Equipment stored at Colonie Shops

I know that we have hashed this over before, but does anyone have any idea who owns this stuff and what will eventually happen to it?? There was a partial list on another post today; I looked at the stuff last october: If I remember correctly:

2- Albany port RR Rs-3's
1- S-2 ??
1- ex lirr fa unit
1 coach ex nyc mountain stream (fire damaged)
some combine cars
one old D&H coach
one D&H caboose

The switch has been removed so the stuff is landlocked; some of the cars have been broken into and are open, lots of parts stored inside. Sure is a shame to see this stuff go to waste as I'm sure there's some good parts left on these old ladies..

Please correct any inaccuracies; any info would be appreciated!!!

Work safe

Derail

...of the mentioned properties is: THE GREAT NORTEASTERN RAILROAD FOUNDATION. They also own a steam engine (ALCO) they gave away to the New Hope and Iveland RR. They had big plans which they could never put together.

I thought the M&H Chapter was linked to this stuff somehow. Either way, it's all as good as scrap.

-otto-

This list is 1/2 right.
2- Albany port RR Rs-3's
1- S-2 ??
1- ex lirr fa unit
1 coach ex nyc mountain stream (fire damaged)
some combine cars
one old D&H coach
one D&H caboose


There is 1 RS-3 and 1 S-2 both former D&H units-Albany Port-last user.
The FA2 is owned by the WMRyHS in Union Bridge,Maryland
The coach/Lounge car -ex NYC "Rapid Stream "was privatly owned.
The Caboose,Boxcar Privatley owned
The D&H Coach was last used up in vermonton the Otter Valley.Last car of its kind.
The Blue RS-3 is ex-B&M, Nee-D&H owned by the M&H Chapter
The Chapter btw is on its "death bed" It has less than 20 members left from a high of 350.

Thanks for the update, John....Point being, yeah Otto the stuff is as good as scrap, but someone at very least use the parts, and that D&H coach could be worth something to someone, being last of its kind. Shame to see this stuff going to waste. As I said, one of the cars is full of parts that somebody could use also...


Work safe

Derail

Are there any D&H locomotives actually preserved anywhere?
at a museum or in the collection of an *active* historical society?
I know there are several D&H locos still in use on shortlines, but I cant think of any that are preserved!

(well..ok, 2 of the C420's can be considered "preserved", but I consider those LV engines!

its too bad the Albany area doesent have a really good and active historical society or RR museum..there is a ton of RR history out that way!
and it would be the ideal location for some kind of Alco museum..
maybe someday!

Scot

D&H RS-3's are on the Delaware-Lackawanna roster, and have been restored in a D&H-like black and yellow livery.

http://www.trainweb.org/railpix/miscpix ... -11-01.jpg

Bridge Line maintains an excellent roster of D&H diesels. Check it out:

http://www.bridge-line.org/blhs/dhdieselroster.html

-otto-

Depressing sight, I looked at it just this week. The FA has to
be worth the hassle of dragging it out of there. Surely that
is one carbody in demand. Although the switch is out,
you could get a lowboy and and a crane in there with the RRs
permission to lay down some sort of a crossing of ballast or
ties across their main.
Really a shame that stuff has rotted as it has.

Delaware & Hudson RS-36 is presently on the Delaware & Ulster at
Arkville and I believe it runs in season.
As for the Mohawk & Hudson Chapter, NRHS, I believe there are a number
of problems there that I can't go into here but they also own a number of
very significant locomotives including the last New York Central T motor
and the first built New York Central S motor both of which are silently and
sadly rusting away in the weeds in the Albany area. They also have some
other equipment but none of it to my knowledge is fit to be moved
anywhere. They should do the right thing and get this stuff donated and
moved to a site where it will be taken care of and appreciated. I wouldn't
be surprised if even some of the M & H members do not know just where
this stuff is nor what the status of it is. They had some stuff inside of the
old Delaware & Hudson buildings at Colonie at one time until a rift occurred between the chapter leadership and Guilford who owns the
buildings. Guilford had provided them with the use of a building with rail
access at Colonie for quite a long time.
I don't look for any good news out of Albany and maybe down the road,
there will be bad news.
Noel Weaver

...is very dissapointing or more. Yes, M&H Chapt and GNERF and a "private" owner had stuff in there. When Guilford turned off the heat and told everyone to get out it was evastating to those concerned. At one time M&H was a thriving NRHS Chapter and I believe it is still doing a good job today; it is the group charged with the Alco Historic Photo collection. GNERF; I don't know what happened to them after the steam engine went to New Hope and they were thrown out of the building. Some dreams are dreamt too long when not acted upon.

Don't put too much blame on M&H... restoration efforts require lots of things in short supply: time, people, money (and a good facility).

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote:Don't put too much blame on M&H... restoration efforts require lots of things in short supply: time, people, money (and a good facility).

Rules of Loco / Rolling Stock restoration

1. If you don't have the time, money, people, energy to restore a piece, put it on the market in hopes that someone else does. Use the proceeds to fund more worthwhile projects.
2. If you have too many pieces in your collection, face it - you can't save them all. Weed out the ones that are beyond saving - sell for scrap and put the $$$ towards your better pieces.
3. The longer it sits out in the elements, the faster it'll become junk.
4. Finally, junk is junk. If it looks like junk, smells like junk, walks like junk, and every tells you that its junk then guess what? It's junk! Scrap steel is fetching around $150/ton. That there's gold in them yards.

".. restoration efforts require lots of things in short supply: time, people, money (and a good facility). "



The M&H Chapter had plently of all of the above including a place to work on the equipment until they were thrown out by Guilford.
The problem was more related to:
1) How the people who wanted to work were treated. We had 1 guy who thought he knew more than anyone else and treated people like they knew nothing. We had a good number of people who showed up on weekends ready to help only to end up walking away in disgust because of this same person who did not know how to run a work group. People quit coming to the work sessions after awhile.

2) I helped raise over $15,000 dedicated for equipment restoration only to watch it get used for a large part on non-equipment purposes. This was due to the fact that the group spent more money than they took in and "borrowed" from the equipment preservation account. This money was never repayed. There was nothing left for any projects in the end.

3) I was equipment chairman at one point and after proposing some painting jobs including the S-motor and T-Motor, I was refused permission to spend the money needed to do it even tho we had the money in the equipment fund.
4) I had proposed leasing out various pieces of equipment to operating museums to restore those that needed to be restored in exchange
for those groups using same. As an example, I proposed that the RS-3 be sent to the Adirondack Scenic or Battenkill free for one year in exchange
for needed repairs . After which a lease on a sliding scale would have been proposed. I was turned down for this Flat!

So you see, the problem with this group was more than skin deep. It had some very serious issues which resulted in many members quitting the group who otherwise were interested in supporting it.

As of now, the group has less than 20 members many of which are incapable of doing any physical labor anymore to work on equipment, no money, and no place to do anything on equipment.
They used to Co-sponsor a Train Show in Albany and now they don't do that either.
The remaining equipment neededs to be given away to groups and museums who are willing and able to retore and maintain it.

...M&H people I was referring to. The S2, the steam engine at New Hope, plus a baggage car and a few other items belonged to another group which never got beyond meeting and talking and talking and meeting.

"..M&H people I was referring to. The S2, the steam engine at New Hope, plus a baggage car and a few other items belonged to another group which never got beyond meeting and talking and talking and meeting."

The S-2, (Albany Port RR) plus the RS-3 (Albany Port RR) where the only items that were to be included in the proposed Museum which never got off the ground.

The (4-8-8-4) Mexican Steam Engine belonged to the "Steam Foundation"
Not the M&H. That went down to the NH&I for rebuild. This group was not associated with the M&H.

The baggage car , the B&M RS-3, D&H pass Car belong to the M&H Chapter.