Lithonia OperatorThe article mentions “parts theft by an employee.” Wow. Is there really a market for hot steam locomotive parts? Or is this some unscrupulous “collector?” “Hey guys, wanna see the connecting rod I stole from a 2-6-6-2?”
“Hey guys, wanna see the connecting rod I stole from a 2-6-6-2?”
When you have a small organization every participant becomes a trusted member of the organization. To get betrayed by a member of the organization stealing critical elements of the project is a blow that many small organizations never recover from. Kudos to WMSR in finding vendors that were able to remanufacture the parts that were stolen - I am sure WMSR knows what it cost to get those parts remade and I am sure it was multiple times the amount the thief got for their scrap value.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I remember in the 60's hearing from some of the substation construction union workers I worked with at Commonwealth Edison of an event at an older substation that was slated for retirement but was still live with its highest voltage of 69,000 volts but most of the distribution was 4,000 volts. One night there was a service outage and when a roving operator arrived, he found a number of cut cables, some with burn marks and one set with a pair of cable cutters fused to them. The next morning, in a nearby forest preserve, they found a dead body with severe burns, allegedly, where his partners in crime deposited him. Criminals 1, substation 1. Almost all power lines are now aluminum.
Copper theives in Florida will steal outdoor A/C compressor units for the scrap metals involved - copper, aluminum etc.
When railroads stopped using telephone lines along their rights of way - wire theives probably got more of the copper wires than did the railroads.
Wire theives are still active today. Railroads tend to 'economize' with 'radio code lines' for their signal systems - one end of a siding will contain the radio equipment and the other end will be serviced by line wire along the right of way. Railroad police will stake out an area if this continues to happen - amazingly they DO catch the perpertrators from time to time.
Back in the 'olden' days theives would hit plain bearing cars and steal the journal brass. I ended up working a month or so at a particular tower - the regular operator had marked off 'sick'. During the night of his 'sickness' he and an acquaintance were arrested with a pick up truck full of journal brass headed to the salvage yard to sell them. End of his railroad career.
CSSHEGEWISCH There have been a few deaths in the Chicago area of thieves attempting to steal copper wiring and fixtures from Commonwealth Edison substations.
There have been a few deaths in the Chicago area of thieves attempting to steal copper wiring and fixtures from Commonwealth Edison substations.
No surprise, it's happened up in New Jersey at Public Service Electric substations as well.
To coin a phrase, " POW! BZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTT!!!"
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Lithonia Operator The article mentions “parts theft by an employee.” Wow. Is there really a market for hot steam locomotive parts? Or is this some unscrupulous “collector?” “Hey guys, wanna see the connecting rod I stole from a 2-6-6-2?”
The article mentions “parts theft by an employee.” Wow. Is there really a market for hot steam locomotive parts? Or is this some unscrupulous “collector?”
No, the miscreant was stealing and selling easily purloined parts like rod brasses for the scrap value. I believe it was to support his drug habit. Oh, brother.
Anything copper, brass, or bronze is a target for thieves nowadays, you'd be amazed what they try to run off with. Even bronze barrelled Civil War cannon at National Park Service sites have been targeted by scrap thieves, although always without success.
When Upsala College in New Jersey closed about a decade ago the copper gutters, downspouts, and roofing materials disappeared from the abandoned buildings almost overnight, to say nothing of copper pipes and plumbing fixtures.
https://www.facebook.com/319972281379363/videos/346590649626178/?
Savage Tunnel"Audit of scenic railroad reveals plenty of problems" www.wcbcradio.com
From the article The report, obtained by WCBC News Friday, concluded that despite some initial perceptions, the reputed issues of the 1309 program appear to now be under the best recovery plan rather than the worst, and has managed to turn into some positive news at the time the report was completed. The article brings up a number of other issues - issues that money can fix. The bigger problem is where is the money to come from? And like money issues in any company - how do you prioritize those issues in the application of the avilable money.
The report, obtained by WCBC News Friday, concluded that despite some initial perceptions, the reputed issues of the 1309 program appear to now be under the best recovery plan rather than the worst, and has managed to turn into some positive news at the time the report was completed.
The article brings up a number of other issues - issues that money can fix.
The bigger problem is where is the money to come from? And like money issues in any company - how do you prioritize those issues in the application of the avilable money.
"Audit of scenic railroad reveals plenty of problems" www.wcbcradio.com
It is my understanding the project continues to grind ahead. They have had some setbacks related to underestimating the cost of rehabilitating such a large locomotive by several orders of magnitude and having to raise additional funds to keep the project moving forward.
They have persevered and are supposed to be getting close to rewheeling the locomotive.
The locomotive is apparently to be branded Maryland Thunder (2-8-0 734 is Mountain Thunder) and is to be painted in the Western Maryland fireball motif.
With hope that the money holds out to the finish line, perhaps 2020 will be the year that 1309 is back in steam.
The railroad also apparently has to do some tie work in preparation for 1309 and perhaps may have to do some trackwork at Frostburg related to a vertical-drop issue between the station and the turntable.
That is what I am aware of to give at least some answer to your question, but hopefully there are other forum contributors that have more detailed information and can expound on, update or correct the points mentioned above.
Also, this Newswire story has much more detailed information:
https://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2019/06/25-western-maryland-1309-update-cranes-on-the-horizon
What's the latest news on the 1309?
oldline1
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