METRA E8 Locos usd for LIRR Bi-Level Tests

The prime-movers of the DE/DM's will live on, in stationary power or marine applications, like most of the Alco/MLW 251 engines still do, despite having once powered locomotives scrapped 35-40 years ago.

there's not even a confirmed replacement for them, let alone a scrapping timeline or contractor

Really guys? E8a's have now relationship to the LIRR than do ALCO PA's. They wandered onto our rails and left. Good riddance to EMD equipment!

RGlueck wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:41 am Good riddance to EMD equipment!

Tell that to the GP38s...

Especially GP38's.

Hasn't this thread run its course?...

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Yes.

Or the FL9s. Similar story to the E8s, both were brought in to test bilevel equipment for a short amount of time, and the two locomotives which visited from each class were scrapped.

My Dad who was an Engineer for the LIRR, Loved the EMD's no more Diesel Fumes in Cab, Quiet Cabs and Good Riding on bad Track.

Same could be said of the FM "Cabin Cruisers", only because the exhaust was behind the cab.
Putting all the cards on the table, the REAL Long Island Rail Road was steam, FM, or ALCO powered. After that, it was absorbed by the BORG.

Pensyfan19 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 3:45 pm Or the FL9s. Similar story to the E8s, both were brought in to test bilevel equipment for a short amount of time, and the two locomotives which visited from each class were scrapped.

There's a difference between 2 weeks of service as leased units (Metra E8s) and 5 years of service as owned units (LIRR FL9ACs).

Lest we not forget, there were three Long Island starships, too. Not just two.

Too many E8s already preservation to maintain (like just about everything else), and as has been said, the opportunity existed for two decades for interested parties to step up and purchase these things. There's a reason they sat where they did.

How did they get to/from Long Island? Conrail via Fremont? Does anyone have pictures of arrival or departure form Long Island?

wintower wrote:How did they get to/from Long Island? Conrail via Fremont? Does anyone have pictures of arrival or departure form Long Island?

I would say so, I remember TRAINS magazine having a picture of them(Metra engines)in Morris Park in 1991 in their news section. Almost all freight came in via that way Conrail. Then in 1999 a bunch of freight started to come in via Norfolk Southern through Cross Harbor after the Conrail split.

Frequently equipment from MN and other roads would come Hellgate via Harold. Especially for things that were set up at Shea Yard (yard and shop were contracted out for various projects within the MTA at various times in the past). When Harold tower was open there would be extra car inspectors waiting for it and usually a LI road foreman would have been on the drag somewhere at Shell, etc. and would ride it down to act as a pilot for after Gate. Car Inspectors would check out the consist, remove their third rail shoes necessary and then a LI crew would take it from there. Not sure what they do now but I'm sure something similar.