a home for them first though. I was actually eyeing up a GP9 at LTEX when we were there for the convention. *sigh* :) one day...

I grew up in Hoopeston IL & remember the GP-7's & GP-9's that ran on the Nickel Plate. I would Love to see us get a high nose GP-7 at the Monticello Railway Muesum.
Those GP-7's were good pullers for sure.

Dave Huffman

When your life as a railfan consists of chasing around the same SD40-2s and AC 4400s day in and day out, I can see why the rarer SD80MACs would attract more attention.

While I don't "chase" trains, I can see where the younger crowd would be excited by a SD80 MAC. Heck I like to see different "modern" Loco's. myself. I prefer steam power but I enjoy all things railroad. I used to be one of the "Steam Snobs" but life is to short for that.

DBH

What I find really funny is that the 80macs aren't new or modern in any capacity.

They're 15 years old!

Granted, they're not as old as a lot of what we talk about, but I fully expect them to have short life spans compared with the venerable GP9s and SD40-2s. That's the reason why they loom large in my mind as an important piece to watch for when it comes to the CRHS's preservation mission.

I figure NS will be rebuilding and using the SD40-2s for another 30-50 years, but these things, I doubt it. Although, who knows, maybe someday they'll get de-rated to be SD40-2s inside too, like the SD45 before them.

I hear Ya' about the NS SD40-2's but compared to the 104 year old steam locomotive we run,the 80-MACS are just kids

To me, nothing says "Conrail" like a set of SD40-2's..
IMO, those would be prime CR locomotives for preservation..
a pair of GP38-2's would be another good choice..

When a historical society's goal is interpretation of a specific railroad,
shouldn't the most "common" locomotives be just as valid, or even MORE valid, than the rare and unusual stuff? ;) just a thought..

If I could have my own museum, I would definitely want a pair, or even a trio, of Conrail SD40-2's..they are classics.





Definitely my favorite locomotives from my formative years as a teenage railfan in the 80's..Museums seem to still be more fixated on the steam era..(not that there is anything wrong with that..) but..the people who actually remember steam are decreasing rapidly..even the 1970's and 80's are now "the old days" for many railfans.
time marches on..the time is ripe to begin preserving the SD40-2's..even SD50's..
dash 7's and dash-8's..its all good! :) get them while you can..

Scot

I grew up around Conrail SD40-2s and GP38-2s and think that either model would be a fitting addition to the CRHS. Maybe a black GP10 with a tiny CR on its side as well to represent Conrail's formative years.

I salivate... salivate over a pair of SD40-2s for our collection. I agree, they're my own personal #1 priority. The biggest problem is that they're still so damn useful!

Likewise with the 38-2s.

And personally, I agree 100%. The common stuff is much more important to me than the one or two offs.

Lets not forget about another very popular model from Conrail. They had 100 GP15s that soldiered throughout the system and have lasted well past the merger. Some of those have become available recently as NS has been ridding itself of them. It might make a good first locomotive for the collection and still be useful to lease out to repay its initial cost.

Kevin

Oh yeah, I have a real soft spot in my heart for those too.

They seemed to be everywhere back when I was railfanning in the early 2000s.

Frankford Jct in Philadelphia:




And York PA:



Also, Scott, would you up for sharing those, and anything else similarly awesome that you might have hanging around on the CRHS site?

Although perhaps swaying away from the preservation angle of the forum ( for just a moment ) , I thought a few members might like to know that CSX is currently stripping down 20 SD-40-2's in Huntington WV as part of a 20 locomotive rebuild program... All that will remain of original material is frame, fuel tank, draft gear,trucks and body shell ( from cab back ) .. New cabs and all new components are being fabricated.... I understand the estimated budget per locomotive is $700,000.00 and work is progressing as we speak... Photograph is from about 2 weeks ago in Huntington WV.....The twenty units come from a host of different predecessor roads... I offer this, only to share the resourcefulness of CSX and how these locomotives ( SD-40's ) still have value to a class one railroad...

I also thought a few of you might enjoy seeing the CSX / Marshall University U Boat # 1837 ( Marshall was founded in 1837 ) .. Marshall is adjacent to the CSX locomotive shops... Somewhat preserved I would suspect, paying tribute to the "Thundering Heard".....


Dean Levin

And THAT is the exact reason I fear that we may never be able to save a true CR SD40-2. By the time we'd have a crack at one it'll be an SD40-3ECO4CHANSOMETHING, and have none of it's original fabric remaining.

The day that happens will be a really tough day.