I'm really surprised they're not heavily vandalized and graffittied up. Are they stored in a secure area? I hope someone can put them to good use.

Can somebody point me to a history of these cars and why they were were rebuilt and then taken out of service shortly thereafter? (Or maybe not even put into service in the first place? I don't recall the details, if I ever knew them?)

Also, from a Railway Preservation point of view, is any museum documenting information like this? The obvious pipe dream is to buy one and restore it to operation. (World's fastest tourist train anyone?). But a far more realistic goal would be to document the history and put it someplace where folks could find it. Is that being done? If so, where?

Pretty good history at Wikipedia...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turboliner

A thread on IRM List back in June tossed the pros and cons of the IRM acquiring a Turboliner. The general consensuses was that the train sets in New York operated in the eastern states and were not the type operated out of Chicago in the 70s. Not to say the IRM would never consider it, but given all the costs, I don’t think that their interested.

It should also be noted that IRM List is a Yahoo e-mail group, and is not an official voice of the Illinois Railway Museum, it's officers, directors and management. Any ideas that "IRM might do this..." or "IRM might do that...." are simply that, ideas and suggestions.

So, is there a logical Northeastern museum that could conceivably try and acquire a representative Turbo set from what is being auctioned off? I watched with dismay in the early '80's as all of the UA turbos went off to Naporano Bros. to become something else. Now, I grant you that the UA turbos were not very successful, but they were part of the story of the transition of passenger railroading in the Northeastern U. S., one that now only exists photographically. These train sets did have a fairly successful service life, and really deserve a better fate. I know, I know, where is your wallet. Not everyone can give to everything, and if there is no local interest, then oh, well.

Mohawk & Hudson NRHS???

(dives for the foxhole)

While it would be great to see a set preserved and restored to that fantastic red white and blue Amtrak paint I just don't see any group or individual with pockets deep enough to save anything shown in that auction. So instead here is a question from the non preservation perspective. Could a trainset like this be easily converted from the current turbine propulsion setup to a modern diesel genset power plant or multiples within the same carbody. With this "heart transplant" they could at least live on in revenue service. It appears that the new NJ Transit dual mode locomotives are seeing success with CAT manufactured engines of this type.

Kevin O

Disregard the wheels, parts, etc. stockpiled in the warehouses (and there just *may* be something in there for PV or cruise-train operators)...

The trainsets you see in the photos are the results of an aborted rebuild of a rebuild of French trainsets. The only thing "saving" these specific things would do, preservation-wise, is preserve a flagrant example of wasted and/or incompetent government spending.

I THINK three unrebuilt Rohr Turbos still languish, semi-intact, in secure storage at Bear, Delaware.

“Could a trainset like this be easily converted from the current turbine propulsion setup to a modern diesel genset power plant…”

If the passenger cars are indeed in operating condition with good wheels, brakes, seats, meets ADA etc. pulling them with a diesel, or acquiring new compatible electric locos would seem to be the way to recycle what is still useable. But putting only two or three train sets into use would not be cost effective. Trained mechanics, crews, cost of modifications, spare parts. Sounds like something that could work in Mexico, but unlikely in the US.

At least two of the trainsets that were in Bear were the full rebuilds, 2143 and 2158.

Pictures of the property, from the 'official' NYS listing:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nysogs/set ... 824888088/

and it's pretty depressing. I don't know if they're intentionally not showing complete trains, or if they have the drivetrains from the power cars on shop trucks, but these surely seem much more of a do-it-yourself kit than most museums or tourist lines would care to undertake.

It would be interesting, perhaps, to see if the little traction motor used to run these things off third rail would be sufficient for preservation-operation speeds -- that's where the "genset" operation would come in. There look to be 'spare parts' and assemblies for the transmissions, some still in crates.

If you were a glutton for punishment you might... seeing as the trucks are missing from at least three of those power cars... see about fitting a conventional traction-motored truck to make a 'fourmilion' out of it with a genset. But that's not preservation, exactly, and not exactly the kind of adaptive reuse that common sense would favor.

I think the potential overseas market is the best approach -- I'd pitch it to the Brazilians, who have done more amazing things already with projects like converting old high-horsepower hood units to run on narrow gauge.

Dave Thanks for the post

the turbo sets are a sad story with alot of theories as to why they weren't completed I think that should be focused on and given the uncompleted condition of the remaining trainsets and I hate to say it "get out the torches we need more razorblades" I do not believe any one (maybe two or three) organization could get one operational and as for a static display i'm not sure how many sets were completed before the final Plug was pulled by the onset of quality and performance issues, my gues is AMTRAK really didn't want the maintance headaches associated with these beasts and found every reason not to accept the units for hudson service

maybe someone here can shed the whole lite on this sad story

Here's your last and final chance, folks:

http://www.nysstore.com/TrainAuction.html

See also http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/201 ... -for-sale/ :

All of the 'rolling stock' appears to be work-in-progress...completely unsuitable for interchange.

Reminds me of a similar investment in D&H motive power via NYS Bond proceeds...all of which was disposed of long before the bonds were paid off.

No wonder NY finances are in the crapper.

DPK