LIRR GP38-2 257

Those LLPX (ex-LIRR) geeps can be found frequently on UP locals west of Kansas City - I used to see them go by in my time and KU. There was frequently a set tied up in the yard at Lawrence with a string of cars for the chemical plant in town. You can also find one in Bonner Springs as local power or at the west-KC industrial areas.

Picture I found online taken TODAY of ex 257...
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2450272
( today being 3/20/2011)

ISP wrote: ↑Thu Mar 17, 2011 12:34 am Wow, you guys are such a wealth of knowledge, thanks for answering all of that for me! I hope I'm not a pain for all these questions...

To recap, I guess it would be safe to say that tracks 3-4 on the east side of 112 and tracks 3-6 on the west side of 112 will never be used again (unless MOW storage is needed)? Seems like the new yard, in conjunction with push/pull technology alleviated a lot of storage issues. I assume the wye will never be used again either (except for the rare freight train requiring a turn)? I know they don't come out for Nassau / Suffolk lumbar anymore, can't remember the last time I saw a freighter out there. Seems like a lot of open space in the PJ Station area - might the MTA be willing to part with so much land? Makes sense now- when they installed the new concrete grade crossings on 112, only tracks 1 & 2 received it (and as mentioned, track 2 is still used for the DH to Stony Brook). Hate to see so many "empty tracks" though!

Some other thoughts / questions-

* Nobody answered about the ticket office - still alive and kicking - any updates?

* Something specific to the C3 fleet, not necessarily PJ - I was chatting with a mechanic who works the fleet in Richmond Hill. I asked the person why the automated announcements always work on the M7, but on the C3 the collectors always seem to announce the stations. I was told that there was a reliability issue after the fleet had aged, but now the automated announcements work. The collectors seem to have been "trained" to interrupt the announcements though. Has anyone else experienced this? I've seen proof recently that they do work as it seems they are started correctly at the originating station, but than the collector interrupts it. It frustrates me to no end!

* Don't want to turn this into a good guy / bad guy thing here (I support all of you on the front line so much, as a customer riding a ton I see what you do), but what is the policy on keeping cars closed? Don't see it during the day much, but I happen to travel late at night a lot. If a 4 car consist is only going to have 3 cars open their doors, what is the point of dragging the 4th car along for the ride? And no, it isn't to reposition the cars - because a certain train I take a lot is a shuttle and frequently comes and goes with 3 / 4 cars open. Just seems odd?

I know this topic is somewhat dated now, but I'll share what I've seen in the more recent years.
The west yard is currently used to store MOW equipment.
Here's the most recent use of it:

Tie cars from Belmont (Since left)
Bulkheads & flats (Since left)
Flats, tie cars, & Gondolas (Since left)
Flats (Since left)
2 Gondolas & 1 flat (Since left, only in PJN for one day)
Tie cars (Still there as of 4/2/2022) Currently stored on tracks 4 & 5 with the eastern few sets being shoved over Rt 112 on the farthest track south opposite to the station.

The Wye is used to layup CE moves on overnight stays, as well as storing C3 trailer coach sets for YPD moves.
If a Westbound trains cab car fails, the DE or DM would be Wyed to lead west.

Lastly, to clear up the new main yard's history. Unfortunately no track in the yard is a remnant of the Wading River extension as the original 2 tracks were also torn up and relaid at a slightly different arrangement during the yards rebuilding.

"Bring back the Goodfellow paint scheme, with the orange "beam of light" pattern on the sides and the name "Long Island" superimposed on part of it." - commonly known as the World's Fair scheme, and it was true Long Island Railroad. The GP38's were never Long Island locomotives anyway, coming from EMD, and sending very viable and reliable ALCO C420's to retirement and (God forbid) scrap.
The rw&b "squiggle" was reminiscent of a Hostess cupcake, and not the good ones.
Long Island's post steam color schemes are of course sublime to blah. The Tichy scheme was great, but difficult to maintain, the solid gray was short lived, the orange sandwich of the FM era was a nod to economics. The WF scheme was fine and should be recalled.
I've maintained the LIRR should be distinguished with a series of heritage locomotives from all Diesel powered eras of the real LIRR.

This has little to do with GP38 topic, but it can't be said enough.

There was an article written by a former EMD official that stated the LIRR geep order was the last ever EMD order intended for passenger locomotive service.

ISP: Welcome. A bit of material on Port Jeff: http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/portje ... 0Jefferson Best, Steve

If I sound like a miserable old curmudgeon, it's because I've earned the right.

RGlueck wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:19 am "Bring back the Goodfellow paint scheme, with the orange "beam of light" pattern on the sides and the name "Long Island" superimposed on part of it." - commonly known as the World's Fair scheme, and it was true Long Island Railroad. The GP38's were never Long Island locomotives anyway, coming from EMD, and sending very viable and reliable ALCO C420's to retirement and (God forbid) scrap.
The rw&b "squiggle" was reminiscent of a Hostess cupcake, and not the good ones.
Long Island's post steam color schemes are of course sublime to blah. The Tichy scheme was great, but difficult to maintain, the solid gray was short lived, the orange sandwich of the FM era was a nod to economics. The WF scheme was fine and should be recalled.
I've maintained the LIRR should be distinguished with a series of heritage locomotives from all Diesel powered eras of the real LIRR.

This has little to do with GP38 topic, but it can't be said enough.

Mr. RGlueck Those c-420's needed to go, the LIRR beat the life out of them, the EMD. GP-38-2's was the best answer for better running Locomotives and the those GP units was nice, the reason for Blue and White paint was the MTA was hoping the LIRR would keep them cleaner.

I'm still a curmudgeon, but I like you alias.
Heritage paint schemes is still a rockin' idea.
ALCO's will always beat out EMD's for class.

RGlueck wrote:I'm still a curmudgeon, but I like you alias.
Heritage paint schemes is still a rockin' idea.
ALCO's will always beat out EMD's for class.

I agree Mr. RGlueck about class Alco vs EMD, prefect Example the wave scheme O.K. on the GP-38-2's better on L-2's, as far as Heritage, it would interest how to lay it out and the DE and DM's they could used a "Paint Job" for sure, I glad you like my alias.

On the old rustbucket trains, especially the one with 2 GP38-2's up front, riding in the open vestibule up front. Those locos had a sweet sounding motor, and with 2 of them did well maintaining schedules. Only problem over several years of my commuting before they were replaced was the engineer's seat on one broke off its pedestal, EB at Greenlawn.

The DE's and DM's are, from my view, politically created junk on wheels, with frequent breakdowns. And they belch far more smoke than I ever saw out of the GP's. Riding in the front C3 EB on transition to diesel, I'd see my car enveloped in a black cloud as the engine croaked to life - if indeed they could get it started.

As to the paint, and cleanliness, LIRR clearly doesn't believe in keeping exteriors cleaned, let alone maintaining the paint. I'd ridden in the early 80's in Israel on an antique train, very plain, but clean and well maintained, that was in far better shape than the LIRR rust buckets. At times on LIRR, I could see through holes in the floor to the tracks below. I figured the rust was the only thing holding the cars together.

photobug56 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 14, 2022 4:39 pm The DE's and DM's are, from my view, politically created junk on wheels, with frequent breakdowns. And they belch far more smoke than I ever saw out of the GP's.

A Pataki/Bruno pork deal, a make work program for upstate GOP.