Ohio Central high bidder on Fairbanks Morse Locomo

J. Johnson · **Posted:** Thu Apr 01, 2004 7:05 pm

The Ohio Central Railroad was high bidder on both Fairbanks Morse diesel locomotives on ebay.

This is NOT an April Fool's Joke.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... egory=4124

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... egory=4124

jmjohnson@ohiocentral.com

Michael Allen · **Posted:** Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:49 pm

Hi Jason,

Congratulations! That is way cool! Now, how about talking Jerry into buying the two Susquehanna E units that are currently for sale. They would make great stable mates for the F units! I'd even come down for an all diesel weekend!

trainrider47@aol.com

Randy Gustafson · **Posted:** Thu Apr 01, 2004 10:00 pm

Hey Jason, with everything going on today you're gonna have to agree to an FRA blood test before anybody believes you!

I'd sure like to believe it, but....... you're talking to the guy that posted the www.atlantictunnel.com link, ya know.

randy.gustafson@westpa.net

Mitch Goldman · **Posted:** Fri Apr 02, 2004 12:49 am

> The Ohio Central Railroad was high bidder on
> both Fairbanks Morse diesel locomotives on
> ebay.

> This is NOT an April Fool's Joke.

>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... egory=4124

>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... egory=4124

You are aware that these Alco's are not HO guage, right? This is absolutely awesome news! I am so amazed at the size of this growing collection - what is behind it? Is it simply a personal love of the industry and hobby and good economic times at the OC or is there more to it?

MG2AM@AOL.com

Dave Crosby · **Posted:** Fri Apr 02, 2004 3:44 pm

I'm pretty sure this isn't a joke, as stated by MR Johnson.

I know the red & white FM had a practically brand new engine, roller bearing trucks and FRA glazing. So the engine(s) may turn out to be more than just museum pieces on the OC.

Dave Crosby

bing@epix.net

J. Johnson · **Posted:** Fri Apr 02, 2004 4:30 pm

> I'm pretty sure this isn't a joke, as stated
> by MR Johnson.

> I know the red & white FM had a
> practically brand new engine, roller bearing
> trucks and FRA glazing. So the engine(s) may
> turn out to be more than just museum pieces
> on the OC.

> Dave Crosby

This is no joke. We are making arrangements to get them back to Ohio soon as the money has transfered. We will have one or both on display at Train Festival 2004.

Now if only a few Baldwin Shark Nose were to show up on ebay!!!

Jason

trainfestival2004.com
jmjohnson@ohiocentral.com

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Fri Apr 02, 2004 7:30 pm

> Now if only a few Baldwin Shark Nose were to
> show up on ebay!!!

Oh, those show up with some regularity.

1/87th scale, unfortunately. >;-]

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

Jamie K · **Posted:** Fri Apr 02, 2004 10:17 pm

> Oh, those show up with some regularity.

> 1/87th scale, unfortunately. >;-]

They were on some auction site a few years ago, I think railswap, or some other place. The only problem was the person who listed them didn't own them, the auction wasn't active for very long once the owner did catch wind of it.

Illinois Railway Museum

Randy Gustafson · **Posted:** Sat Apr 03, 2004 10:43 am

Jason, well, I'm impressed! I've had this confirmed now from at least one more OC source.

If it rains hard in Ohio this year, expect Noah to pull up the Lake Michigan car ferry to Morgan Run. You already have two of everything assembled there, all ready to go!

randy.gustafson@westpa.net

George Jenista · **Posted:** Sat Apr 03, 2004 11:53 am

> The Ohio Central Railroad was high bidder on
> both Fairbanks Morse diesel locomotives on
> ebay

I tracked the auction of both locomotives with interest. Two questions:

1. Are you going to swap a set of roller-trucks under #1852, or will you move that unit by road?

2. I've noticed that several competing bidders submitted a slew of consecutive bids. It presages the notion that the price might be driven artificially high. Yes?

Trinity Valley RR Historical Association
hi-plains@juno.com

Jason Johnson · **Posted:** Sat Apr 03, 2004 2:14 pm

> I tracked the auction of both locomotives
> with interest. Two questions:

> 1. Are you going to swap a set of
> roller-trucks under #1852, or will you move
> that unit by road?

We will ship the roller-bearing one first, when it arrives at our shop, we will lift her off her trucks, ship those truck to North Carolina, swap trucks, and ship the other locomotive back. The same semi that took the trucks to North Carolina will bring back the "plain bearing trucks" which will be placed under the other locomotive. Simple!!

> 2. I've noticed that several competing
> bidders submitted a slew of consecutive
> bids. It presages the notion that the price
> might be driven artificially high. Yes?

Due to the rarity of these locomotives we were prepared for prices to go even higher. The competitive bidding at the last minute was expected. Unfortunately there is no price guide for what a locomotive is worth. The only guide you could go by is total weight times the price of scrap! With the high price of scrap right now, we did not want a scrapper to get a hold of them.

I hope I have answered your questions.

Jason Johnson
Operations Manager
Ohio Central Steam Dept.
www.ocsteam.com

www.ocsteam.com
jmjohnson@ohiocentral.com

Jason Johnson · **Posted:** Sat Apr 03, 2004 2:18 pm

> Jason, well, I'm impressed! I've had this
> confirmed now from at least one more OC
> source.

> If it rains hard in Ohio this year, expect
> Noah to pull up the Lake Michigan car ferry
> to Morgan Run. You already have two of
> everything assembled there, all ready to go!

Randy,

Not quite everything. A couple Lima-Baldwin-Hamilton diesels would be nice:^)

Jason

jmjohnson@ohiocentral.com

William W. Gray · **Posted:** Sat Apr 03, 2004 7:28 pm

More and likely you will need two semi-trucks for this haul. Those GSC trucks with Westinghouse traction motors (assuming FM used Westinghouse electrical) weigh 33,000 lbs per truck. Two idler trucks ride nicely on one semi though at 40,000 lbs total.

William W. Gray
Whitewater Valley Railroad

> We will ship the roller-bearing one first,
> when it arrives at our shop, we will lift
> her off her trucks, ship those truck to
> North Carolina, swap trucks, and ship the
> other locomotive back. The same semi that
> took the trucks to North Carolina will bring
> back the "plain bearing trucks"
> which will be placed under the other
> locomotive. Simple!!

Whitewater Valley Railroad Museum

Curator@WhitewaterValleyRR.org