1987 NYSW Alco wreck (was: C430 down?)

[scottychaos]

Im hearing some rumours of a dead C430.
either broke down on the road, or maybe WNYP 433 (susquehanna 3006) in the shop has been declared deceased..reports are vague.

anyone know anything?

Scot

[railwatcher]

Scott, I havent heard anything, although that doesnt mean alot, I did see #432 working with #420 and it looked like business as usual. That leaves #430 & #431 of the in service units that could be affected. Like I said, nothing has been said, to me. Would be sad, but wouldnt there have to be some real serious issue to cause that as drive components can be changed.

Greg

[pablo]

Well, I haven't heard anything, but I know that one of the units needed some repair a bit more than a 92-day, but certainly nothing fatal, and I was under the impression that it was done by the end of last week.

Dave Becker

[Mike Walsh]

when lutherkb and I went to Lakeville a few weeks ago, the susquehanna unit was in the shops, being prepared for a test firing...... Havent heard anything since.

[Luther Brefo]

As I recall it, prelube work was being done. It was stated that the NYSW claimed it ran the last time they ran it. With the amount of work already done, I doubt the railroad has calle dit quits on this engine. If it truly is the end for 433, I bet it would be a good parts source for the rest of the fleet at the bare minimum.

Also the 432 wne through a tune up and is currently undergoing testing as Greg witnessed when it ran with the 420 on the rail train. The electrical work must have been completed by now or it would not have been running on those occasions.

I guess we'll see when we see.

[scottychaos]

ah! I think I solved the mystery..
I heard simply that a "Susquehanna C430 was recently wrecked"..
or broke down..or something bad happened.
no other details known..
*I* then assumed, since the only remaining Susquehanna C430's are on the LAL, that a LAL C430 must be in trouble..

I was just browsing the newest pics on railpictures.net, and came across this pic, posted a few days ago:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=157489

the PHOTO is recent (just uploaded in the last week)but the wreck isnt!

I bet that photo is where the rumour started..since the photo was posted at the exact time the rumour started..probably not a coincidence.
funny how the rumour-mill works...

ok, never mind them..sorry I wasted your time.
hopefully all LAL C430's are alive and well!

scot

[pablo]

I would LOVE to know who started that rumor. Nicely done...the picture even states that it's 1987.

I had just checked and found that nothing the WNYP has is wrecked or ruined, etc. Thanks for clearing that up, scottychaos.

Dave Becker

[Luther Brefo]

The 3002 and 3004 suffered this unfortunate fate. I suspect that in both cases, high speed was involved as something like this would not happen at low speed. Alcos are not top heavy...

This is also why rumors should be ignored. They never amount to anything but lies.

Thankfully, the 3000 and the 3006 escaped to the Livonia Avon & Lakeville Family of Railroads. Progress is being made on the 433. It's going to be a much better engine when the CMO and his crew are done with it.

[BR&P]

The culprit was iced up highway crossings. It does not take much to roll a loco once it gets off the ties - OMID 40 suffered a similar fate in February 1980 but was repaired and returned to service.

[pablo]

What was so damaged on the NYSW alcos in those accidents? Specifically, the highway one we saw the picture of?

Dave Becker

[BR&P]

This is from memory - if I'm wrong please correct me. But I think the problem was not the derailment itself, but the inability to drain the water completely when it was in that position. It was freeze damage as much as wreck damage that finished it off.

[nydepot]

I remember them sitting in Binghamton after that. They were each pretty messed up on one side. Cab side, roof, doors bent in, handrails crumpled, etc. They scrapped them on site right at the engine house.

Charles

[pablo]

I was told tonight that "all" of the 430's were on their side at some point, all before they got to the WNYP. The water damage did in that unit; apparently, the WNYP 430 was once in a bad way as well.

Seems to be much better now.

Incidentally, all the units are alive and well, except for the occasional cold. We all get the sniffles.

Dave Becker

[railwatcher]

You all should be rail cops....... For all the great detective work done. Glad all four C430s are too be alive and in service soon. Good work!

[Luther Brefo]

An update:

Upon my last visit to LAkeville ( last week) the C430 parts that were removed from WNYP 433 and stored were no longer in storage. I think this means the engine is nearer to completion minus painting. Though I suspect it will run in testing for a week or more before the painting process is begun.