< With you guys being a 501c, isn't the MRL capable of getting a tax exemption if they
< donate the engine to you?

I was wondering how long it would take to turn that light on.

And while we're on the subject of objects for donation, there are some other units on the MRL roster worthy of consideration for preservation;

Do you know how many SD35s have been preserved? One. VLIX (L&N) 1216
Do you know how many there are on the MRL roster? At least three. (heads up Roanoke Chapter!!! And if you take the bait, I have a high short hood that I will donate to see an N&W SD35 preserved).

Do you know how many Frisco second generation diesels have been preserved?
Do you know how many ex-Frisco SD45s are on the MRL roster?
(and yes; they still have their 20-645 prime movers)

If only the above was realized by more corporations. It would have saved even more in the past. MRL had an eclectic roster of locomotives just 5 years ago, and attempts were made to save a few engines from the scrapper (Anyone remember the "Save CGW 409" movement a few years ago?) The same goes with other railroads and rosters. The one and only NKP GP35 was scrapped by Pan Am in a great fire training episode a few years ago. A quad of PRR Alcos,among others, were scrapped in 2011.

I hate the notion that preservation's time is in the future. The time to preserve is NEVER in the future, and needs to be prepared for long before. There are locomotives sitting nationwide that are significant rusting away in deadlines. There are also locomotives already earmarked for preservation upon their retirement. One group was prepared for long before any ideas of scrapping came to notion. The other, and many more, face the reality right now.

The goal to preserve this locomotive was $75,000, with a very good failure option of putting money forward to the restoration of another cowled-body unit. The amount raised was $3,465 as of this writing, with 6 hours left in the campaign. This F45 will most likely meet an end facing down a scrap torch, like so many before it. This does not have to be the fate of locomotives. I encourage readers to put this possible loss behind them and become active in preservation. Don't wait until you hear that a locomotive is facing down the scrapper in a very short amount of time, take action when the locomotive just enters the deadlines, or even sooner. In my opinion, this would have changed the outcome of not only this preservation movement, but many others like it.

I seriously doubt the scrapper, having dealt with him before, is interested in a tax write off. Money talks and BS...

And while we're at it (I am enjoying WM303's theme here) how many Clinchfield second generation motors are preserved?

Unfortunately we (I include myself here) sat on our thumbs while the last of the Southern SD-45s went away.

ETA

The scrapper may not have been, but the railroad certainly could. It's positive pr to have a locomotive be saved. As long as it is going to a place where their image won't be harmed.

Joe

Per an MRL employee who posts on Trainorders, "MRL 390 has been saved buy an unnamed individual. MRL 392 may be under the torch as early today."

Chris F, what do you know about all this?

So, I'm not the only one who heard that then...

Some information (not much) was posted on the Dynamic Rail Preservation Facebook page today. I don't think you need to be on Facebook to read it.

https://www.facebook.com/dynarail

Paul Krueger
Seattle, WA

Interesting. If DyRP was able to find a source of funding, they could have purchased the second F45. Wonder why they didn't?

Which is most likely why Dynamic Rail Preservation didn't buy the other one. Their fundraising fell far short of the goal. The "lead on funding" they got at the last minute was apparently not solid enough to pursue the other F45.

The 392 was already in the process of being cut up when I reached Progress Rail regarding funding, and this lead would have taken another week of talks and paperwork.

F40PHR231,

Do you have any near-term plans to begin work on SDP40F #644? As a donor to the F45 fund, I look forward to seeing #644 restored. It's going to be quite a nostalia trip to see a 70's era Amtrak locomotive again.

Thanks!

Current work on 644 is minimal due to lack of an enclosed or fenced work space in Ogden, and things are being worked out among groups there to create a designated work zone for heavy-duty locomotive work.

Rust is chewing its way from inside-out of 644's nose pretty badly to the point where outside light is coming in. A lot of rust control and repair will be needed from the cab to pilot, but a dry covered area for that type of work is preferred. I specifically looked for these problem spots on the 390 when I inspected it, and it was clean as a whistle. This alone was a testament on how well MRL took care of their equipment, and why that unit was a great candidate for preservation.