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  • Alco C425 #4264 Image Yesterday

  • Discussion about the M&E, RVRR and SIRR lines of New Jersey, and also the Maine Eastern operation in Maine. Official web site can be found here: www.merail.com.
Discussion about the M&E, RVRR and SIRR lines of New Jersey, and also the Maine Eastern operation in Maine. Official web site can be found here: www.merail.com.

Moderators: GOLDEN-ARM, cjl330, mikec

 #381255  by RS115
 
Was it running? Engine has been out of service for some time. I seem to remember hearing that it needed wheel work. It was down at Bayway for a long time as the 'back-up' engine - wasn't a popular choice with the crews though I don't know why.

 #381284  by kpiersol
 
RS115 wrote:Was it running? Engine has been out of service for some time. I seem to remember hearing that it needed wheel work. It was down at Bayway for a long time as the 'back-up' engine - wasn't a popular choice with the crews though I don't know why.
DEAD!!

 #381335  by PVRX1
 
Better road engine than switch engine.

 #381357  by RS115
 
That's true PVRX, though no better or worse then the C-424's that regularly hold down the same assignments. Except for running on Transit getting from line to line switchers are a much better choice for the work the M&E does.

I continue to find it incredibly ironic that for decades when the original M&E was a bustling, profitable railroad (before some members of management succumbed to greediness and shady deals putting it into bankruptcy) it got along with two 1,000 hp non-MU equipped switchers. Now when 3-5 cars is a 'big' freight job on the Morristown line, they're being pulled along by a 2,400 hp road loco with the throttle barely cracked. It's also interesting that 563 has been sent to Bayway with 557 rumored to be headed there as well - the 50% drop in HP not withstanding.

While I'm not thrilled with the black dip paint jobs, the SSB-1200's have looked much more 'at home' on the line. Don't get me wrong - I like the big ALCOs (and more HP is justified for going to Toy 'R Us on a heavy day), I would just like to turn the clock back and 14 or 15 drilling cars at Whippany for an hour or two.

 #385271  by RS115
 
4264 is back amongst the living! It was used on the Whippany line drill today to bring down the additional RS-11's mentioned in Sandy Burton's post and take away the other items (except the flat with MOW equipment) that had been occupying the Jefferson Road run-around. I later saw them briefly at Whippany (they went east with tank cars) and the returned west mid-afternoon with one of the ex-Amtrak coaches, one of the Tuscon Red passenger cars (couldn't see if it was Kitchi Gammi Club or one of the others) and empty tanks.

Shake down run?
 #385385  by amtrakhogger
 
That question of overpower was brought up when the late Ben Friedland
was running the M&E. His argument was that the 16 cyl. Alcos (specifically the C430's) consumed less or the same amount of fuel than a 1500 hp EMD switcher when used in switching and local service. I think his comments were published in either Railpace or Railfan & Railroad.

Anyone care to debunk that statement?

 #385666  by kpiersol
 
RS115 wrote:4264 is back amongst the living! It was used on the Whippany line drill today to bring down the additional RS-11's mentioned in Sandy Burton's post and take away the other items (except the flat with MOW equipment) that had been occupying the Jefferson Road run-around.
Here are the junk RS11s:

http://kpiersol2.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=711506
http://kpiersol2.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=711508
http://kpiersol2.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=711509
http://kpiersol2.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=711552

I must admit, they really know how to rearrange their junk - maybe they can help me clean my basement?

 #385771  by pablo
 
I have been told the same thing by forces at the WNYP, that a Century unit is better on fuel than an EMD switcher. The fuel becomes a negligible issue, with the added bonus of extra horsepower.

David Becker

 #386743  by BrianM
 
I miss the 4264 down in South Jersey. I remember one day the SRNJ used her on a stone train, before the M420's arrived and the GP10 was down, it was the first time that multiple ALCO's used down there. It was really nice to see.


Brian