Bangor and Aroostook BL2 #51

[svobronco]

I have photos of this unit at the Derby shops back in 1992(?) after all the other BL2's had been sold off (or donated). Does anyone know the fate of this engine? I belive at the time it had been sold to Glenn Monhart in Wisconsin to join #52 & #56 but as far as I know it never made it.

Greg

[Stag Hound]

I believe this was a topic a few months ago on the MEC/B&M forum although I cannot locate it. From last I heard the MMA was refurbishing the unit mechanically. As for a comestic restoration I am unsure. It is still somewhere in northern Maine though.

[CarterB]

Are the two BAR BL-2's still at the Janesville & Southeastern as well?
Is BAR #57 still at the Cole Transportation Museum in Bangor?
According to Wikipedia BAR #51 ex#551 lightened by 10 tons for service on the Greenville Branch scrapped 1993

[MEC407]

From last I heard the MMA was refurbishing the unit mechanically.

MMA doesn't have any BAR BL2s but they do have a BAR F3, which I believe is the unit you're thinking of.

More info can be found in the MMA/BAR forum.

[svobronco]

Are the two BAR BL-2's still at the Janesville & Southeastern as well?
Is BAR #57 still at the Cole Transportation Museum in Bangor?
According to Wikipedia BAR #51 ex#551 lightened by 10 tons for service on the Greenville Branch scrapped 1993

As far as I know #52 & #56 are still in Wisconsin for sale. Owner died a few years back and they've been sitting, asking price is quite high.

It would be a shame if BAR or MMA scrapped the #51

I did a full site search for info on the #51 before posting this and came up empty.

Thanks for the info.

[sandyriverman]

If you read the history of the Bangor and Aroostook written by Herb Cleaves and Jerry Angier you find out what was behind the lightening of #51. The reason was the Bunker Brook trestle on the Greenville Branch. This was the last piece of Bangor and Aroostook to see regular steam service because of that trestle. They bought the F3 units in A-B-A sets first but they were too heavy for that trestle. When the BL-2's came along the railroad maintenance people discovered that many hundreds of pounds of pig iron had been installed on the engine in and around the carbody framing in order to maintain traction I suppose since the basic engine was somewhat lighter than an F3. By taking this out they lightened that engine enough to dare to chance it on the trestle. But it had very specific orders on how to proceed. I don't believe it was allowed to do any more than just coast across the trestle and I think they put a flat car or something behind the engine in order to lighten the load at that spot even more. I believe she was the only BL-2 that ever operated to Greenville.

That BL-2 was an interesting but short lived design. The road switchers obsoleted them almost overnight. BAR held on longer than almost anyone else. (5)57 was still in the Cole Museum last time I was there. I don't think its ever going to go anyplace but right there. It is sure an impressive sight inside that building.

SRM

[tim5405]

As probley most people know #54 is still up and runing in Honesdale PA on the Stourbridge Line , Still in the Tri Color Paint (the only bar bl-2 to get that paint job).

- Tim

[Cowford]

The two units in WI are rusting away on a storage track opposite the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay... at least they were there a few months ago.