VERY SAD!

[eolafan]

[V] If anybody else noticed the photo of a scrapper dismantling Metro North FL9 units at Croton-Harmon, NY on www.railpictures.net (the photo was just taken a few days back), hope you will agree with me that it is enough to make a grown man cry. Yes, I know time marches on, but I fondly remember these units when I was commuting into Grand Central Terminal back in the seventies.

[gabe]

Strangely, I don't get too upset when I see most diesels go to the cutters torch. Rare locomotives and steam, yes that upsets me. Ripping out track is where I really feel the pulls both on my heart strings and our nation's pocket book.

Gabe

[UPTRAIN]

One must be saved somewhere, some of them have to be scrapped, if they are all preserved...nothing will seem unique about them. Although...the FL9's were unique even in the regular days of service in the 1960's like that.

[eolafan]

Yes, they all can not be saved, I understand that, but I am not aware of a single example in a museum...somebody must act fast to save a few before they are all gone.

[UPTRAIN]

I was sure one was in a museum...someone better get busy.

[Anonymous]

A number of FL-9s are in "tentative" preservation, or are in post-retirement secondary employment and are "buying time".
One unit MNCR (the former NH 2059, the FINAL F unit built) is preserved, as I also understand are two (2) units which are now property of the Leatherstocking Chapter of the NRHS.

[AlcoRS11Nut]

several of every model should be preserved be it EMD ,GE, ALCo, FM, BLW, MLW, or whatever. Completly makeing the world extinct of any locomotive model it just wrong. Hey UP TRAIN where did you get the "BUILDING AMERICA" and UP Shield from?....UP didn't sue you yet?.... :) ;)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by eolafan

[V] If anybody else noticed the photo of a scrapper dismantling Metro North FL9 units at Croton-Harmon, NY on www.railpictures.net (the photo was just taken a few days back), hope you will agree with me that it is enough to make a grown man cry. Yes, I know time marches on, but I fondly remember these units when I was commuting into Grand Central Terminal back in the seventies.

Ya it reminds me of all of the Rail lines that are all being torn up all across this country. Rail mileage is slowly being carved up by the metal torch that gave birth to the Railroads. As the Mileage slowly disappers in this country,so will the Railroads.
Allan.

[CSXrules4eva]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

Strangely, I don't get too upset when I see most diesels go to the cutters torch. Rare locomotives and steam, yes that upsets me. Ripping out track is where I really feel the pulls both on my heart strings and our nation's pocket book.

Gabe

I'm going to second that!!! It rips up my heart when I see good rail lines getting riped up or abandoned, I should know because there are more abadnoed lines over in my area (Philly) than there are active lines. :( It makes me cry[V].

[conrailman]

China needs all the Metal it can get from U.S. There are Building alot of Stuff over there that needs Metal.

[selector]

Look at it this way: they will be 'resurrected' in another form, maybe as another locomotive that will also be revered for its beauty, strength, and uniqueness in time....and preserved.

[UPTRAIN]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AlcoRS11Nut

several of every model should be preserved be it EMD ,GE, ALCo, FM, BLW, MLW, or whatever. Completly makeing the world extinct of any locomotive model it just wrong. Hey UP TRAIN where did you get the "BUILDING AMERICA" and UP Shield from?....UP didn't sue you yet?.... :) ;)

Not to change the subject of the discussion, but no, UP has not sued me yet, I have it linked to their website and I'm using it for personal enjoyment, not to make a profit, which is perfectly legal, they wanted the royalties because too many people were using it to make money without their permission. All I am doing is giving them publicity.

[Anonymous]

You're right. I wish someone had saved a GE P30CH. I ran them when they were new, and ran one of the last ones operating. They were gone SO fast that no one had a chance to save one. Same with the BQ23. Ugly, underpowered, but rare. Last one I saw had all the openings covered up and the control stand removed, used by CSX as a "B" unit. And this WAS a revolutionary concept locomotive. The sad fact is that railroads are businesses, and scrap is money.

[Anonymous]

It's strange how we attach a sentimental feeling to seeing a piece of machinery being cut up for scrap. I fly airplanes for a living, and seeing an aircraft at the end of it's life sitting in the scrappers yard gutted and waiting for the torch always makes me sad. Same as seeing a covered wagon coming apart in pieces.

[eolafan]

Yep, I have seen photos of B52's being cut up out west and it is in a way sad to see these proud old war birds going to the scrap heap but in another way it is good as they are not as needed as in the fifties and sixties when the world was a very different place.

[DPD1]

It's too bad to see the equipment go, but I always figure that's just the way it is with everything technical. For some reason the actual railroads and their associated properties and structures bother me more. It just seems like the railroad industry is getting pretty homogenized. But I guess you cold say that about America in general these days.

Dave
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