GP38 #252

When was this engine last used?

I've just partially found the answer to my question. Going by pictures on NErail, 252 was in service at least to the end of November 2009, so between then and now when was the engine taken out of service? I also found an older photo taken in 1995 which has raised another question - When was the engine put in storage and taken out of storage?
This photo is showing the engine on the dead line in 2005. How long was it out of service for the 2nd time?

Quite often I have noticed Pan Am put locomotives in the dead line for whatever reason. Sometimes a bad traction motor earns them a spot there. Just not enough time to fix or funds to repair at that moment. Maybe they even had good spares running.
Mike

There is report on another list that the 252 is in the "back shop"
at Waterville. I am not familiar with what work is performed in
the "back shop". Anyone??

Dick

Dick H wrote:I am not familiar with what work is performed in
the "back shop".

Pan Am does most of it's locomotive repairs in the Waterville back shop, like heavy repairs, overhauls, rebuilds, replacement of traction motors, etc.

thebigham wrote:^255 256 258 263 were returned/repossesed to the lessor in April 1991.

Hmmm.... I have a picture of myself (in my younger days) in the cab of 258 at Rigby in 1991. I don't know the exact month it was taken though.

http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=76906

Warreb

So according tithe Conway scenic's wheel report, 252 has been purchased by the CSRR and it will be repainted into her original gold and green MEC paint with CSRR lettering. In addition, the railroad has purchased high hood GP35 216 which also will be painted in the MEC colors.

They must have gotten a massive influx of funding for April 1st...

http://www.conwayscenic.com/index.cfm?f ... heelreport

Conway Scenic Railroad is in the process of acquiring two units from Pan Am Railways. One of the units is GP38 #252. We have made arrangements with Pan Am to have this locomotive painted back into its ‘as delivered’ paint scheme of harvest gold with green stripes and numbers. The words “MAINE CENTRAL” will be replaced with “CONWAY SCENIC” in the logo on the cab sides, and we will do a similar modification in the green shield that will be located on the nose of the locomotive. We expect to take delivery of this locomotive sometime in May.

We have also made arrangements to get GP35 #216 from Pan Am. This locomotive also will be painted in the Maine Central Heritage scheme of Harvest Gold with green stripes. We will use the same color green for the stripes as the green in our Notch Scheme. Because this is a high hood unit, it will be similar in appearance to the MEC GP-9s that were painted in Harvest Gold. We are hoping to have this unit on the property sometime in late April.

Sorry for doubting, but after seeing countless posts today that are, shall we say, dubious in nature, you can understand the skepticism? Great news about 252. GP35s can be a pain on maintenance, especially electrical, so hopefully 216 will work out for them.

Indeed. The news about 216 seems like it's totally out of left field. They're known for having turbo issues as well. But hey, maybe Conway Scenic's maintenance budget is a lot higher than I assumed.

This is awesome! How fitting that 252 will get maroon and gold again.
I wonder if they will shop the nose on 216? Either way it will be awesome to see these on leading trains up in the notch. What a pair, but doesnt this make the U-23B's that they have surplus?

Too bad they couldn't get their hands on #404 and 407...

252 will be getting yellow and green paint, according to the newsletter (see above). It never wore maroon and gold, although that would have looked very pretty!

The newsletter didn't say anything about doing a nose job on the 216; they did in fact mention that it would look similar to MEC's GP9s (although I think what they meant to say was MEC's GP7s, since MEC had only one GP9).

oops, yeah I know,
The GP38's introduced the new (harvest yellow and green) scheme when they arrived from the factory.

I typed it quick...

Now if they could just get the two U18-B's that are up in Montreal...!