Morristown & Erie visitor at Rigby

Sunday night I saw a Johnstown and Erie loco parked at Rigby yard. It was pretty dark but the engine looked great. I'm guessing it was an alco U18?
The numbers were 4228. Of course, any Alco looks great.
Anyone know why it was in Portland?

c

Likely the Morristown & Erie, and I would suspect it's bound for or from the Maine Eastern. M&E is the operator of this line. 4228 is an ex CP C424.

Mike Derrick
http://www.shortlinesusa.com

This sighting of the #4228 may explain why I have seen the "spare" loco, the #3578 being used in Brunswick, over past couple weeks.

Wonder if the #4228 was "coming or going", to/from the Maine Eastern?

Bud

Morristown & Erie Forum says the 4228 is "more than likely going to the WNYP".......

Dick

hh660 wrote:Sunday night I saw a Johnstown and Erie loco parked at Rigby yard. It was pretty dark but the engine looked great. I'm guessing it was an alco U18?
The numbers were 4228. Of course, any Alco looks great.
Anyone know why it was in Portland?

c

If you think it looks great now, you should have seen it a few years ago when it first came out of the paint shop! It looked pretty grungy when I saw it yesterday... but still a nice looking loco nevertheless.

Some quick background: the 4228 has been on the Maine Eastern for the past few years, and was the first M&E loco to arrive on the property. It is now headed for the WNYP (part of the LA&L family), which is another very Alco-friendly railroad. Maine Eastern was sent a GP10 not long ago, which will take over the duties of the 4228. Rumor had it that they wanted to make the Maine Eastern an "EMD only" road, so one has to wonder if the 3578's days are numbered.

The Maine eastern has had GP-10 #764 for AT LEAST 2 years, and it has served as their primary "road freight" unit, covering the Rockland.Brunswick/return job. The C-424, #4228, while it has made a few road trips(too few for us Alcophiles! ) has usually handled the "cement transfer" from Dragons plant in Thomaston to their Rockland wharf. The M-420, #3578, "took a while" to get up and running, and has mostly served as a "spare", although it did serve as one of the 2 units for the Lewiston Lower "excursion" in May.

With their present customer base, it would seem that MERR needs a "road unit",one for the cement shuttle, plus "a spare". Don't think the FL-9s would be at their best switching.

Bud

wolfmom69 wrote:The Maine eastern has had GP-10 #764 for AT LEAST 2 years,
Bud

The #764 arrived in Brunswick the first week of June, 2006. My photos are dated June 4, but it may have arrived a day or two earlier.
-Alan-

I'll take your word for it, Alan.
Another sign of my old age-the years go by slowly!

Bud