the wreck of B&M 1739

I was wondering if anyone knows the month and year when B&M GP9 1739 was wrecked. I think it was in the early to mid 1980's but am not sure. Any help will be much appreciated!

Are you sure about the 1739? This suggests you are mistaken:

http://www.trainnet.org/Libraries/Lib003/B_M.TXT

161pw165 wrote:Are you sure about the 1739? This suggests you are mistaken:

http://www.trainnet.org/Libraries/Lib003/B_M.TXT

In my research I have run across many published references, including X2200 South and others, that indicate when 1739 was scrapped in 1987, it was the first B&M GP9 to be scrapped without wreck damage. Contrary to all those reports, one very reliable source has told me that 1739 received wreck damage in the early 1980's, possibly 1983, and never ran again. This undated photograph seems to back that up:

http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=53051

Perhaps the key word here is "major":

Only fifth B&M GP9 to be scrapped of the original fifty and the first to be scrapped that didn't have any major wreck or fire damage to it.

I think thats right. It appears that 1739 was indeed retired after a wreck incident, but was not smashed up,only rendered uneconomic to repair.
perhaps the owner of this photograph
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?20050 ... 818088.jpg
can help with the date
and surely Mr. Huntchinson will be along to tell us the whole story
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?20050 ... 307444.jpg

MEC407 wrote:Perhaps the key word here is "major"

You're probably right. It does appear that only the pilot was damaged in the initial incident. After it had been further cannibalized at N Billerica it likely appeared to have no wreck damage at all.

Yes, hopefully Mr Hutchinson can set us straight with the rest of the story.

Sorry for doubting you.....

and yes, I guess the qualifying word here is "major"

I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help, by the time I took that photo at Billerica Shops, I had already left Guilford when Amtrak took over the Boston Commuter Service. A lot of locomotives, GP-9's in particular, got severely damaged during the strike of 1986 by unqualified replacement workers (Scabs), perhaps this is one of those. By 1987, Guilford was already disposing of older power if it had any damage that they deemed not worth fixing.

The only entry in the FRA accident database is a light engine set Extra 1739 North running 25 mph striking a string of stationary cars on CV property at White River Jct on 12-18-82. Damages were $41,000. Official cause is listed as human error, excessive speed within yard limits.