Why no ex- B&M/MEC/D&H engines?

[NellsChoo]

Hmmmm...

Why aren't there more ex- B&M/MEC/D&H engines in Guilford's fleet? I don't understand... Wouldn't Guilford rather repaint and keep those engines? I thought they did so way back. If this is the case, then where did they all go? Guilford still has old power, why did they have to buy them instead of keeping the original engines? I think they had to return all the D&H power when they "got rid of" that railroad.

Is this just a case of the original power being in bad shape? What about what they have now??

I DON'T GET IT!!!


(photo by Todd & Eric Larsen)


D&H / Guilford engine
(photo by Todd & Eric Larsen)

[jrc520]

well, the old stuff wasn't really taken care of to start with, so Guilford just ran it into the ground. I used to wonder that myself, but yea, they took stuff that wasn't really fixed up much to begin with and yea, I'm starting to sound like a broken record

[Otto Vondrak]

I don't think Guilford ran anything into the ground. These engines were old to start with. Why *wouldn't* they want to get newer engines? Why drive your 86 Cavalier when you can have a 97 Ford Ranger (or whatever)?

-otto-

[eddiebear]

Right. A good portion of the B & M fleet was elderly and of modest horsepower. B & M also had switchers which are not in big demand right now. One series of B & M leased power was returned to the lessor upon expiration of the lease. A good amount of used power of recent vintage came on the market several times in the Guilford era.
D & H had an all-Alco fleet once upon a time and when D & H was acquired by Guilford in 1984 there were a lot still around. However, while many fans like Alcos, the company went out of the locomotive building business about 35 years ago so parts are harder and harder to obtain or costly to fabricate.

[Noel Weaver]

Whatever your feelings are on Guilford, In my opinion, they made a good
decision when they bought the Conrail (former Penn Central) GP-40's.
I ran those particular engines all over the place and they were a good,
reliable locomotive and did a good job on the trains that they were used
on. The only fault that I had with the GP-40's was the dynamic brake was
not the best.
I would be willing to bet that those GP-40's will be around for quite some
time to come.
Noel Weaver

[NellsChoo]

So are you saying newer B&M and MEC power at the time of takeover was leased, and therefore returned? It just seems most of Guilford's power is as old as B&M's newest at the time.

Aren't the GRS GP7/9s ex-B&M?

JD

[Otto Vondrak]

My guess:

In 1983, the newest power between the three railroads was probably on the D&H... the D&H had the pick of the litter when Conrail was formed, and picked up many of RDG's and LV's newest GP38-2's... which were less than ten years old in 1983... if anything, GRS felt the crunch in 1988 when D&H was cut loose and that kinda-newer power went with 'em.

-otto-

[mick]

The ex-D&H engines were a different story

[ProRail]

By having a majority of a fleet as 1 type of engine, GP40s in this case, you minimize your parts inventory. Your mechanical forces would also be able to trouble-shoot a problem easier since there would be more experience concentrated on a particular type of road power.

New power costs millions. Leased power can be a risky proposition as mentioned earlier. as you end up with an option to buy that is more than the current market price of used engines or you let the lease go and end up with nothing. Its better to have some sort of an asset than nothing at all.

[octr202]

Northeastern locomotives have scattered all over the place. The D&H's best engines ended up staying with the property, and eventually some, the GP-39-2's, ended up on CSXT as compensation for somehting during the D&H bankruptcy. Here's some interesting shots from the CSX Photo Archives (http://www.trainweb.org/csxphotos/), a great reference for CSXT's fleet:

D&H:

Guilford:

CSXT:


And Reading green (my favorite):

[NYNE]

How come so many of the locomotives on the roster carry MEC, as opposed to the B&M? I rarely see any B&M lettered locomotives anymore.

[metman499]

I have been told that everything is lettered for ST or MEC for tax purposes, presumably the taxes in Maine are less than Mass.

[NYNE]

Well, that makes sense, I guess. Thanks for the info.

[NellsChoo]

Actually, I think it is higher in Maine. Massachusetts has 5% sales tax, if it has anything to do with taxes a railroad pays...

[metman499]

I think it is property or some other form of tax rather than sales tax, which should have nothing to do with locomotives after purchase.