Private equipment collection at Colonie and Glenmont

I was just down there today. Nothing has changed. No scrapping at this point.
There are several groups/people trying to make arrangements to acquire the RS-3. Thats all I know for now.
Yes...we can breath easier knowing the equipment is not being scrapped for now. For those working on saving this stuff, no one can rest until its out of there.

We can all rest easy that the stuff wont be scrapped TODAY. Sorry to be a fatalist, but these cars aren't going anywhere except by gondola in little pieces. Today it is just too expensive to move any of these pieces, let alone restore them to any operating quality. And the M&H Chapter fiddles while Colonie burns.

The toughest thing in the preservation biz is to admit defeat. "Sorry, we just dont have enough time, people, or money..." The second hardest thing is finding someone willing to accept or acquire your equipment.

The easiest thing is to simply DO NOTHING.

-otto-

I still haven't seen or heard anything official from the Mohawk people in years. Did I miss a statement someplace, aside from an executive officer cutting couplers off of a unit, itself a significant statement?

Dave Becker

Doing the easiest thing is why this stuff is where it is now...

It's time to actually put forth some effort before its too late. I bet a piece or two can still be saved and find a good home and it appears some individuals are actually trying.

pablo wrote:I still haven't seen or heard anything official from the Mohawk people in years. Did I miss a statement someplace, aside from an executive officer cutting couplers off of a unit, itself a significant statement?

Dave Becker

Some things will never change and since the M&H people have done nothing with the equipment for over 15 years, why expect anything different now?

Its only when CP tells them the equipment will be cut up within 7 days will they wake up and smell the coffee. By that time, it will be too late.
Frankly, I commend CP for being so patient. Maybe too much so.

Why would anything change now? M&H has had about 20 years to come up with a plan and reach out to people. I'm sure they will be just as happy to have a contractor come in and hand them a check for the scrap value of that equipment.

All I know is that their damn NYC electrics will probably be orphaned and cut because no one has money to move them to a proper museum.

-otto-

Where are the NYC electrics?

Any pics online?

Chris

I will be VERY surprised if anyone EVER touches the electrics and the other pieces south of Albany... as John can attest to they arent in a very easy to get to location... and not at all by rail anymore... so effectively they are landlocked on a parcel of land that may never have anything done with it...

Here is a few good shots of all the equipment in question:
http://nerrphoto.fotopic.net/c1159902.html

And specifically one of the electrics:
http://nerrphoto.fotopic.net/p36906816.html
-and-
http://nerrphoto.fotopic.net/p36906817.html

I am supposed to at some point go with the president of my scenic line to the south Albany location to document the equipment and conditions in case something happens we can do something with them... but its pretty futile at this point...

See the cny blip on this forum.. They ARE looking into these units.

JJ

The logical place for the electrics would be Danbury and some years back
in the Conrail days, they could probably have been moved by rail to
Danbury.
Today rail movement of these veteran locomotives is unlikely except
possibly on a flat car.
The local leadership of the M & H Chapter turned off a lot of people in
years past and has been a "do nothing" outfit for the last several years.
Maybe the national NRHS could step in and save this stuff but for the past
few years their record has not been really positive either.
Noel Weaver

Where EXACTLY are these electrics????????

SimTrains wrote:Where EXACTLY are these electrics????????

Glenmont power station, way out in the weeds/scrub/trees between Route 144 (River Road) and the Hudson river. (West side of the Hudson)
About 4 miles south of downtown Albany.

They used to be visable as you drove on River Road..not sure if they are anymore with scrub and tree growth..(I last saw them in 1993, when I lived in Albany..I never did try to walk out to them, they are behind fences and lots of "no trespassing" signs..I believe its the property of the power plant, but im not totally certain on that.)

I tried to locate them here:
http://tinyurl.com/3brbse
but the resolution isnt quite good enough to make them out.
they are to the left of the word "Hudson" on that photo..the word "Hudson" being the River.

They are not even remotely accessable without permission to be out on the grounds. The most you can do is bring a telephoto lens and try to view them from River Road.
I have some new, recent photos I will post in a few hours, taken by someone who was escorted out to the locos.

Scot

scottychaos wrote:

SimTrains wrote:Where EXACTLY are these electrics????????

Glenmont power station, way out in the weeds/scrub/trees between Route 144 (River Road) and the Hudson river. (West side of the Hudson)
About 4 miles south of downtown Albany.

They used to be visable as you drove on River Road..not sure if they are anymore with scrub and tree growth..(I last saw them in 1993, when I lived in Albany..I never did try to walk out to them, they are behind fences and lots of "no trespassing" signs..I believe its the property of the power plant, but im not totally certain on that.)

I tried to locate them here:
http://tinyurl.com/3brbse
but the resolution isnt quite good enough to make them out.
they are to the left of the word "Hudson" on that photo..the word "Hudson" being the River.

They are not even remotely accessable without permission to be out on the grounds. The most you can do is bring a telephoto lens and try to view them from River Road.
I have some new, recent photos I will post in a few hours, taken by someone who was escorted out to the locos.

Scot

They are no longer inside the power plant... from what I have heard the power plant people had moved them at some point and it started a heated arguement with someone from NRHS. The power plant people were a little POed and pushed everything outside the fence and shut the gate... since then a HUGE mountain of dirt has been accumulated inside the power plant in the location that the tracks would have come through making it both inaccessable for rail or for a truck (from what I have gathered from the stories from numerous sources) to reach where they are stored... also the other end of the spur which ended back in the port had a wooden bridge burned past serviceability.

New pics!

These were sent to me by a gentleman who wishes to remain ananamous for now..he asked if I wanted them for my NY alcos page:

http://gold.mylargescale.com/Scottychao ... index.html

I said "yes, please!"

Here are the pics:

Units at Colonie:


D&H 4082 at Colonie.
Owned by M&H chapter NRHS.


D&H 4126 at Colonie.
believed owned by City of Albany.


LIRR 417 at Colonie. owner unknown, believed abandoned.

Also currently at Colonie, but no pics in this post, are:
D&H 3011, Alco S2, believed owned by City of Albany.
Alco FA, owned by WMRYHS, the only unit currently actually being saved.




Four units stored near the Glenmont Power station, south of Albany:


NYC 8254, Alco RS3, owned by M&H chapter NRHS.


NYC 6000/600/100 S1 electric.
This unit quietly passed the Century mark a few years back.
It was built in 1904!
And is the only S1 in existance.


NYC 278, T3a electric.
(Is this the only surviving T3a?? im not sure)





NYC U25B 2510.
One of only 6 surviving U25B's.

Scot

Anyone remember this? The electrics were cosmetically restored and moved by rail to Grand Central Terminal in 1985-era for a movie shoot! After the shoot, they were moved back to Albany... where they have been ever since. I looked into starting a non-profit group to raise money and move the electrics to Danbury Rail Museum, but was more or less rebuffed and told the Chapter was looking for scrap value of the equipment only and not interested in preservation.

Here's the biggest issue that I'll keep repeating... we can want, hope, and wish for this equipment to be saved... we can curse M&H for letting the collection rot... but the reality is that it will cost tens of thousands of dollars to move these pieces by truck and crane... and that's even before you start restoration! If we're serious about saving anything, we have to come forward with cash. I gave up my project because I do not have the funds (I'm talking like political campaign-sized donations) nor the connections to make something like this happen. All I can do is sit in my corner and sulk... with makes me mad, because I don't know what else to do.

-otto-