I was lucky on Sept 9, 2009 when I caught what I believe is an Alco S-2 working in the Milwaukee, WI area. This Alco works at the Nidera Grain Elevator at the Port of Milwaukee. It only comes out maybe once or twice a month when grain cars need to be loaded. I was lucky to catch it in the nice morning sun. I'm not really crazy about the color, but it sure sounded nice.
To see more Alco Shots check out my Flickr Page
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22338037@N04/
Keith Schmidt
Keith Schmidt KC9LHK You don’t bring nothin with you here and you can’t nothin back, I ain’t never seen a hearse with a luggage rack. George Strait Check out Flickr Train Photo Page
What a great find! She could be pink with purple polka dots and I would still run her.
Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train
Any Alco still in service is a good thing. I have had the pleasure of riding many, both in regular service and tourist lines. Nothing like the "pull the throttle & go" of the old Alcos. I can't stand the "pull the throttle and we will think about moving in 5 minutes" of modern locomotives. And, of course, don't forget the lovely clouds of smoke!
I agree completely! Most engines require that you be close enough to see them but with the immediate plume of smoke we would know immediately that it *is* an ALCO :-).
I like it, but could do without the Wal-Mart "Summer Sale" roof, the fly-catcher exhaust, and the color. It sure would look good in New York Central "Lightning Stripes", methinks.
Bill
The color isn't too bad, it reminds me of the late Houston Belt & Terminal.
BNSFwatcher It sure would look good in New York Central "Lightning Stripes", methinks. Bill
Take a look here. http://www.whitewatervalleyrr.org/roster/?op=details&id=2&cat=diesel&sid=328329b4ac2df26c6f84b73102c5623e
You might like it.
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All of the Alco RS-3s, that Dieselized the NYC's Harlem Division, west of North White Plains, to Chatham, were "Lightning Stripers" (LS) in the '50s and '60s. They, of course, were later repainted into the "Cigar Band" livery, or worse. The Putnam Division, which Dieselized with Lima LS road switchers, had them replaced with LS RS-3s. The Limas went to the West Shore. Other divisions used LS RS-3s for passenger service, notably the St. Lawrence Div. and the Adirondack Div., and, I think, some divisions in Michigan. All were steam generator equipped and, mostly, ran long-hood-forward, sometimes doubleheaded, on heavier trains. Even the all-black NYC RS-3s looked better than the Penn Central repaints, for some reason!
I don't know if any RS-3s were ever used in regular service on the Hudson Div., west of Harmon. We, on the Harlem Div., would occasionally get a treat when PAs and E-units, even FMs, would haul detour trains, when the Hudson Div. had trouble. Sure wish we had the "www", back then!
Hays
I went to college at St. Lawrence U, in Canton, NY '56-'59. We had two passenger trains per day, there, a daylight RDC "Beeliner", and a heavyweight Pullman-carrying train, known, locally as the "Canton Creeper". It also carried baggage for our "trunks-of-junk". I think it terminated in Massena. Loved it, as I didn't have a car. My brother spent all of the family reserves going to St. Lawrence for five years! He had a car! I had cousins that lived in Montreal -- Cote St. Luc -- whom I would visit on the occasional weekend and spend the day at the yard, driving their "beater". Hitch-hiked to Ogdensburg, took the ferry, and caught a CN train from Prescott to Montreal. NYC was all Diesel, at that time, but CN and CP were not. I do have some slides, from those days, that I really need to scan.
Latah....
Hays -- wdh@mcn.net
"Kootenai Central": are you in BC? I'm in Shelby, MT. Anyhoo, I didn't mean this to turn into a NYC thread. S*** happens! I have some slides from the Montreal area, c.a. 1956-'59 (I hope. Haven't looked at them in a long time!). Some great CP and CN 4-8-4s, at speed, in Westmount, Dorval, etc.. Almost got run-over by a CN job in Moncton, NB, as a kid! Never crossed at Cornwall. I moved to Vermont in 1968, so missed all of the Rutland. I happened to sell my 35mm cameras, at inopportune times, for beer money. I missed a lot!
Excuse me. You said "switchers", not "road switchers". I don't recall any NYC switchers (SW/NWs, S-series, etc.) in "Lightning Stripes". I'll have to check it out.
Now that the "BC Bud" harvest is in, and safely stashed, take a run down to Libby or Bonners Ferry on 18 October. The ex-SP 4449 will be passing thru. Check www.westbound4449.com for updates. I did WFH-HAV, back in July. Outstanding! Beware the "Border NAZ..., err, I can't say that here. Border Kriminalpolezei, perhaps will pass. They will thoroughly inspect you for illegal fruits and nuts, both ways. Allow a little extra time!
I never rode the M&SC. Aktch'ully, never knew it was there. I did ride on the MTC's neat tiered sightseer trolley once, up Mont Royale, methinks, back around 1963. Took the NYC/D&H "Adirondack"??? "Laurentian"??? to Montreal. Spent the night and returned to New York City in a sleeper. Best coffee I ever had was on that D&H diner. Woke up in GCT and walked to work, all before 8 AM! I have some pictures of CP S-4s at Newport - Derby Line, VT/Rock Island, QC from c.a. 1983. Not too cool, as they were in the "Multimark" scheme. I do miss the real beavers!
There is a Conrad Yelvington aggregate facility here in Downtown Orlando, Florida that still operates an S2, as well as not one, but TWO! RS-1's! One of the RS units is down for repairs, but the other two ALCo's are up and running. They also own an SW9. All the units are painted in a rather smart-looking white with red, green, and black pinstriping. Here is a photo of the S2(with me on the side!):
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