TRAINSPOTTING ON THE MORRISTOWN & ERIE, 2007

[gravelyfan]

I noticed today that the M&E 22 (Sulzer GP 9, variously called the John K. Fiorilla or the Swiss Miss) is no longer on the team track at Madison. Don't know when it moved.

[Al Holleuffer]

M&E 22 was pulled out of the Madison Team Track about two weeks ago by the M&E crew and taken back to Morristown. Word is that it will be repowered with an EMD primemover and that the Sulzer engine has been sold to another party.

After sitting at the MMC for several weeks Maine Eastern F40 265 was returned to the M&E last week. Some may have noticed it spotted on Track 25A in the 25Kv yard for a couple of days. It had been lined up for movement by the Roseville Protect crew one night earlier in the week but the move was cancelled when the crew had to go rescue a disabled train. Contrary to rumors/reports, the unit did not run out of fuel while at the MMC as there were still about 900 gallons showing on the fuel gauge. That info came right from the Roseville Protect Conductor who made the move.

[N.Y. narrow guage]

Hi Al
Not for nothing but, rumors and here say don't cut it.
Maybe the conducter read it wrong or guage is not correct.
Whatever is going on it between NJ transit and Metro North
over leased engines. Whatever happen to all railworld engines.
Hey maybe it did run out fuel or not .It happened on NJ transit
watch not M&E or Metro North. I wait and see or hear from
horses mouth. Don't forget your post on dec 17 05 about
alco and emd at M&E

[RS115]

Stopped by Morristown after work tonight. In the shop area 18 & 20 on the normal tracks 1& 2 as befits the engines actually doing the work. 265 alongside the house on track 3. Tracks 4 & 5 held 19 (shoved way back alongside the green tent) and not 1 but 2 ex-Amtrak switchers (EMDs) 567 and 563 (will double check the numbers later wrote them down but it's in the car). Ones been around for a few weeks - when did the second arrive?

[RS115]

Today the crew came down to South Jefferson road and drilled out the remains of RS-11 7216. It went to Morristown between 18 and caboose #4 pulled down onto track 3. The crane was positioned nearby so I presume the time has come to pull the prime mover off and send the rest (basically the frame, the cab walls and short hood) off to the scrapper.

At S. Jefferson starting a couple of days ago a M&E flatcar with a couple of pieces of on-track mow equipment - don't know if it's inbound or outbound. In the shop area was another flat car with two heavy steel beams on it with some other piece of machined piece of metal between - couldn't really see what it was from the angle I had. Possible that they're going to put the prime mover from 7216 onto it but that's just speculation. Will update if I can get up to Motown tomorrow.

A

[kpiersol]

Here are some shots of yesterday's movement. Today #7216 is sitting without whatever was under the tarp on the Staples access road still between #18 and #4. Whatever was under the tarp looks like it is now loaded onto a flatcar next to the engine house.

Sorry about the sun not being out for the actual movement yesterday, but that was beyond my control. I love the uphill there at East Havover Ave at MP1:

http://kpiersol2.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=287554
http://kpiersol2.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=287555

[mandealco]

Hi
Nice pics, a little sad though.

I have a question for those a little closer to the action than myself. Why is there a former Canadian National MLW C-630M parked on the tail track at Lake Junction? It is backed up to the other former CN unit the M-420.

Cheers
Steve

Modelling NJ in NZ

[Tri-State Tom]

C424 #19 certainly appears to be 'Stored Servisable' in Morristown.

[RS115]

7216 sans prime mover is now back at S. Jefferson road - presumably awaiting the scrapper. The prime mover - and another - I don't know from what engine, were indeed loaded and secured onto a flat car. Perhaps they're being sent out somewhere for rebuilding?

Great pics - you actually managed to make 18 look cleaner than it is in real life! Agreed on 19 - I assume it's awaiting a turn in the shop if the rumored installation of cab signals so it can lead on NJT is correct. I missed most of the action but the prime mover swap out was a 2 loco affair. When I arrived at Morristown 18, 7216 & the caboose were on the main (waiting to depart back to S. Jefferson as captured in the pics above) while 20 was jockeying the flat car with the prime movers around in the shop area settling and being shut down on track 3. The crew then moved back to 18 and took off to get rid of the RS-11.

A

[EDM5970]

Sorry, but 7216 was not in working condition upon arrival at M&E. The main gen. was in the shop at Hoyt Lakes when I was out there for the sale, and the turbo was missing.

I was surprised when they took that one apart instead of putting it back together; the wheels looked like new.

[Al Holleuffer]

On Thursday, February 9, 2006, the Times Herald-Record of Orange County, NY, printed an article on the front page(page 23) of its Business Section covering the recent rash of delays and cancellations of trains out of Port Jervis and on the Main and Bergen County Lines. In it Metro-North spokesman Mr. Dan Brucker in commenting on M-N's efforts to aleviate the problems stated " Originally Metro-North expected to tap NJ Transit's equipment inventory for temporary replacements. But deliveries of NJ Transit's new locomotives was behind schedule, and the cupboard was bare.

As a result, Metro-North rented two locomotives for $200,000.00 from the Morristown and Erie Railway-and is still adapting them to operate with its other equipment."

I guess that validates those reports/rumors. I would say this verifies the information my sources passed on to me.

In regard to speculation as to why Maine Eastern No. 265 was brought to NJT's MMC then returned to Morristown, I was told that this was for replacement of its schedule 26C automatic brake valve with a schedule 26E-1 valve necessary to operate the EP brake systems on M-N and NJT passenger cars.

The article goes on to state "The good news," Brucker sdaid, "is that we expect to have the two rented locomotives in service next month. And one of the locomotives that is being rented is in the paint shop, which means it's almost finished."

[Tri-State Tom]

Hey Al !

Sotted M&E C424 #18 hauling Maine Eastern F40PH #265 EAST on the Whippany line from the Morristown shops at about 1:20 p.m. yesterday. She was still in the green and cream livery.

So BOTH F40's will be painted in the MN blue/red/gray scheme ?

One of these days I'm gonna hook up with ya !

[njt4172]

Hey Al !

Sotted M&E C424 #18 hauling Maine Eastern F40PH #265 EAST on the Whippany line from the Morristown shops at about 1:20 p.m. yesterday. She was still in the green and cream livery.

So BOTH F40's will be painted in the MN blue/red/gray scheme ?

One of these days I'm gonna hook up with ya !

Tom & Al,

Originally they were supposed to be pressed into service in the Maine Eastern paint, but apparently Metro-North probably wants its own image presented?? I'm assuming these engines will be the only 2 on the system that still sound like the original NJT screamers BEFORE they were rebuilt with the CAT HEP that they currently have...... Great news if it is true!

Steve

[PVRX1]

As of 230pm today (01-22-07)

Track 1 outisde: C424 18
Track 2 outside: C424 19
Track 3 outside: coach and caboose #4
Track 4: RS11 7215, RS1 21
Track 5: F40 291

GP9 22 and SSB1200 557 assumed still inside undergoing repair work.

[Sandy Burton]

Also inside is 4231.

Sandy