Did you hear that BNSF is sending it’s SDF40-2’s to the Kansas metal recylers for scrap. Cartier is sending most of it’s alco’s and mlw’s locomotives to the scrap yard too. People lets save this locomotives for operation or preservation. Let me know if there are more diesel that are being scrapped and let me hear your comments.
The locomotive market is flooded with rebuilt and secound hand engines! As far as the Alco’s, there probably worth more for scrap then rail servce. Lets put them to good use. Grind them up, melt them down and build new locomotives with them.
“Grind them up,melt them down and build new locomotives with them.”?Cockadoodie.I salute those who work at preserving diesels.
ALCos “…worth more for scrap than rail
service.”?Try telling that to the Arkansas and Missouri.I salute the A&M for their stable of beauties from Schenectady.
To the person who mentioned the BNSF SDF40-2s going to the Kansas scrappers…you’re a little too late.In all likelihood they have all been cut up as I type this(assuming the scrappers resumed their work after the fuel-spill cleanup).The Maersk 6976,at last word,was at Topeka.Let’s hope BNSF can find a good home for her.
Targubright, who do you think you are? To me I think your the devil. These locomotive need to be preserved from the scrapyard, not to let them die to make new one. In my opinion I should melt you down like a locomotive and I like to see your reactions!
I hate to think that the former Amtrak SDP40F’s have ALL been destroyed. Certainly at least ONE should have been preserved. These were the first new locomotives purchased by Amtrak. While they had a spotted career, their demise was more political than technical. The derailments that they were infamous for, occured on bad track. If I were assigned one of them right now, out of Chicago, to run to, say, Toledo, I would have no hesitation at all to run at 79 mph.
Just think, in 10 or 20 years, people will be regretting not having saved these when they had a chance to. The same mentality reigned at the end of the steam era, engines such as the PRR’s T-1 and S-1, and the F-7s of Milwauke Road were not saved.
Jason.
Probably the most amazing “non preservation” of them all: Not even one New York Central Hudson was saved. And this in spite of it being a virtual trademark for the NYC for years, a popular toy and model train for more than one manufacturer, and more importantly, many fine examples lasted in service into the 1950s when other railroads, such as the Pennsy, UP and CB&Q were beginning to save representative examples of their steam power.
For those interested in preserved diesels, a visit to the Illinois RR Museum in Union Illinois is highly recommended. They have carefully sought out representative engines from the major builders, in some cases contacting the railroads while the engines were still in service. That is why the very very first EMD GP7 has been preserved, and was even restored and repainted by the CNW prior to being donated to the museum
Dave Nelson
Back in July author Sean Graham-White posted a notice on the Yahoo! group Loconotes that any museum interested in preserving one of BNSF’s
SDF40-2s should contact him.Several weeks ago he mentioned that only a few organizations responded to his notice,but to no avail.My contact at the Topeka shops is hoping someone can acquire the BNSF Maersk 6976 that is sitting at the shops.
Like he said,it is too pretty to send to the scrapper,but he’s not the one who makes the final call.I strongly suggest to those of you who read this that are part of a RR museum to spread the word around to save this unit.If it goes to scrap,
then there’s only one or two left,and they are test beds for EMD(to the best of my knowledge).
I agree with everybody who has written here, let’s indeed save one of the SDP40F units. There should be one or more of each unit ever built saved for posterity (impossible to reverse history, but the future can still be bright).
Lets face reality here. It cost’s lot’s of money to restore and maintain these engines. Railroads are quick to scrap them just to get rid of the liability just from storing them.(If you ran a railroad you to would be quick to get them off the books.)I do not know of any museum’s at this time that have the time or the money to take on any more projects most have a full plate.Unless you know of someone with money to buy them,unless you know of someone how can move them, unless you know of someone how can store them and unless you know of someone with time to restore them.they are going to the scrapper. If you find someone willing to do this I will be happy to send in a donation.
TIM A