Conway Scenic GP7 573

Photo on NERail shows this unit headed to Guilford's Waterville Shops for "overhaul".......anyone have details? What is being fixed? And why the Big G? CSRR seems to have adequate shop facilities. Isn't the Big G rather expensive for shortline budgets?

From what I 've seen on another Forum,the unit has a bad traction motor,the others will be checked,as will the main generator, Air comp. needs rebuilding and the prime mover may get new power assemblies. New Hampshire Northcoast uses GRS shop,and keep in mind,that th is GP-7 was maintained at Waterville for close to the first 50 years of its life. Bud

Maybe they should send their 0-6-0 to GRS too! Sure aren't getting anywhere on it themselves!

Last I heard the steamer 7470 (47) is near completion, infact I was told that the CSRR is just waiting on state and federal testing and it will be understeam again. People need to be a little more patient with this because I don't think the CSRR ever saw this coming a few years back when the engine was inspected and failed (a federal inspection). I was told part of the reason its been taking so long is because they had to come up with a way to pay for the up bringing of the engine which caused it to be put out of service till those failures were met to meet the passing guide lines. (note i dont know the whole story with the engine this is what i was told by some people that have been following the problem since day one (so they say) so if im way off just let me know because I would like to know what the real deal is)
One another note: the conway scenic is gonna have to set a side some money pretty soon to have the two Notch trains repainted pretty soon... there starting to look pretty worn out (paint wise). You may not think the engines look that bad yet... but I compared some pics that I took of the engines back in June of 1997 and some pictures taken by a friend of mine this passed July and wow is there a differenes. They will be needing a new paint scheme (I would say) with in the next 5 years or so. Not only that but the ex- B&M engine 4266 is starting to look a little worn out too and will most likely need a new paint job done more so than the the two Notch Trains (I think). Though the CSRR doesn't own the 4266 the 470 RR Club which does will have to pick up the tab for that one.

Saw a picture on NERAIL of the 573 waiting to be picked up, after beging dropped of by the Conway Scenic. What a beautiful engine that is, that paint is holding up pretty well. I believe it was in 1997 or 98 when it was painted back to its original look. The engine was delievered and operated for a short while on CSRR as #27 painted in Guilford gray and orange with the big G on the side. CSRR re-numbered it back to its original number 573 and brought back the original paint sheme as it was when delievered to the Maine Central. This engine was also painted in green with yellow stripes back in the (70's)i believe, I only know that because I've seen a picture of this engine in that color some where and if I find where it is I will post it. (not sure if it was ever painted in the yellow with the green stripe before being sold to Guilford and painted gray).
Heres the link to the picture
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... way_Scenic
now you see the picture of the 573 now take a look at the picture of the 4266 and you will see how bad the paint is starting to look. The 4266 use to look just like the 573 a few years back with the paint being nice and shinny and all.
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... way_Scenic

Any word on the 573? Does anyone know how long this overhall will take? I read somewhere can't remember where that the 573 will be back in time for the 2005 operating season. Ok so IF the 573 is fixed before the end of the winter is it going to be held where it is now or is it to be brought back to N. Conway and if so will it be able to make it through Crawford Notch? (I know it could but will the the NHDOT allow it because i know the ROW is use for Snowmobiles which is one of the reasons the Conway Scenic doesn't operate during the winter.)

The 573 is owned by the Locomotive #15 Group, right?

-Justin Franz

Hmmm, Green Mountain had scale engines produced, I wonder if Conway Scenic will ever offer models of their engines!

I've never been up there, but it looks like a nice place!

NellsChoo,

The Conway Scenic RR does offer HO scale models of some of their engines and passenger cars. If you contact their gift shop, they can provide details as well as a price list.

I also have digital pictures of some of what they have to offer for HO scale equipment as well as a picture of the price list.

Michael

Meyblc said :

The Conway Scenic RR does offer HO scale models of some of their engines and passenger cars. If you contact their gift shop, they can provide details as well as a price list.

why dont you just make them yourself its ALOT cheaper and plus you dont have to wait X days or weeks

Cheaper? Faster? First you have to buy a donor engine, then decals OR make your own. Possibly have to do a repaint, depending on the engine you bought. It's a lot of work to do right, and that's fine, as I've built models for years. But sometimes its nice to buy something already made... and in this case, it would be neat to say it was bought at Conway! The money also would help them out.

JD

Um, what IS the work being done on the GP7? Does the unit's steam generator still work? Or has it been disabled?

NellsChoo,

Took a look at your web site, very nice.

BTW that #193 that you caught at Warehouse Point (CERA) is their Line car.
It what I call "kit bashed", i.e. made inhouse from the parts of others cars.

I was up there Oct 1st, they had the 4266 on one end of the valley train and the 573 on the other. Wondered why they needed two units to power 6 cars, and why they were at opposite ends. With a bad traction motor I can see why. Also the 573 was throwing quite a bit of smoke when it was notched to run 3 and up so yeah the power assys would need replacement. Can they still get 567 assemblies?

Also, the F units need much more than paint IMO. There was quite a bit of ugly perforation rust above the pilot on the 6516 and also near the builders plates on both the 4266 and the 6505.

I was on the Craford-Faybans run that day, really nice foliage and of course the thunder of 2ea 567's pounding away was nice as well...

-Dave

I think the 573 was one of the most repainted locomotives on the MEC roster. I like it's current scheme the best.