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  • Such a Deal! Alco S-1 for sale

  • 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

 #345304  by RS-3
 
For sale, ex-DCF&B S-1. **only** $9,500. (Yes, $9,500)

Yes, friction bearing tricks. Still for that price...

Body is in good shape, and I believe it was runnable when the DCF&B shut down.

From Ozark Mountain Railcar:

http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/alcos1-6601.htm

"Built for the U.S. Military by ALCO, unit is currently stored but was serviceable when taken out of service, prime move has approximately 1000 hours of service (U.S. Military seldom used the unit). Some of the mechanical details include: Non turbo 539 prime mover, friction bearings, blunt trucks, good wheels, good body,14E brakes, air reverser, cab glass need replaced."

PRICE: $9,500 O.B.O

"OMR has recently affiliated it's self with an independent contractor who can move rail equipment by highway or can re-wheel a car from friction bearing to roller for movement. Contact our office for details."


What's not to like? Good wheels too!

RS (Wish *I* had the cash....)
 #345427  by Komachi
 
(Looks in wallet and can't help but quote Herbert Morrison's commentary on the burning of the Hindenburg...)

"Oh the humanity!!!!!" :(

Seriously, though, I hope it goes to a good home (unfortunately, it won't be my backyard).

 #345440  by Alcoman
 
Dang it ! I had the $$$$$ but I bought a new car instead!

 #346795  by MEC407
 
That's a pretty reasonable price, I guess, considering that the scrap value is probably higher than that. The owner must really want it gone.

 #346817  by pablo
 
Let's start a fund...who's in?

Dave Becker

 #346837  by Aji-tater
 
Bet they'd take 8K cash. 20 guys, $400 each. 100 guys, $80 each. Or get some company to "sponsor" you like NASCAR, and paint it up for them. "Yup, the VIAGARA S-1 was pullin' hard today, had a big train but it was up to the task" (no jokes about a Johnson bar, either). ;-)

 #347043  by BrianM
 
The price is good but the real cost is in the moving of the unit. She still has friction trucks so she will need to be truck. Plus she needs windows (yes I know, that is no big deal but they are a pain to install). Plus the unit has been sitting stored. You do not know what you will be getting.

Brian

 #347055  by pablo
 
Brian, you beat me to it. I figure that moving the unit one way or another will be at least equal to the purchase price, if not more. That figure would likely include the cost of new trucks, which for all I know could be astronomical.

Dave Becker

 #347137  by RS-3
 
Geeze some people are hard to please. Yes, I suspect it would "double" the cost to move it. Or more. Still it states it has good wheels so I would not think it needs new trucks. Especially given the very low milage on the unit, the trucks should be like new. Plus they do offer assistance in moving or retrucking. Windows shouldn't be a real problem. (If replacing windows is too big a project for you then you probably shouldn't be considering buying locomotives. Especially ones selling for the price of a used car.) Even at a whopping $20,000 it would still seem a good deal to me but what do I know. (BTW, the Alexander RR has run their entire railroad for the past 4 years with only 2 active S-3s handling I'd *guess*, roughly at least 2,000 cars per year serving about 20 customers.)

BTW2, someone in Colorado has just purchased Lake State's S-1 (mostly stored the past few years) and will truck it to Colorado.

You get what you pay for. It MIGHT have storage problems, then again it might not. At this point no one knows and its only speculation. In anyone does know anything re this unit one way or the other I'd be interested.

RS

 #347308  by BrianM
 
I did not say that replacing windows was too big of a project, just a royal pain to do. I am not that hard to please. I have just been involved with a few loco purchases that have not gone as well as hoped.


Brian

 #347329  by MEC407
 
RS-3 wrote:Still it states it has good wheels so I would not think it needs new trucks. Especially given the very low milage on the unit, the trucks should be like new.
It's not that there's necessarily anything wrong with the trucks; it's that they're friction-bearing trucks, and no Class I railroad will allow those on their tracks -- which means you'd have to either replace the trucks with roller-bearing trucks, or ship the locomotive via rubber-tired vehicles. (Although in some cases that might actually be cheaper than rail transport, depending on the destination and the railroad(s) involved.)

 #347527  by Kuyahoora Valley
 
Can the friction bearings simply be replaced with roller bearings on the same trucks/axles? I'm not familiar with that process but always assumed it was relatively straightforward. If not, and the trucks needed to be replaced, would it be possible to use AAR trucks instead of Blunt, without any modifications? I understand some S-1s were delivered with AAR trucks.

 #347533  by MEC407
 
Kuyahoora Valley wrote:Can the friction bearings simply be replaced with roller bearings on the same trucks/axles?
I have seen some trucks that were converted from friction bearing to roller bearing, although I'm not sure how complex a job it is or what the cost/benefit ratio is compared to replacing the friction bearing trucks with factory-built roller bearing trucks. Seems like most roads opted for replacement rather than conversion. But yes, generally speaking, it is possible.

 #347562  by RS-3
 
Trucking it out (or a tempory truck swap) is a given. That's pretty much true these days with most Alco S class switchers (since most still have friction trucks). So that alone doesn't make this loco any different from most other Alcos switchers stil lout there. And should be figured as part of the purchase cost. Considering all the friction trucked Alcos (and a few EMDs) still out there the truckers should be getting good at it.

Given that the unit is probably still in Kansas it could be a long move. But once moved its good for a long time if it has a half-way good home as lots of shortlines still operate friction truck units. (Assuming the trucks should have only 1000 hours on them they should last a long time before any real problems. Blunt trucks can survive a lot of wear.) Over time the owner could look for new trucks or changing it to RB's if that was a considered necessary.

Does anyone have any rough data on moving cost? And the unit weights 99 tons, with trucks. As loco hauls go it should be too bad. Anyone have any experences in such a move the'd like to share?

RS

 #347586  by Kuyahoora Valley
 
I too would be very interested to see estimated moving costs...to central NY. If it could be broken down into prep/loading, cost per mile, and unloading, that would be great.