Stillwater F unit problems

Boyd Owens · **Posted:** Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:26 pm

I drive past the Fs all the time, and I'm not surprised at the impending scrapping, they are in pretty rough shape.
I wonder about the trolley hiding under a tarp behind them though. Does anyone know anything about it? Will it meet the same end as the Fs?

cnj1524 · **Joined:** Sun Mar 24, 2013 11:29 am **Posts:** 59

I am confused,as in 2012(I think)trucks were removed and atleast one of them was
put on a lowboy ,as they were sold with passenger cars,but I missing something here
if a rigging company came out and did this back then(Im sure at a high cost)but just
started reading this post that there still there,anyone know what happened to the sale
of the F units back then?

Randall Hicks · **Joined:** Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:44 am **Posts:** 154

Boyd Owens wrote:

I wonder about the trolley hiding under a tarp behind them though. Does anyone know anything about it?

Is that the Fargo and Moorhead Birney belonging to MTM?

HudsonL · **Joined:** Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am **Posts:** 548

It is ex-Valley Fair Amusement Park gas-mechanical.

-Hudson

Dennis Storzek · **Posted:** Wed Aug 27, 2014 9:02 pm

cnj1524 wrote:

I am confused,as in 2012(I think)trucks were removed and atleast one of them was
put on a lowboy ,as they were sold with passenger cars,but I missing something here
if a rigging company came out and did this back then(Im sure at a high cost)but just
started reading this post that there still there,anyone know what happened to the sale
of the F units back then?

Search for posts on this forum from about that time. IIRC, after the rigger moved the passenger cars, he tried to move the locomotives with the same equipment, and was shut down because he was waaaaay overweight on his permit, That's the last I heard.

ARM TRAIN editor · **Joined:** Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:57 pm **Posts:** 109

The Fargo-Moorhead Birney is owned by Minnesota Streetcar Museum, not MTM. It's stored at a member's home in North Mankato.
Aaron Isaacs,
Minnesota Streetcar Museum

Tavor · **Joined:** Fri Dec 21, 2012 4:32 pm **Posts:** 200

Does anyone have contact information for Mr Paradeau? Thanks

rock island lines · **Joined:** Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:20 pm **Posts:** 487

Note-

One F7 is former SP&S, which is maybe the last one anywhere from that road. Note: One SP&S-painted F unit displayed in WA state is actually GN, so it's a phony baloney SP&S loco.

The other F7 is former C&NW. It was in Chgo suburban service so I guess it is a sister to the one at IRM.

Chris Webster · **Joined:** Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:45 am **Posts:** 1087

An article in the Stillwater Current: A Plan is in Place to Remove the Minnesota Zephyr Trains from Downtown Stillwater by Dec. 15
An excerpt:

Quote:

There has been significant action taken in the last couple of days, City Attorney Dave Magnuson told the council on Tuesday night.

Union Pacific Railroad has authorized–and ordered–the oversized railroad cars to move the Zephyr trains from railroad siding in Lake Elmo to their final destination in Colorado, Magnuson said. Union Pacific has determined that the railroad cars are properly sized to fit through the constricting areas of the tracks along the move.

The heavy hauler who will move the trains from The Depot to the Lake Elmo said he can move the trains on Dec. 15.

“The thing that is different this time is we are not dealing with the same people we have had to deal with for the last three years,” Magnuson said. “We are dealing with Union Pacific directly; the owner of the railroad siding directly; and we’re dealing with a Minnesota guy who has given us a firm date to remove the trains. For the first time I am hopeful we have something in place that is going to work.”

The Trains Newswire also has an article with more details, including a quote from Ed Ellis: ‘Minnesota Zephyr’ F units set to move next month (November 21, 2014).

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

http://hometownsource.com/2014/12/16/79776/

their movin on out...

Overmod · **Joined:** Thu May 24, 2012 1:37 pm **Posts:** 2492

They are indeed moving, and there is video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1G7_s1If0A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2Eokg3 ... tion=share

Engines are supposed to be going to Heritage, where the consist is. The road trip is to Randolph, about 40 miles south of Minneapolis, where the Fs will be transferred to flatcars and then routed via Alamosa, CO. This according to a post on the Trains Magazine forum.

etalcos · **Posted:** Wed Dec 24, 2014 2:05 pm

Tom and the STS guys are good folks, and this aint their first rodeo. I want to say that Tom was a Soo Line operating department employee back when, so he has some understanding of the equipment. We've worked with them on a half dozen or more moves over the years. I'm surprised they're just now getting involved with this one since its more or less in their backyard.

ETA

CREEPING DEATH · **Joined:** Sun Oct 24, 2010 6:22 pm **Posts:** 275

I am amazed that the buyer went to the trouble to get that entire train removed, the seller must have nearly given everything away to make it remotely economically viable!

CD

Chris Webster · **Joined:** Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:45 am **Posts:** 1087

The locomotives were finally shipped, per some photographs Jeff Terry posted on railpictures dot net:

MNZX 788 GMTX EMD F7(A) at Randolph, Minnesota - March 6, 2015
Progressive Rail 303 switches the Minnesota Zephyr F-units into a train at Randolph - March 6, 2015
Progressive Rail 303 hauls the two Minnesota Zephyr F-units down the Cannon Falls Line towards Northfield, where they'll be turned over to Union Pacific - March 6, 2015

CREEPING DEATH · **Joined:** Sun Oct 24, 2010 6:22 pm **Posts:** 275

Chris Webster wrote:

The locomotives were finally shipped, per some photographs Jeff Terry posted on railpictures dot net:

MNZX 788 GMTX EMD F7(A) at Randolph, Minnesota - March 6, 2015
Progressive Rail 303 switches the Minnesota Zephyr F-units into a train at Randolph - March 6, 2015
Progressive Rail 303 hauls the two Minnesota Zephyr F-units down the Cannon Falls Line towards Northfield, where they'll be turned over to Union Pacific - March 6, 2015

I am SO happy to see this? I was all but certain they were goners, between being isolaetd and the bad wheels.

CD