Calling your attention to the auction by Lake Wales, Florida via GovernmentLiquidation.com of the town's museum display 65-ton center-cab Whitcomb and"1916 Pullman" (IDed as S&A 19, ex-SR 19, likely business car).

Auction site: https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=M ... cctid=3705

Previous thread here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35750

Bidding is still dirt-cheap; provisions for tax-exempt organizations to bid are being considered, and there is apparently no hard-and-fast deadline for removal being named in the conditions, so this has more hope than most.

So they're keeping the caboose?

It appears that way now. I thought I saw an earlier version of that page with all three listed; I could be wrong..........

[corrects post]

Auction listing says removal in 10 days. Unless you've seen something else, kind of a short deadline.

I think that's GovLiquid's standard boilerplate.

Not even the most determined scrapper can work that fast. It took a heavy-equipment scrapper experienced in railroad stock over three weeks to deal with two coaches sold off near us a while back.

I'm certain that anyone serious enough to bid and remove this stuff--especially a worthy non-profit--can negotiate a more reasonable removal date.

Alternative #2 is to come and lurk and see who gets in WAY over his head, and swoop in and pick up the pieces, so to speak.

Well... the whitcomb seems to be pretty much junk. Three traction motors are missing, engines haven't run in many years... May not be complete, the a/c units and any associated wiring have been stripped by scrap thieves....but, it does have a 14EL brake...

The business car and loco have been vandalised more than once... the car is pretty rough, looks like the roof is falling apart...won't be long till the remaining woodwork is ruined...
Both pieces will only move out by truck or on flat cars......unless a scrapper gets them, then they'll leave in a scrap gon...or maybe a dump truck...

eze240,

Perhaps you should become an active volunteer with the "folks at Parrish" (Florida Railroad Museum).

FYI, over the years they have restored and operated the following equipment and are working as fast as they can to get to others:

-Alco RS3 1633 (ex-NYC 8277)
-Alco RS3 PRR 8604 ( now retired after the GP7's were acquired)
-Two ex-US Army GP7's, ex U S Army, one now a parts supply for the running
one.
-Two ex-EL MU cars converted to operating coaches from motor units.
-L&N lounge car "Kentucky Club" - now at Ky Railway Museum.
-Converted three ex-Ringing Baggage cars (all ex-UP) to a gift shop, open air
coach and a model RR exhibit car.
- B&O wagon top caboose, now retired due to bolster problems.
- N&W caboose now in service.
- MP caboose 12070, in service
- Built two open air excursion cars from a TTX flatcar and a gondola.
- Several freight cars.
- Various MofW equipment to keep the 6 miles of track operational.
- Maintaining for ongoing operation ACL lounge (former coach)250, ex- UP 44
seat coach an ex-SCL caboose and an ex-US Navy 55 ton GE diesel.
- Maintaining 6 miles of track including 1200 tie replacements per year.

Built from scratch an SAL rural depot at Willow, FL over the last 2 years.

Current restoration projects underway:
- SLSF 0-6-0 3749 (cosmetic restoration)
- ex-MKT stainless steel coach.
- ex- SAL, ACL and ATSF coaches (1 each) received in November.
- 10/6 sleeper "Bradenton"

Yes, there is other equipment on the property that needs restoration and hopefully, all will be eventually restored. All it takes is $$$$ and People (volunteers). Will you become part of the effort?

-Jim Herron
Founding member and past president.

Hey Jim, I'd like to get my hands on the FSUD NW-5 you all have down there. It'd be nice to bring her back to Detroit.

The two RS3 were not running when we received them. Both were put back in service and pulled the museum trains before the GP7's were acquired. CSX derailed one of the GP7's at Baldwin Yard while en-route to the museum it and has never been used on the museum trains. Over time, it was decided to run one of the RS3's (1633) and use the 8604 (PRR) for parts to keep the 1633 running. The RS3 had problems with the cylinder sleeves developing pin hole water leaks and also electrical problems so it would run for awhile then have to come out of service for repairs then, once fixed, run for awhile before it needed more repairs. A few years ago, after my tenure as president, they bought the GP10 and the RS3 was more or less retired. However, it has had work done on it lately and is close torunning again. Use of it will probably be for special occasions only. The unused GP7 (has a bad traction motor) has been used for parts to keep the other one serviceable.

Had I still been president at the time, I would have not bought the GP10 and instead leased a unit while restoring the unused GP7 back to service. Then, I would have returned the leased unit. The whole project, including the leased unit, could have been done for less than the price of the GP10, in my opinion.

All of the volunteer engineers at the museum have started as car hosts then worked their way up as trainmen, conductors and firemen before qualifying as engineers. I did that, too. I do think there should be speeded up process for engine crew personnel who have a proven record of such service at other railroads or operating museums. I also think that those who go through the process from car host to engineer should be required to fill in at any of those previously held posts if needed, at least as trainman or conductor. The museum does have on-going training and qualification requirements for it's operating personnel.

The museum charter says the goal is to acquire, preserve, restore and operate (where possible) historic American railroad equipment with an emphasis on items that operated within Florida. It does not mention BEDT 12.

BEDT 12 is actually preserved and cosmetically displayed at Parrish which is in keeping with the museum's stated goals. Actually, it is beyond the stated purpose of preserving Florida related equipment since it never ran for any Florida railroad. It was purchased by a man in Tampa who later sold it to another individual in Tampa who, still later, donated it to the museum. There has never been any intention to operate it.

No one considers any of the museum's collection as "toys".

-JH

Has anyone considered cleverly pointing out through a "question" on the auction site, that the car is mostly wood in a steel shell? Hopefully that might scare off scrappers, since wood can be costly to get rid of in large quantities.

Maybe a member on here might be set up to login to the gov. auction site?

I find it interesting that the owner claims they were offer "much higher" $10,000 by a scrapper.

A 65 ton locomotive, based on prepared steel scrap price of $0.045/lb + Electric motors, would only be worth about $6,500 (its missing traction motors so it would likely be less).

The car should be in the 150,000 lb neighborhood (average heavyweight) but at least 1/3 of that would be wood due that car's construction. 100,000 lbs X $0.045/lb = $4,500

$6,500 + $4,500 = $11,000

I'm not sure how anyone could afford to cut up the equipment ( labor, equipment, Oxygen, Acetylene) and pay for wood disposal, then ship 230,000 lbs ( even a very short distance) and not lose money, after clearing only $1,000.

Is this one of the "hidden Nazi gold" trains or something?

If anyone is interested in saving the car and has a place to put it please PM me.

"Item is unavailable- the item has wither been sold or withdrawn." Does anyone know the disposition? I checked a few days ago and they hadn't come close to meeting the reserve.