SRen To those who say the F40PHs are not worth saving I would like to remind everyone that many had the same feelings about the EA through E7 EMD models, PA and DL109 Alco models, and Erie Built FM locomotives. What is common, ugly, or boring today will be historically significant in a decade or two. Plain Jane Amtrak F40PH deserve to be saved because they pulled our nations passenger trains through some of Amtrak's most turbulent years.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
Metra is beginning to cycle its F40PH's through a rebuilding program so they should remain in service for several more years.
Well, there's always the MBTA. They seem to have many.
To those who say the F40PHs are not worth saving I would like to remind everyone that many had the same feelings about the EA through E7 EMD models, PA and DL109 Alco models, and Erie Built FM locomotives. What is common, ugly, or boring today will be historically significant in a decade or two. Plain Jane Amtrak F40PH deserve to be saved because they pulled our nations passenger trains through some of Amtrak's most turbulent years.
All of VREs F40's have been bought by rail world for $150,000 each most likely these locomotives will have there engines rebuilt and sent to Poland and the rest of the unit will be scrapped.
Just last week I saw one of the VRE units going through Chelmsford, MA as a trailing unit on a Pan AM freight. Looked like it was headed for Maine. Has PA leased any of them?
NHCentralFan
oltmannd shay1925 wrote: Perhaps it might be better to put your money into one of the two F40s that are already preserved, 281 at California State Railraod Museum or 307 at NC Transportation Museum. As a volunteer and board member at Spencer, I can tell you that the 307 would look great -- in a new coat of paint! Jim Wrinn ....which raises the interesting question of which scheme? Do you paint it in the "as delivered", big red and blue, skinny white stripes? Or, the 2nd scheme with the equal red, white and blue with offset "Amtrak" on the nose? If my memory serves, the 2nd scheme was more long-lived (and I like it better!) -Don
shay1925 wrote: Perhaps it might be better to put your money into one of the two F40s that are already preserved, 281 at California State Railraod Museum or 307 at NC Transportation Museum. As a volunteer and board member at Spencer, I can tell you that the 307 would look great -- in a new coat of paint! Jim Wrinn
....which raises the interesting question of which scheme? Do you paint it in the "as delivered", big red and blue, skinny white stripes? Or, the 2nd scheme with the equal red, white and blue with offset "Amtrak" on the nose?
If my memory serves, the 2nd scheme was more long-lived (and I like it better!)
-Don
At least two F40s got repainted into Amtrak's Surfliner scheme shortly before they were retired. I think the F40s looked good in that scheme.
Physically they are in beautiful shape.
Mechanically, as in hard, daily commuter service, they are showing their age.
It's not the same thing and you would know this.
aegrotatioAll of them are in daily commuter service and have been breaking down more and more often and are awaiting their replacements. They're in beautiful shape, but one does appear to have a merely cosmetic rust blister on the front under the paint.
Virginia Railway Express at http://www.vre.org/ has put up all of their owned locomotives for sale including THREE F-40PH units. The Procurement section has a document detailing the proposition to sell: http://vre.org/about/procurement/
To quote: "The F-40s were built in the mid - 1970s, with top deck rebuilds and new hot starts completed in 2004-2005."
These units draw HEP off the prime mover. The document below has extensive details: http://vre.org/about/procurement/RFI_09-017_Sale_of_Locomotives/Notice%20of%20Intent%20to%20Sell.pdf
VRE would love to dispose of these units. All of them are in daily commuter service and have been breaking down more and more often and are awaiting their replacements. They're in beautiful shape, but one does appear to have a merely cosmetic rust blister on the front under the paint.
Note, I went to your web site and Facebook pages and I respectfully and highly recommend that you have someone correct your spelling and grammar.
I have set up a website www.f40ph.org and a facebook page http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=39359228880 What I need to do is start a non-profit but to do that I need a Treasurer and Clerk and volenteers are almost impossable to find.
cprted wrote: clash wrote:Does'nt the Ski train between Denver and winter park use ex Amtrak F40PH's?It would appear so.
clash wrote:Does'nt the Ski train between Denver and winter park use ex Amtrak F40PH's?
It would also appear that those units get around to other places at times...that photo was taken in Coralville, Iowa, a suburb of Iowa City! Notice the "Coral Ridge Ave" address on the Steak & Shake billboard. I've been in that area several times.
Also I agree, too bad a P30CH wasn't saved. Those were interesting engines, and they were all scrapped. Saving another F40 is good for this very reason - so there'll always be one around somewhere.
Thanks for the updated phase III sig
It dosen't take that much to help out. here is a chart of some stuff I sell and there price and how much I make off them. A $4.49 Magnet goes a long way.
Ham549 wrote:Phase III all the way
Totally agree. Phase III looks great on F40s, and F40s look great in phase III
Hey Ham, work on the F40 in your sig so it's in phase III. Not sure what phase it's in now? Like a phase II without white pinstripes, and a too large blue section.
Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, COClick Here for my model train photo website
Krazykat112079 wrote:Here's a question for the nay-sayers. Why not save it? Someone shows an interest in preserving a piece of American railroad heritage. I say kudos. I have no idea how many if any are safely within the confines of a museum, but one more wouldn't hurt, would it? Every locomotive preserved, if even only for a static display, is a win in my book.
Limited resources can be spread too thin. Better to preserve one well than preserve two only to have them rust away to scrap.
shay1925 wrote:Perhaps it might be better to put your money into one of the two F40s that are already preserved, 281 at California State Railraod Museum or 307 at NC Transportation Museum. As a volunteer and board member at Spencer, I can tell you that the 307 would look great -- in a new coat of paint! Jim Wrinn
Its called lease to own, when the lease is up Ansco Investment Co will own the three engines... why the heck would they strip the engines they just finished paying off for parts? What would they use to pull the skitrain then?
Ansco Investment Co. already "Saved" those three Ex.Amtrak F40PH's isnt that good enough for you?
The Ski Train locomotives are owned by Rail World Locomotive Leasing and are on lease to the Ski Train/Ansco.
TNT
Mmm Ski train..... They were leasing engines from Amtrak for a few years after they stopped using the D&RGW GP60's, They got 242, 283, 289 on a lease to buy deal from Amtrak in 2000 and had them painted to match the train
You guys might find this site of interest.
http://www.on-track-on-line.com/amtkrinf-f40activ.shtml
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