I am planning a small run down shortline who's main purpose to exhist is to move unit grain trains from a medium side grain elevator to an interchange with the G&W. I am considering what to do for motive power. I only buy brass, so that factors into things and what I know I can find or have on hand. I have on hand, a Susquehanna GE 8-40b(I know its not a 6 axle),along with an matching caboose. To me that is to new of a unit to be on the dirt cheap end of used GE units in the early 2000's era. My thoughts were kind of like what LS&I did with the old ex BN U30C and C30-7s which had little value on the market being pretty beat to death on power river coal trains. My 8-40b is factory painted and from Tom Marsh's personal collection, so I dont want to modify or mess that up. But the older GE, I can find those unpainted and have it done in a patched out, ratty ex BN colors. From what I have observed of the real used loco market, GE's seem to be the least loved and cheapest out there, with EMD and even some Alcos having higher asking prices. Ideas? Mike the Aspie
But, I could also come up with a good back story to having a freshly painted NYSW 8-40B on the line and use the funds spend on another model to upgrade to DCC, Kato Unitrak and sound in the 8-40b. So, I am kind of stuck at a cross roads.
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Here is the B40. I nolonger have the Alco C430 leading it. The B40 and a modified C&O G9 2-8-0 are my two locomotives. The G9 was modified to represent ex BC&G #13 as she was in the early to mid 1980s on a local line as an excursion engine with a PRR look to her.
I think the loco you have on hand would work fine. That unit isn't exactly a spring chicken, and ex-sesquehanna paint is not a problem. You could patch out anything you didn't want with decals, so it wouldn't hurt the paint. I think there are black patch-outs available.
Looking at rrpics archives, it seems that NYSW 4008 was sold to Providence and Worcester in 2005. Backstory could be that they sold it to your RR instead, and you just left it in original paint.
A shortline as you describe could also have U Boats, as you mentioned. Ex BN units would be very nice. Here is a link showing that situation. But judging from the looks of these locos at the time they were taken, I wouldn't be surprised if they would be too old for your shortline in the 2000's . Your B40 might be the better choice.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=42683
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=10404
- Douglas
A run down short line would be short on cash so, I would go with EMD and not old and well worn GEs that could be a maintenance nightmare that would dip into the bottom line..
My choice would be two GP38s or two GP40s. Maybe if the price was right two SD38-2s.
A run down short line would get locomotives that require little maintenance.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
A lot of branch lines that haul grain do it with old gp7. Or gP9. Maybe rebuild chop nose versions or gp10 They were cheap and reliable. Think farmrail. They would most likely be patchout paint as others said. You could even go cf7. GE wise. C39's. Would work as cheap power since that time frame of early 2000's ns was decommishing the exconrail c39 and c32-8. U36c were still around. And i do believe that NJ transit got rid of the u34ch. about that time. Not sure of exact timeframe
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
I have noticed that GE power shortlines tend to prefer Dash-7 and newer stuff. U-boats, though a railfan favorite, don’t seem to be well liked by shortlines or maybe they are just too old. I think 4 axle power seems to be more popular on shortlines even though 3 axle was more popular when the GEs were new. GE power is kind of a rarity on shortlines, though newer Dash-8s are beginning to make appearances (though not in you 2000s era).
Regards, Isaac
I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!
EMD Mike .... Here is a recent picture I took of Nashville & Eastern GE's. It may be what you are thinking about although I would not describe the N&E as "run down".
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
I am trying to use what I have on hand, the ex BN U boat went for more than twice what I paid for this factory painted unit this past spring. So needless to say, I didnt bid on the other model. The interchange railroad was once associated with the NYSW when they had control of the TP&W. So, a leased B40 is not totaly out of the question. I do not plan to patch the unit, but would leave it in full NYSW yellowjacket dress. Maybe sub lettered L&ER in small letters under the road number. I prefer my Overland/Ajin spung truck drives. Once I tune them, they are smooth as glass and this B40 is no exception. Lots of room for sound as well as the drive is very low slung down along the top of the frame. Looking at TSC Wow sound with the version 2 sound file loaded as it has a better "chug" to the exhaust like the B40's have. I will keep the B40 clean, as the NYSW seemed to keep thier units pretty clean in most all the pics I have seen, from back then to the current day. They seemed to like to keep a good image with thier sharp yellow/black diesels. While my shortline will be a bit overgrown, the power will look sharp. Mike
Basicly what you have is a transfer run. PRR used EMD Sd7or SD9 and Baldwin RT624 center cabs (not available) for transfer runs.
emdmike I am trying to use what I have on hand, the ex BN U boat went for more than twice what I paid for this factory painted unit this past spring. So needless to say, I didnt bid on the other model. The interchange railroad was once associated with the NYSW when they had control of the TP&W. So, a leased B40 is not totaly out of the question. I do not plan to patch the unit, but would leave it in full NYSW yellowjacket dress. Maybe sub lettered L&ER in small letters under the road number. I prefer my Overland/Ajin spung truck drives. Once I tune them, they are smooth as glass and this B40 is no exception. Lots of room for sound as well as the drive is very low slung down along the top of the frame. Looking at TSC Wow sound with the version 2 sound file loaded as it has a better "chug" to the exhaust like the B40's have. I will keep the B40 clean, as the NYSW seemed to keep thier units pretty clean in most all the pics I have seen, from back then to the current day. They seemed to like to keep a good image with thier sharp yellow/black diesels. While my shortline will be a bit overgrown, the power will look sharp. Mike
Mike. You may be familiar with a NYSW GP20 running the rails in north central IN sometime around 2000. Full NYSW paint. I've seen it, but I don't recall what shortline or regional RR was operating it. It may have been TP&W. Logansport area.
That loco is a very good example of an ex NYSW unit in full paint operating for another railroad. If I find a picture of it on the internet I will edit this post and link the pic.
emdmike am trying to use what I have on hand, the ex BN U boat went for more than twice what I paid for this factory painted unit this past spring. So needless to say, I didnt bid on the other model. The interchange railroad was once associated with the NYSW when they had control of the TP&W. So, a leased B40 is not totaly out of the question. I do not plan to patch the unit, but would leave it in full NYSW yellowjacket dress.
Well then..Your L&ER could leave your engine in full dress this is not unusual as it sounds. You see your NYSW could be a Heritage locomotive.
My Summerset Ry has a RS1 painted in C&O showing the hertiage of the line.
Translation?
Those Atlas C&O RS1s are hard to find so,I decided not to repaint this engine.
Bingo! What I was talking about above. Ex-NYSW loco in Kokomo and Logansport, IN. This has TP&W lettering, but suzie Q and TP&W had common ownership at one point.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/Locopicture.aspx?id=21748
Your RR could have gotten in the middle of the TP&W/NYSW transaction and bought the B40 and kept the lettering. Maybe your RR has common ownership with the NYSW and TP&W.
SPSOT wrote: "I have noticed that GE power shortlines tend to prefer Dash-7 and newer stuff. U-boats, though a railfan favorite, don’t seem to be well liked by shortlines or maybe they are just too old"
The reason you don't see older GE's being used on shortlines (that much) is... well... because they didn't last. They just weren't built that well.
And that's why you see many EMD's, going all the way back to the GP9's. Like the proverbial Timex watch, they just kept going, and going, and going. Cheap to maintain, as well -- primarily because they didn't NEED as much "maintenance" as other builders.
I suppose the newer, bigger GE's do a little better than the ones in my time in freight (which ended early in the "Dash-8" period). But I'd still prefer a GP38, GP40, or SD40 or SD50 any day. They were the epitome (and I chose that word carefully) of "good horses".
I am very familar with the TP&W GP20s in the yellow jacket scheme. I live about 30 min south of Logansport. My excursion engine is a model of the one they used in the mid 1980's in Logansport. If I could find an OMI GP20, I would have it painted in TP&W colors, but not the yellowjacket scheme. I loved their NYC inspired lighting stripe scheme with the twin clean xenon strobes on the roof in front of the AC unit. One could see them for miles across the table top flat Indiana farmland. The shortline out of Kokomo leased a couple of them from time to time when their engines were down for maintance. I have lots of good pics of them, even rode in them a few times as I helped in the shops as a "gopher" Mike the Aspie
emdmike I am very familar with the TP&W GP20s in the yellow jacket scheme. I live about 30 min south of Logansport. My excursion engine is a model of the one they used in the mid 1980's in Logansport. If I could find an OMI GP20, I would have it painted in TP&W colors, but not the yellowjacket scheme. I loved their NYC inspired lighting stripe scheme with the twin clean xenon strobes on the roof in front of the AC unit. One could see them for miles across the table top flat Indiana farmland. The shortline out of Kokomo leased a couple of them from time to time when their engines were down for maintance. I have lots of good pics of them, even rode in them a few times as I helped in the shops as a "gopher" Mike the Aspie
Very cool. I would think your B40 would have a very plausible backstory. I would just use that loco and save the money.