[RITSlist] [Iowa-Interstate] Re: Rock Island E-Units

Tue Jun 5 14:15:51 CDT 2007

Something has to be seriously wrong with them in order for the purchase price to be this cheap. Yep, despite the size of most of our wallets, these two are cheap as far as locomotives go. Check the rusty, "EL"-painted, ex-C&NW F-7 on the same page for a price reference. Why might these extremely historic and irreplaceable girls be offered at these bargain-basement prices? The lack of engine room photos may belie their true condition...

#630 does not operate at all, and has been a cab car throughout its tenure at Baldwin City. She was a tired engine before the Midland folks picker her up. She wasn't really given the mechanical TLC she needed when she first was restored, and she didn't receive near enough TLC once she got to her first tourist RR gig. Neither of the 567's work, and they're the problematic 567A blocks. Tough to fix this. Also, IIRC, the rear draft gear was severely damaged while she was in transit and required shop time in Silvis to reattach the assembly. This girl needs a complete mechanical and cosmetic makeover.

#652 is also in tired mechanical condition, though the relatively new looking exterior hides a few grim problems. Mechanically, she needed a main generator changeout on one of her prime movers since she got to Baldwin, though an overhaul is now a requirement on both blocks. The only time I saw her operating, she ran on one engine (#1 I think) only. More vexingly, the carbody was not put back together according to EMD's original specs. The batten strips on the sides were welded into place, rather than being reattached with screws. The welds appear to be cracked and rusting in the pictures. Also, there may be a water leak in the nose, perhaps at the fireman's window. This leak seems to have frost heaved the nose a bit, as there is a large crack oozing rust down the fieman's side. This nose damage was visible when I first saw her in 1996.

However, if Doyle McCormack's success is any indication, nothing is impossible!!

Tom Klimczak
Lemont, IL

----- Original Message ----
From: iaisus <iaisus at yahoo.com>
To: Iowa-Interstate at yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 5, 2007 1:27:03 PM
Subject: [Iowa-Interstate] Re: Rock Island E-Units

--- In Iowa-Interstate@ yahoogroups. com, "Kevin" <metzke at ...> wrote:

> > So what about the condition of them. They can be fixed. 
> Look at the condition of the ALCO PA's when they came back from 
> Mexico!

Sure they COULD be, but at what cost? First you've gotta buy 'em (I 
couldn't even afford the cheaper one), then pay whatever it costs in 
repairs. I'm just saying that it's going to take someone with lots 
of bucks to do it. I doubt they'd make great freight engines, so 
they'd basically be showpieces and special power for whoever did 
get 'em. 

There's no way IAIS would ever even think about it; it'd have to be 
RDC all the way, which is why I mentioned Mr. Posner's name. They'd 
be IAIS engines in the same way that the steamers are IAIS engines; 
kind of but not really.

Changing subjects:

The westbound went through around 830 this morning with 4 units and 
30 cars. Kind of a neat mix this time; a couple CLAXs, a few cement 
hoppers and some neat tanks, and a few airslides.

The turn was a half hour behind them with the usual, and the 
eastbound came out as soon as the turn got in, going through Wilton 
around 1230pm with 3 geeps and 30 cars again.

The local crew is on their way out too with 703, stopped at Downey 
waiting for the track foreman to clear.

Some additional photos are at the bottom of yesterday's album if 
anyone's interested:

http://www.iaisrail fans.org/ gallery/June4200 7

Andy Brown

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