Alco C425 #4264 Image Yesterday

Was it running? Engine has been out of service for some time. I seem to remember hearing that it needed wheel work. It was down at Bayway for a long time as the 'back-up' engine - wasn't a popular choice with the crews though I don't know why.

RS115 wrote:Was it running? Engine has been out of service for some time. I seem to remember hearing that it needed wheel work. It was down at Bayway for a long time as the 'back-up' engine - wasn't a popular choice with the crews though I don't know why.

DEAD!!

Better road engine than switch engine.

That's true PVRX, though no better or worse then the C-424's that regularly hold down the same assignments. Except for running on Transit getting from line to line switchers are a much better choice for the work the M&E does.

I continue to find it incredibly ironic that for decades when the original M&E was a bustling, profitable railroad (before some members of management succumbed to greediness and shady deals putting it into bankruptcy) it got along with two 1,000 hp non-MU equipped switchers. Now when 3-5 cars is a 'big' freight job on the Morristown line, they're being pulled along by a 2,400 hp road loco with the throttle barely cracked. It's also interesting that 563 has been sent to Bayway with 557 rumored to be headed there as well - the 50% drop in HP not withstanding.

While I'm not thrilled with the black dip paint jobs, the SSB-1200's have looked much more 'at home' on the line. Don't get me wrong - I like the big ALCOs (and more HP is justified for going to Toy 'R Us on a heavy day), I would just like to turn the clock back and 14 or 15 drilling cars at Whippany for an hour or two.

4264 is back amongst the living! It was used on the Whippany line drill today to bring down the additional RS-11's mentioned in Sandy Burton's post and take away the other items (except the flat with MOW equipment) that had been occupying the Jefferson Road run-around. I later saw them briefly at Whippany (they went east with tank cars) and the returned west mid-afternoon with one of the ex-Amtrak coaches, one of the Tuscon Red passenger cars (couldn't see if it was Kitchi Gammi Club or one of the others) and empty tanks.

Shake down run?

That question of overpower was brought up when the late Ben Friedland
was running the M&E. His argument was that the 16 cyl. Alcos (specifically the C430's) consumed less or the same amount of fuel than a 1500 hp EMD switcher when used in switching and local service. I think his comments were published in either Railpace or Railfan & Railroad.

Anyone care to debunk that statement?

RS115 wrote:4264 is back amongst the living! It was used on the Whippany line drill today to bring down the additional RS-11's mentioned in Sandy Burton's post and take away the other items (except the flat with MOW equipment) that had been occupying the Jefferson Road run-around.

Here are the junk RS11s:

http://kpiersol2.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=711506
http://kpiersol2.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=711508
http://kpiersol2.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=711509
http://kpiersol2.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=711552

I must admit, they really know how to rearrange their junk - maybe they can help me clean my basement?

I have been told the same thing by forces at the WNYP, that a Century unit is better on fuel than an EMD switcher. The fuel becomes a negligible issue, with the added bonus of extra horsepower.

David Becker

I miss the 4264 down in South Jersey. I remember one day the SRNJ used her on a stone train, before the M420's arrived and the GP10 was down, it was the first time that multiple ALCO's used down there. It was really nice to see.


Brian