It would cool if there were something left on her like number boards or something to have. Cutting out the headlight on the nose would probably be too much trouble. Actually the beacon would be great since they aren't used anymore. It used to be soooooo cool to see those beacons flashing in the CNW terminal either on the cabcars or on the locomotives. Maybe someday we'll have one in CNW colors. HOPEFULLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

> Time to stop shaving Christopher, she is
> going to be cut up for scrap.
> The good news though, is that it sounds like
> many of her parts may be going to various
> Museums for restoration of their own
> e-units. Unfortunately none of them
> ex-C&NW.

> Allan


ablemanscurve@hotmail.com

Hold off on thinking about getting things off of this engine. I was talking with a scrapper this weekend who was hoping to get the job of cutting up this engine, and he told me that he was told that it had been sold and is not going to be scrapped now.
> It would cool if there were something left
> on her like number boards or something to
> have. Cutting out the headlight on the nose
> would probably be too much trouble. Actually
> the beacon would be great since they aren't
> used anymore. It used to be soooooo cool to
> see those beacons flashing in the CNW
> terminal either on the cabcars or on the
> locomotives. Maybe someday we'll have one in
> CNW colors. HOPEFULLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In this day when it seems every town has some sort of depot restoration project in search of "an old train to display outside", I find it hard to believe that at least the carbody of this E unit can't find a buyer who wants it intact. It will be interesting to see what happens.

ryarger@rypn.org

I have been informed that just recently the unit was restenciled "MRAX 513". Anybody know who uses the reporting marks MRAX?

Allan

ddg14@attbi.com

> Anybody know who uses the reporting marks
> MRAX?

MRAX: Mineral Range, Inc.
(Source = NRHS AAAR Reporting Marks Database;
http://www.nrhs.com/reporting_marks/index.html

Cheers,
Keith Albrandt

Nevada Northern & Railroads of White Pine County
kalbran1@san.rr.com

AHHHH I don't want to hear anymore about CNW E-units you have no Idea How much the ex-801 is part of my life!!!! I get so bored running it I've figured out how to run it with my Feet!! I understand the importance of preservation but this unit has been a thorn in my side since I found it for sale and hooked the current owner up with it.It now has become the ONLY piece of equipment on our line and lots of MUCH MORE historical equipment has been left to rot.
Belive me If I could find a way to send it some place else I would. BTW don't any one hold there breath to see it in CNW paint ,it just got repainted into a,well new paint scheme.
This unit has NO historical ties to what we do but half the board thinks it's KOOL and don't want any part of anything historical and pertenent to our area or our Railroad.
This doesn't even address the issue that with 2 LI comuter coaches and a 15 mile per hour speed limit this thing never sees anything more than run 2 for 30 seconds and becomes a soupy pig!
Jack A. Siffert C.M.O. Lake Shore Railway Assocation. (not to mention I run a locomotive repair and rebuilding busines for a living)


irss@eriecoast.com

Well Jack, I can understand your dislike for the specific E-unit you have to deal with, and yes, it is deplorable that other equipment isn't being preserved in the manned it deserves. But I certainly want to hear about E-units. As much as humanly possible. C&NW E-unit were the first locomotives I remember. They are what hooked me on trains for all time. The fate of the poor E-unit that has been discussed here has left me quite dismayed. It certainly seems to have it's drawbacks as a restoration piece but I've said it before and everyone is probably sick of me saying it, gone is gone forever.I'm very glad there is hope it may not be going to a scrapper. (I've been trying to figure out how to get it into my postage stamp of a back yard and convince my husband that's a good idea. Don't think the idea is going to fly.) I'm sorry your orginization is having trouble dealing with historical accuracy. I'm sorry you're tired of running a locomotive I'd give my eye teeth just to sit in the cab of. I'm sorry your locomotive has to be run in a manner that doesn't let it perform to it's highest potential. And I'm sorry for the poor equipment that is not being restored.But none of this will ever make me dislike or turn my back on the very locomotives that have given me a love of railroading and made my life a richer one to live. So guys, keep me updated, I'd like to know what happens to this old girl.One more preserved E-unit certainly wouldn't break my heart.Jack, no hard feelings, we all have our favorites. Mine just happen to have big round noses and diesel engines
-Angie

Ladypardus@cs.com

You may be tired of hearing about this ex C&NW unit, but to me this is one of the most important messages I've followed in a long time on this board. My interest is not in that it's an ex C&NW unit, but because it's ex KLS&C. This unit ran about 15 miles from where I'm at and several members of my historical society worked with this unit while it was in Paw Paw.

It's all in how you look at it. From our perspective there aren't many former C&NW E units, but there's even fewer (one) ex KLS&C E units.

Kalamazoo Model Railroad Historical Society
davelecount@juno.com

Jack,

It may be a thorn in your side, but with the scarcity of surviving E units, I don't want to see any more cut up. Like Angie, E units are my favorite diesels, and I'd buy it if I could, but I don't think the homeowner's association would let me park it in the driveway!

I can't think of a single other surviving C&NW E unit. I could well be wrong, but I don't think any have been preserved. If she can't run, so be it, but at least let's get back into the green and yellow she was born to wear. Losing her today would be ALMOST as bad as having a steam engine cut up.

Kevin

kevin.r.gillespie@verizon.net

Isn't Mineral Range, Inc. the group/company who bought Glen Monhart's BL-2s that are now in Green Bay?

Allan


ddg14@attbi.com

>Well to give you an idea of our frustration. Conrail donated a ex pennsy mail car to us. It's still in the NS yard. Half of our board has the opinion that they don't want any more "historical equipment" (thier way of saying junk)around. This car is supposed to be one of 2 left and is in great condition. NS wants it out and if we don't move it soon it's going to be cut up.
Now for a short list of things we have and there status.
NKP 54 wood nickel plate passenger car, free to a good home in the hopes of saving it.
>LSE 167. Last interurban to run out of cleveland.
at least this one is kinda stabilized.
NKP 384 0-6-0. at least last year I came up with a good heavy tarp and cacooned it. Bill Goslen from the Ohio central feals it's one of the best loco's around for restoration becuse of the condition.
We have owned the line for 10 years and still don't even have a lean to to work in. Just pay for the lease on the E-unit and haul 40 passengers a week end from AUG till the end of OCT.
I want to do Engineer for an hour with the E -unit and Our 100 ton G.E. center cab and some of our guys think it's a Joke. Hey Angie this could be your chance to run it.Not just sit in the cab.
Sorry in advance if I've offended anyone that's not my intentions.

irss@eriecoast.com

There is posted elsewhere on this thread a photo of Metra/CNW 518, originally CNW 5030A. As far as I know this unit, along with three sisters, is still at Silvis, IL where the photo was taken. So including the 513, that would be at least five surviving units. The ones at Silvis are supposedly "complete", unlike 513 which has been extensively parted out. There are several on- or near-line musuems that would be appropriate homes for these units, provided sufficient funds were made available for their acquisition.

pnichol6@prodigy.net

Just found out that one more exists, and it's currently operational. Ex C&NW E8A 519 (ex RTA 519, ex C&NW 5022A), is owned and operated by Pacific Rail Industries of Colton, CA. It is leased out for use making movies, tv shows, commercials, etc... Unfortunately, it's not painted C&NW yellow and green. But at least it's still around and being cared for.

Allan

ddg14@attbi.com