IRM is alone now...

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

As the only museum with a WC SD45. The Lake Superior Railroad Museum has commenced work on their own WC SD45 #7495, the first SD45 donated by CN, to turn it into the Northern Pacific #3617. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=314920&nseq=0 Not sure why it wont hyperlink.

2

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=314920&nseq=0

That’s a neat photo.

3

OK, now that I read the photo caption and the comments, I understand the subject line.

Yes, the WC colors are great - but the NP colors are equally good, authentic/ original - and non-existent otherwise, I believe. Better to have 1 of each than 2 of the same and none of the other.

When do you anticipate the work will be done ? 'Cause as a big fan of the former NP for like 45 years now [:O] , I want to be sure to visit after then, to see the finished product. [tup] Nice looking shop, too !

Note to coupler enthusiasts: There’s a pair of new ones on the pallet in the foreground - you can see most of the shanks, etc.

Thanks for sharing the link and info !

  • Paul North.
4

Painting will be sometime this spring, as for running, well she may never run unless we find a generator. The couplers the unit came with were very screwy and didnt work well so that is why they are being replaced.

5

OK, thanks for the info.

Generator = reuse value if still good, copper = scrap = lot of $ even if not. Your only hope is that with the present economy, you could pick up a working generator from a surplus locomotive fairly cheaply. Good luck with that.

Couplers - that’s a typical railroad trick - put the junk on the stuff that’s going to somebody else. After the Knuckle Coupler thread here back in 2007, may I suggest that the museum cut the old ones in half - say, 1 of them horizontally, and 1 of them vertically, with a saw, not a torch - and label them to make a cut-away section type of display to eductae visitors on the details of how they work. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen that kind of info on display before, so it would be kind of unique. Maybe even set one up so visitors could operate the cut lever - with appropriate safety precautions ?

Thanks again.

  • Paul North.