The Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad recently purchased the 1755 from Pioneer Railcorp. The engine was stored serviceable at the Gettysburg and Northern and moved to the Potomac Eagle in March of 2020. The Potomac Eagle is looking for some history about the locomotive. The build date was May 1957, order number C230-A and serial number was A1203. Looking for specs on the FP-9's, engine data, engine manuals, electrical prints, articles, dates it changed hands, paint schemes, etc. Any links to former pictures, video of the of the 1755 would be greatly appreciated.

We also recently purchased several Amtrak cars. Numbers 8524, 8559, 1212 and 1162. If anybody has any history, pictures or video on these passenger cars that would be greatly appreciated.

Be safe and be well.
Robert Franzen

CN 6531(FP9A) VIA 6531(FP9A) AC 1755(FP9A) PREX 1755(FP9A)
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPi ... ?id=162638
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/LocoPi ... x?id=94242
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/LocoPi ... px?id=2645
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/LocoPi ... ?id=105390

1755 at Romney WV March 19, 2020

1755 at Romney, WV March 19, 2020

#1162 (2nd), Phase IV, ex-#1109, nee-AT&SF #3659, Budd, 1953 http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPict ... x?id=57815

#1212 (2nd), Phase III/IV, ex-#1026, nee-AT&SF #3509, Budd, 1953
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPict ... x?id=47507

Congratulations! Those ex-VIA F's are winners. Has the gearing been changed to 62:15? I tried to buy two from LTE for the ELKR but was overruled.
Ned

The 1755 has 62:15 gearing, FRA glazing, C-Block with 645 packs and 26-C brakes, and the car body is in pretty good shape.

Yes, I knew one was Southern and I rode on it when I was a kid that's why I bought it. It went through my home town of Greenville, SC. And yes the other was a SP car. Just wanted more detailed history. Remember, I'm a steam guy not a passenger car guy. I just work on them and not much into the history. I'm trying to get some detail so I can put it on our web-site........

Be safe and be well.

Robert Franzen
Steam Services of America
Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad

I believe the 1212 and the 1162 were originally Santa Fe built in 1953. I took these at Beech Grove on December 14, 2019.

1162 at Beech Grove 12-14-2019.

A couple of photos of 1755 taken on a very gloomy morning in Sault St Marie, ON, during October 1997....

I agree with Ned, you should have a winner here.

While I can't give exact dates, CN turned over their passenger F's to VIA Rail Canada when it was formed about 1978. Algoma Central acquired their F-units from VIA around the time of the massive 1990 cuts that eliminated half of VIA's services. AC and successor Wisconsin Central ran them in regular service until the CN takeover in 2001, mainly on the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, though they did get used in freight service. CN removed them from service quite quickly after buying WC.

CN donated a A-B pair (AC 1753 and 1762, nee CN 6514 and 6614) to my organization in the early 2000s, which have since been repainted into their original colours. Both ran when we got them, though they have since fallen out of use due to lack of need and some relatively minor (by locomotive standards) mechanical problems (radiator leak on the A-unit, compressor problems on the B-unit).

If you haven't already, pay close attention to the air brake system when doing a mechanical inspection on your unit. We found that AC used some non-standard parts and thin plastic air lines when converting them from 24 to 26.

I'm very glad to see that yet another of the AC/WC F-units has gone to a good home!

Algoma Central bought the FP9's and F9B's (And I believe a single FP7) in 1995 when new owner Wisconsin Central was power short and needed to put the Algoma GP7's and GP38-2's that had normally hauled the passenger trains into freight service.

I don't believe that Via Rail's 1990 retrenchment directly led to their end for the F units that were sold to Algoma Central. I believe it was the ongoing HEP program at Via Rail and the end of steam heat in early 1996 that saw these be retired in the mid 1990's.

The Algoma Central passenger equipment was still steam heated at the time, so I imagine that Algoma Central/Wisconsin Central put the F's steam generators to good use.

Thanks for the corrections on the timeline.

AC or VIA removed the steam generators from our two units at some point. Not sure about the others. I've guessed that this was to reduce weight and possibly allow for higher fuel capacity and range, but I am not sure.

They did have several standalone steam generator cars as well.

AC's sole FP7u (1756, nee CP 4103, later CP/VIA 1404 and VIA 6553) is now part of the West Coast Railway Association's collection in Squamish, BC.

In the mid 90"s LTE had 4 or 5 former VIA F's in their yard. I looked at them. They were in nice condition but I can't recall any details of them. I think they had 26 brakes and thick wheels, maybe even D76 or D77 traction motors. They were nice. Only problem was they did not have 62:15 gears.