RR CMO's who are ALCO experts

[blabey]

As the number of railroads with ALCO power dwindles, fewer and fewer ALCO experts serve as Chief Mechanical Officers. It's worth citing folks like the Arkansas & Missouri's Casey Shepard, Donald Colangelo of the Delaware-Lackawanna RR and Brian Allan of the Western New York & Pennsylvania. Are there additions to this list of ALCO "friendly" CMO's? Who, for example, keeps the Apache RR's fleet in order?

[tomjohn]

As the number of railroads with ALCO power dwindles, fewer and fewer ALCO experts serve as Chief Mechanical Officers. It's worth citing folks like the Arkansas & Missouri's Casey Shepard, Donald Colangelo of the Delaware-Lackawanna RR and Brian Allan of the Western New York & Pennsylvania. Are there additions to this list of ALCO "friendly" CMO's? Who, for example, keeps the Apache RR's fleet in order?

I wouldn't forget about the following railroads that serve the AVON,NY,(Rochester,NY) BUFFALO,NY and SODUS,NY areas and one serving the Titusville,PA .

The NEW YORK AND LAKE ERIE RR

The BUFFALO SOUTHERN RR -I think Mr. Pat Connors is the mechanic for this railroad.-

The LIVONIA AVON AND LAKEVILLE RR

The OIL CREEK AND TITUSVILLE RR

The ONTARIO MIDLAND RR

I know this because I am originally from HAMBURG, NY and I now reside in Webster,NY.

Tom

[tomjohn]

I almost forgot The GENESSE VALLEY TRANSPORTION SYSTEM and their family of railroads..

[thebigham]

^Donald Colangelo of the Delaware-Lackawanna RR does the GVT system.

[EDM5970]

LAL, WNY&P are part of the same family-

[pablo]

TomJohn's killing me with these posts.

I suspect Pat Connors (that might be the one thing TomJohn got right there) would be one to add. I know that they not only run them, but lease them as well...so they should be solid there.

You can add Mr. Dingman from the NYLE group; I drive through Titusville regularly, and they've got the two S-units as well as an M unit, perhaps the one the WNYP leased for a time. Two railroads with ALCO power there.

I know the late owner/engineer at the Battenkill was something of a wizard with the 244's up there, so with his passing, I'm not sure what you've got left there.

If there's anyone left on the Vermont Railway from 20 years ago or so when they were running ALCOs, you might be able to add them; I understand they're still using an RS1 for excursions. Perhaps that's who's maintaining it.

I don't remember when Mr. Belke was at the D&H, but it was just a bit more than 20 years ago when I was in Binghamton with my father in the engine house with some ALCOs...so there could be someone lying about the place up there, too.

Dave Becker

[Alcoman]

Let's not forget guys like Chris Macdermot, Former Alco Engineer.
There is also the guy who used to be CMO for Lake State RR who's name I cannot think of right now. He also was a former Alco Employee.(Mike Wood)
Spencer Garrett who rebuilds 251 engines.
Frank Larkin was a big fan of Alco Power.
Lets hope that a new generation of mechanics will replace those who pass on.

[mtuandrew]

Most likely we should add Scott Wardrope (chief mechanical officer - locomotives for the Minnesota Commercial Railway) to the list. Even though the MNNR has been buying more and more GEs recently, they have enough Alcos and MLWs to necessitate a 251 wizard. AFAIK they don't do anything with 244s anymore, though.

[thebigham]

Scott Whitney of the VRS. He keeps #405 in 1st class shape.

[The Man]

Who is the CMO for the Apache? There was the coal company with the C-415's. D&M? They are all ALCO roads. And lets not forget John Norton of Adirondack who is a wiz with the NYC RS-3 #8223 as well as the C-424, M-420TR and a lone S-1.

JJ-

[blabey]

The D&M is now the Lake States Railroad, and I believe they are in the process of converting most of their power to non-ALCO units.

[Alcoman]

The D&M is now the Lake States Railroad, and I believe they are in the process of converting most of their power to non-ALCO units.

That is correct. In fact, their Alcos are or will be up for sale as soon as replacement power is found.
John

[oibu]

"I know the late owner/engineer at the Battenkill was something of a wizard with the 244's up there, so with his passing, I'm not sure what you've got left there."

I'm pretty confident Bill Taber & crew have the situation well in hand.

Are there any other all-244 powered shortlines left in north america? I can't think of any, but maybe there's a single-RS3 operation left somewhere?

[FCP503]

Two Alco roads that have not yet been mentioned:

White Pass & Yukon

Napa Valley Railway

[emdpower75]

Mr. Edward Rost covers Dingman railroads