Maine Central GE U18B Locomotives (MEC 400 - 409)

[MB117]

Thanks for the info guys, its funny how Guilford just got rid of the U18B's, seemed like the MEC took very good care of there equipment.

[MEC407]

They were good units. They pulled as well or better than the GP38s, and used less fuel. But Guilford decided that they'd rather be an all-EMD operation.

[MEC407]

Here is a fairly recent shot of 404 and 407:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1691330

Here's a consist that 406 was part of in 1998; it's not exactly visible in this angle, but the caption says it's in there somewhere:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=866

[MB117]

What do you think will happen to the 404 & 407 up in Canada?

[MEC407]

Who knows. They've been sitting there for the past seven years or so; doesn't look like RTE and/or CAD are in any hurry to do anything with them, other than let them continue to sit and rot.

[MB117]

Do you think mec went out and scooped up the U25s because they had good luck with the U18s? I havent been able to find much info on the U25B's, I have seen a few pics of them in the Guilford paint but thats about it.

[MEC407]

I think that's probably at least part of the reason why they bought the U25Bs. The other reason is that the U25Bs were probably very inexpensive and nobody else wanted them. The U25B was GE's first serious attempt at a full size U.S.-spec roadswitcher locomotive, and it was not the best example of reliability. The U18Bs were 10 to 12 years newer than the U25Bs, and GE had made a huge number of reliability improvements during that time.

[Cowford]

The other reason is that the U25Bs were probably very inexpensive and nobody else wanted them.

I'd say that was key! The sight of those newly purchased units being towed in over Mountain Junction was something else... akin to a rolling junk yard.

[atsf sp]

Here is a fairly recent shot of 404 and 407:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1691330

Yay, my photo. These are actually easy to see if you want to. Take Rt 20 west out of Montreal, the road one would take to Dorval. They are sitting at CAD on the right.

[EDM5970]

More out of curiosity than anything, what is a U-18B worth these days? Anybody know of any for sale out there? I would imagine they would bring less than a GP-9.

[MEC407]

I don't know of any currently for sale. Guilford wanted $60K each for the 404 and 407 back in 2003; I suspect the "going rate" might be a bit higher today due to the increased demand for four-axle roadswitchers. Probably between $60K and $75K, depending on condition.

[EDM5970]

$60 or 75K? Back in the day when I was brokering equipment as a sideline, (-the late Grafton and Upton S-4 was one of my deals-), an Alco or GE usually was worth about half of the equivalent EMD. But I guess the market for 752 traction motors has to be taken into account these days.

[Engineer Spike]

The last time that I went by on the Adirondack Sub, it looked like the units' car bodies were intact, but they looked gutted.

[CFD125]

Back in 2001, My girlfriend and I went out to the Niagara & Western New York tourist railroad in Lockport, NY.

I had spoken with the owner on the phone, and told him of the Lionel HO U18B models that I had custom painted as MEC404, and 407. I brought the models with me, and he was very impressed, and asked if I could paint one for the N&WNY.

He invited us to ride the cab of both engines on thier round trip to Medina and back.

That was a great week, with lots of action around the area.

I remember that the 407 had one of those siren shaped "air whistles" on the roof instead of normal air horns. (The brand name escapes me right now).

They also had low nose GP9 #592 on premises in harvest gold & green, but with no lettering other than the side numbers.

[MEC407]

I remember that the 407 had one of those siren shaped "air whistles" on the roof instead of normal air horns. (The brand name escapes me right now).

A Hancock air whistle. Interesting creatures, those. Sound very similar to a steam whistle, but not as loud.