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  • Mystery Alco

  • Discussion of products from the American Locomotive Company. A web site with current Alco 251 information can be found here: Fairbanks-Morse/Alco 251.
Discussion of products from the American Locomotive Company. A web site with current Alco 251 information can be found here: Fairbanks-Morse/Alco 251.

Moderator: Alcoman

 #291428  by morscher
 
Hi.

Back in 1989, I took a photo of this Alco S2 at the Illinois Railway Museum. Now, 17 years later, I still cannot figure out the history or fate of this engine. Does anybody know anything about this unit?

http://www.morscher.com/rr/1989/19890710_15.jpg

A Google search did not help, nor did the Illinois Railway Museum web site.



Thanks,
Arnie Morscher

 #291489  by GOLDEN-ARM
 
If the website wasn't any help, why not contact them, or visit them, in person. If it was property of a museum, the history will be on file, as well as records regarding to current status, or disposition. Gotta try a little harder, than just looking at the website, I would imagine.......... :wink:

 #291531  by scottychaos
 
hmmm..
im not finding much either, but google almost always come through.

its a S1, not a S2..
knowing that, this page:

http://www.thedieselshop.us/PRSVDalco.HTML

only lists one S1 for the Illinois Railway museum,
and it says its "Delray Connecting 66"

with that info, google brings us to:

http://www.irm.org/gallery/petep-diesel

pictures of "Delray Connecting 66" being scrapped, at IRM, in April 2006..
check out the pics..notice the yellow paint on the journals..and the yellow frame..must be the same engine, since its an Alco S1 at the Illinois railway museum, and those paint details match exactly.

I dont know what "MW 203" means, but it sure looks like MW 203 is also Delray Connecting 66, looks like she was bought new by Delray in 1945.

http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_S1.HTML

Alco builders # 73347,

Scot

 #291544  by scottychaos
 
Engine was apparently:

Delray Connecting 66
Midwest Steel 66
donated to IRM in 1984 by Midwest steel.

IRM was trying to sell the unit in 2002, obviously they were unsucessful.
Alco S1 switcher, 600 h.p., built 1945. Asking $15,000 or a significant trade.
Illinois Railway Museum is selling Alco S1 66 from the Delray Connecting Railroad. The locomotive was operable when the Museum got it, but it's been stored outdoors and has received no work or maintenance. It should still run. It has plain bearings and blunt trucks, and is no longer interchangeable. It has a six cylinder 539 engine, four good GE Model 731 traction motors and it weighs 198,000 pounds. There's more info on the IRM web site at www.irm.org. Serious offers will be considered, and the Museum is always interested in railway equipment in trade
from: http://www.railsales.com/

see also: http://rypn.sunserver.com/forum/viewtop ... _view=flat

Scot

 #291547  by GOLDEN-ARM
 
I have to say, it's kind of sad, to see a piece of donated equipment, first up for sale, then being scrapped. If it came down to scrapping it, they should have donated it, themselves, to someone who had a place for it.
Now that you found this out, Scot, how about a visit to the LV forum, and a question, right up your alley......... :-D
 #291786  by morscher
 
Hi.

Thanks for the quick reply to my question about MW 203.

Very sad to see that it did not survive.

And now another mystery unit ( I will start a new thread on this ) photographed in Erie, PA at the GE plant, in 1993:

http://www.morscher.com/rr/1993/19931218_02.jpg

The engine is lettered "GE 2901" or perhaps "GE 2501".

Thanks again,
Arnie Morscher

 #295289  by Alcoman
 
We now have 3 threads on the same topic. Please continue this on:" and yet more mystery alco switchers" The other threads including this one is hereby locked.
John M
Moderator