Alcos Out West

Hey Paul, does that mean the RS-2 isn't in service? (Just to be clear.)

As for the 211 "discussion", given that CR put the EMD in it, I'd agree with GA, its "historically accurate" as long as they paint it CR, but its not really accurate in LV paint. For that it would need a 244.

RS

Hi,

Thanks - I've updated the PSRM entry.

I was told by a friend that the reason LV 211 is painted as LV 211 is that it was part of an agreement upon donation of the 211 to the museum. But that is a topic for another day. I do not have all of the facts about this.

The RS-2 has a fried prime mover. Cooked, boiled to death, etc. It could be rebuilt but I think it's easier at this point to swap engines. Much had been disassembled and I am concerned about matching the bearings and I don't think the crank was protected properly. PSRM acquired a running 12/244 from a scrapped RSX-4 (military and low engine hours) and will it be shipped to the museum sometime in the near future and I will change it out. Engine on PSRM's RSX-4 is all set to go. There is a ground relay in the power circuit and we need to get that taken care of. Once we get the dynamic brake grid blower motor for the ex-SP RS-32 up and working, we will have a load box to run all the engines at full horsepower to clean them up.

The RS-32 may have serious freeze damage from it'd Portola days. I tried to do a squeeze test on it last year but I had more water coming out the radiators then going in. It's not a priority for the museum at this time so I will dink with it as time and money permits.
I could use some good help down there.

I think there are a couple of SP RSD-12's in Perris CA at the Orange Empire Railway museum but I havent heard much of the organization personally so I dont know if they are there or not. Doyle McCormacks RSD-5 ex Utah railway is somewhere around Portland or Albany depending on who is leasing it. Dont forget we have one half of the PA-1's in the U.S. in Portland OR.

Thanks Paul, sorry to hear the engine is dead, great to hear you all have a replacement lined up!

Anyone have an update of the status of Doyle's PA?

RS

Perris has the RS-12s. They are in the same condition now as when they recieved them. Perris is only twenty miles or so from my house, but zi never go there.

I wonder if Perris would be interested in selling them?

RS

Just a word of caution here. I have been informed that scrappers visit sites like this to find Alco engines and traction motors to be used on non-railroad applications such as marine and oil rigs,etc.

Therefore if you want to see more Alcos saved for railroad use, please be careful about reveling the locations of Alcos. In fact if all possible, I would advise against the idea in public.

The Erie Mining Alcos and the Knox and Kane Alco were scrapped for non-railroad use and as a result; alot of useful parts were scrapped instead of reusing them for locomotives.

If the 251s are for sale, the scrappers are going to look. It's not only Alco 251s but 38D1/8s as well. F-M even has a "wanted" for used 251 and 38Ds on it's website. At $10,000 per cylinder to rebuild, I could see a museum giving up a pm. Hell, I am sure if my museum had a spare 251 or OP collecting dust and taking up space I am sure they would let one go. i am gonna have two rebuildable 244s at my disposal soon. I just wish there was a high dollar market for those engines. How many pieces of historical rolling stock could be saved with the proceeds from such a sale. OERM has two RSD-12. Both dont run. They also have a host of other diesels (Alcos, Baldwin, F-Ms) that don't run.Will they give up a spare RSD-12 to another museum? I doubt it. Will they ever run again? Again, I doubt it.

Again, we get back to the same issue as why there arent any Trainmasters left intact. They are just worth too much damn money to be given away for free.

I was thinking there's a railroad or two in the northeast that might be able to use them. (And have the skills to put them back in service.)

RS

Where is Perris CA exactly?

Alcoman wrote:Just a word of caution here. I have been informed that scrappers visit sites like this to find Alco engines and traction motors to be used on non-railroad applications such as marine and oil rigs,etc.

Therefore if you want to see more Alcos saved for railroad use, please be careful about reveling the locations of Alcos. In fact if all possible, I would advise against the idea in public.

The Erie Mining Alcos and the Knox and Kane Alco were scrapped for non-railroad use and as a result; alot of useful parts were scrapped instead of reusing them for locomotives.

There are no Alco's west of the Mississippi, not a single one. Disregard my previous statement about possible whereabouts. I had them mistaken for EMD's.

Hi,

Perris is 10 miles southeast of Riverside, California, on I-215. Go to mapquest.com and type in Perris CA and you will get a map of the area.

Hope this helps,

There are a few 251 Alcos in Washington and BC along with a few 539s
There are 6 in Oregon
There are several more in California, the biggest being those RSD12s and an RS11 or two. There's also a cabless 539 zombie, of course, of unknown origin.