Dont know if I'm wrong? (MNNR ALCO's DONE!!!!!!!)

[Alcoman]

Here is what I know - RS3 1B [friction trucks] and C424 311 [bent frame] are leaving on flat cars as is one other unit from the looks of it. Cars with blocks ready for locomotive hauling are parked near the shops and talking to the crew working at the shops moving some of the dead Alcos they said take a good look because they are on their way out. And from a source higher up it sounds like they were given a good offer on the units that are leaving.

MNNR 71 is not at NRE, it came back last week and is back in St Paul again. Not sure what work was done on the unit down there... The RS27 units are said to be promised to museums so it looks like they would be safe.

This doesn't go for all the Alcos, some are still in service, some are on the rotation plan and stored waiting to re-enter service. But it does seem like they are trimming their excess fleet. Hopefully it is just a limited number of dead units leaving...

Andy

Andy,
Is there some way to summerize what Alcos are leaving? Which Alcos are dead? From the sound of it, it appears that most are on the way out. It also sound like that someone has offered a price on them..even the one running.

[M630]

Right now I don't know what all units are leaving, sounds like the 311 and 1B from what I've heard but other than that it's unknown.

Out of service/dead are 311, 1B, 1608 and 1108 [last two RS3s have been parts units and never saw service here]. Stored are a number of units like the RS27s, RS18 83... The only active Alcos I've seen recently are M420 35 [now also in the storage line] and C424s 313 and 314 since they are paired up with the slugs.

If I get more solid info or see units moving out I'll be posting it...

[M630]

They loaded a number of its dead units on to flat cars in the last two days, I got a chance to shoot them after the job was finished last night.

MNNR C424 311, which sustained wreck damage and a bent frame just being the cab, leads the line of units
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=151097

MNNR RS3B 1B is next, this unit is former LSI 1604
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=151093

MNNR 66 - still in BAR colors after all these years [not an Alco, I know, but still an interesting unit]
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=151068

MNNR 1608 is next, little changed from its days on the LS&I
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=151091

And MNNR 1108 brings up the rear, this is former Minntac unit that still has its specialized work from it's mining days intact
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=151092

~Andy

[Alcoman]

311 does not look too bad from side. Seems to be repairsble. How did the other side look Andy?
Where are these going ?

[M630]

They are headed to NRE from what I hear... The frame is bent on 311 - the pilot looks like it can be repaired but that bend is easy to find when looking at the unit and I'm betting that was what sidelined it since it has been laid up ever since the collision. Fixing that would be an undertaking...

[traingeek8223]

The NYS&W fixed a bent frame on GP18 1800, and it was bent MUCH worse than the 311. It could be fixed feasably, but with current scrap prices I'm not optomistic. I worry more about the RS3's. I find it hard to believe they have much value to a company like NRE.

[Komachi]

Wasn't 311 one of the units that hauled the last train for the GB&W before they were absorbed by WC back in '93? Have there been any preservation groups asking about getting it? Better to have it "stuffed and mounted" and sitting on the former site of Norwood Yard (unless that's all been developed by now) as a memorial to the Norwood shops than get cut up for KIAs (or whatever other steel product you can think of).


(Deffinitions of terms for those who may not know...

GB&W = Green Bay & Western
WC = Wisconsin Central

... that is all.)

[krobar]

Andy, Do you know if the units you shot have been canniblized for parts? Are the trucks on another flat waiting to be shipped out? If they are going to NRE it would be a good idea to let those who might need parts for RS3s know, that they should contact NRE and maybe have a shot at obtaining whatever would be salvable.

[traingeek8223]

Just a side bar on this. MNNR 1108 is a phase 1a RS3. These were some of the earliest RS3's built. It was also the first RS3 delivered to Oliver Mining. There may only be one other 1a RS3 in existaince( correct me if I'm wrong here), and if that's true this may be the oldest Alco RS3.

[M630]

Andy, Do you know if the units you shot have been canniblized for parts? Are the trucks on another flat waiting to be shipped out? If they are going to NRE it would be a good idea to let those who might need parts for RS3s know, that they should contact NRE and maybe have a shot at obtaining whatever would be salvable.

They were loaded into IMRL gons when the locomotives were loaded onto flats. I would guess they are going there as a part of the deal... And yes, I believe 311 was the lead unit on the last GBW train.

[Alcoman]

It appears that Minnesota Commercial is down to 7 Alcos now. They started with 17. If I did not know better, I would say that the Alco future on this railroad is bleak.
The RR seems to have taken the approach with the Alcos that if it is not in running condition (for any reason) just trade it in to NRE rather than repair it.
I guess we can blame those cheap GE's for that as well as high scrap prices.

[RS-3]

Apparently NRE can part out the Alcos for more than the locomotives are worth whole. Good for railroads looking for parts, bad for railroads looking for whole locomotives. Given that the two RS-27/DL-640's are promised to museums I wonder if they would sell them if the buyer agreed to the same conditions, ie the museums get them when they are done. Might be worth asking. Too bad about the 1B as well. Not many running RS-3s these days.

RS

[M630]

Units were shipped out to Silvis via ICE this week...