Covers on VIA 911

MACTRAXX wrote:Does Industrial Rail now have all the LRC locomotives up for sale?
MACTRAXX

To the best of my knowledge, the majority of them have been scrapped. There may still be a few around. VIA still lists LRC locomotives for sale on their website:

http://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail ... whats-sale

timberley wrote:

MACTRAXX wrote:Does Industrial Rail now have all the LRC locomotives up for sale?
MACTRAXX

To the best of my knowledge, the majority of them have been scrapped. There may still be a few around. VIA still lists LRC locomotives for sale on their website:
http://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail ... whats-sale

Your link reads 5 more LRC locomotives are up for sale still. How many LRC locomotives did Via have?
Could VIA refurbish them into cab cars like Amtrak does to older locomotives? Does VIA need more cab cars?

electricron wrote:Your link reads 5 more LRC locomotives are up for sale still. How many LRC locomotives did Via have?

First, VIA had a total of 31 LRC locomotives at one point, in two series: The LRC-2, #6900-6920, and the LRC-3, #6921-6930.

By 2001, when VIA replaced the last of them with P42s, there were (if I'm correct), only 7 locomotives still in service. #6907 was the last LRC to haul a train in revenue service, on December 12, 2001.

Many of the locomotives sat in storage for some time afterwards, but most have now been scrapped. The ones VIA lists as for sale were listed in 2003, and they haven't changed the listing yet. I would assume that that means they're still there, but I can't guarantee it. 6921 is of course preserved at Exporail in Montreal, so I know for sure that that one is still around.

electricron wrote:Could VIA refurbish them into cab cars like Amtrak does to older locomotives? Does VIA need more cab cars?

I should point out that, when it comes to cab cars, VIA does not have any cab cars of any sort. All of their trains are run with head-end power and control. I have heard of no indications that VIA would start such a practice. Evidently, they're doing well enough as it is, with turning locomotives. It would be nice to see some LRCs revived in such practice, but it is highly unlikely.

It is doubtful that any new owners will ever come forward for remaining LRCs, as they would be a major make-work project for whoever got them. And honestly, who, besides a major passenger network, would need such a locomotive? Amtrak already tried them out in the '70s, and didn't like them, and VIA has had their run with them. It's sad, but true....the LRC (locomotives anyways) are dead.

Ken V wrote:Contrary to this popular "story", VIA did not buy the P42DCs as Amtrak rejects. These were built by GE specifically for VIA and not anyone else.

This is correct. At one time, I had personal contact with the GE people that had aggressively pursued VIA to place the order for P42's. This was a huge win for GE to land VIA as a customer. It was well known at that time that, not only was VIA an all-EMD railroad, but that they heavily favored purchasing Canadian built products over anything built in the states. Regarding the order being an add-on to Amtrak's, that answer is both yes and no. Amtrak and VIA have nothing to do with each other (at least regarding locomotive purchases) so there was no financial link between the two, however I am quite certain that GE gave VIA a financial incentive to place the order. After all, there was an Amtrak order going through the factory, so there was money to be saved from the standpoint of not having to re-tool the factory to build P42's in addition to placing orders with various venders for 21 additional parts (of whatever). Also worth noting, at that time it was well known that the FDL engine was "probably" going to be history due to Tier 2 compliance. Had VIA chosen to wait a few years rather than place the order at that time, the price tag would have been substantially higher. Timing and GE's aggressive marketing team made the VIA P42 order happen.

I think ATK is exactly right, it's quite common for non-related agencies to pair together on equipment purchases because a higher volume or continuous production line results in big savings. Think of the costs otherwise to stop a production line, lay everybody off, store the machinery, and then six months to a year later, start back up the production line, including finding/training the new workers... Could cost millions.

timberley wrote: any of the locomotives sat in storage for some time afterwards, but most have now been scrapped. The ones VIA lists as for sale were listed in 2003, and they haven't changed the listing yet. I would assume that that means they're still there, but I can't guarantee it. 6921 is of course preserved at Exporail in Montreal, so I know for sure that that one is still around.

Still get one at Montreal's MMC
I think that's the 9617 or 6907,I'm not sure..