Alcos

[etmccaus]

You must hang out with an exceptional group then, as most younger people I run across could care less.

Heck, you could say most younger people could care less about trucks, trains, buses...virtually anything with wheels that doesn't go 200 mph and hasn't been featured on MTV's Cribs. But that isn't the case.

I know a few 30-somethings (and a handful of those in their late 20s) who happen to own older transit buses, or simply moved to save things from the scrapper. And there are plenty more of those in the bus fan community that wish they had the money/space/resources to do the same.

[TrainWatcher]

I got ahold of Mr. Lynch at Waymore and looking to strike a deal for one of them. Anyone who wants to help is more than welcome to especially if you have any Alco 251 experience (being an aircraft mechanic myself, a piston engine is a piston engine). I also have a good lead on a storage railroad that would prolly allow her to stretch her legs now and again and yes, its in Michigan

$30,000 ain't cheap, but maybe I was wrong to say they should be gone.

[redside20]

you can ask the Peruvians and Brazilians about hand me down junk that the American Railroads threw away from 20 years ago. They are using GE Dash 7s on 7000 foot plus mountaintops in Peru while some Dash 8s have found there way to Australia and Brazil.

[~Z~]

Thanks for locking it down for a bit scooterb so I could clean up the last little bit.. people were having a sensable debate until TTAM and Redside steered it off course. Carry on, discuss, disagree, fine with me.

[Ytownsteelman]

Trainwatcher, if you need some assistance with your endeavor please contact me offlist. Maybe I can be of some service, depending upon what you need.

Oh yes I am new here and joined this forum specifically to follow the saga of these locomotives. No I don't know many of you from adam, but it doesn't take a psychology degree to read two threads worth of posts and detect defeatist attitudes. Some of you probably did not even read the second part of my statement about not openly advocating the destruction of this equipment, possibly making Trainwatcher's job just that much harder to accomplish.

[LSRC]

I guess I'll jump back on here against my better judgement.

Trainwatcher, if you're able to secure home, I know I'd be able to donate some money and time to help.

We're not "defeatist", simply realistic. If the facts check out, we have two days left to save these before they're scrapped. I'd love to see these saved, but honestly, there's not a whole lot we can do.

As for the comments about kids these days not understanding history, well duh. That's part of being young. You've never lived the past so you don't fully appreciate it. The young ones today will be the ones in the future who try to "save the rare GEVOs" and whatnot.

And again, I'd love to save these Alcos. I grew up watching seeing these incredible locomotives every day, and it is truely sad to see these go. So many fond memories. But I'm a full time college student that's working two jobs to put himself through college and have enough money to support my photography. There's only so much one can do.

I recognize that there's not much I can do in this situation. I truely do appreciate these Alco's historical value. I love these things: the looks, the smells, the sounds, the smoke...all of it! You can call me "defeatist" if you want, but I've been mentally parting myself with these units for years. I'll do my part, but I don't think it's enough. "You can't save everything."

I'd personally focus on saving a century right now. That seems much more do-able, plus they all run.

[conrailmike]

Oh yes I am new here and joined this forum specifically to follow the saga of these locomotives. No I don't know many of you from adam, but it doesn't take a psychology degree to read two threads worth of posts and detect defeatist attitudes. Some of you probably did not even read the second part of my statement about not openly advocating the destruction of this equipment, possibly making Trainwatcher's job just that much harder to accomplish.

It has NOTHING to do with openly advocating the destruction of these locomotives, it has to do with the REALITY of the fact that there's NO money to do it with and when it comes down to the $$$ factor, sometimes you just have to move on. I hate to tell you but that's not a defeatist attitude, that's just life.

We are not a bunch of defeatist railfans and I will continue to defend that. There are plenty of people here that are involved with SRI and other organizations and there are plenty of us that support them in doing so.

You don't know what anyone's money situation is here and it takes money to save these units. Even if it's a museum or other organization here in Michigan, money is VERY tight.

If Trainwatcher finds someone or some organization that will help save these units then that's great, if not then that's just part of life and we have to move on. We can't save them all.

[TrainWatcher]

Here's the latest:

In speaking with Waymore, it appears that LSRC/D&M 469 has been claimed. By who? I don't know. However the LSRC/D&M 974 and 975 are still available, however neither are in the condition the 469 is and I feel are way out my spending range and expertise for a locomotive. As long as the 469 is saved, I think I could allow the 974 and 975 to rest in peace. Atleast the major one got saved.

[canpac08]

I would like to see them all preserved but as previously posted the 469 is the most significant one to save and if she is saved. then I would be happy

[Sppengelly]

Thank God that one has been saved so far. Please post if anyone figures out who is the new owner. Bless them.

[Robert MacDowell]

You know, three 16-year-olds got together and saved a railroad line from abandonment.

They rallied people together. They got adults to represent them. They negotiated an 80% discount off the original price, and got the railroad to carry paper, below prime rate. To pay the note, they rallied crews to staff trains (speeders at first) including running the densest passenger schedule Michigan had seen in a long time. Now we call it the Southern Michigan Railroad Society, and it's something for the state to be proud of.

Being as our subject was historical interest among the youth, I can say I knew those three quite well. All of them had a healthy appreciation for history and operated SMRS as a true railroad museum. A New Haven caboose got painted Penn Central because that's what it wore when it ran on the line. Plymouth 57 got painted Ohio & Morenci to memorialize a little-known electric interurban that ran in the county. Of course they saved quite a number of Ann Arbor pieces from the scrapper. And they were insistent that history be respected.

Now with the incredible ability of the internet to take kids to places their parents won't ... the odds are better than ever that young folk can appreciate history.

[ETR#101]

I couldn't agree more Robert. I'm 29 now, but at 16 I was restoring Avro Lancaster FM 212 on a pedestal in Windsor.
Now I've moved on to 3 Alcos in Amherstburg. 2 ex-Essex Terminals from '41 and '46, and another from '56 who's ID remains a mystery. The one from '41 worked everyday of her life until about 2 or 3 years ago when her original trucks gave out. If we ever find new ones we'd like to donate the trucks to a museum if they'd like'em.

I'm using her as my avatar, but there's a larger pic in my gallery. The hardwood in her cab is beautiful under a few decades worth of paint!

[jukeman45]

Bravo

[Jumpin]

The Alco's are not going to be scrapped anytime soon!
Weather and a New Customer will keep us busy for awhile.
I want to thank everyone for thier interest!

To ALL a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
From Waymore Power Co.

[TrainWatcher]

The best news that I have heard yet! Thank you Mr. Lynch. But, are they still for sale if we'd like to get one?

[Clay320]

Is the lesson here if a bunch of Railfans grumble loud enough people will listen?

Seriously though, this is great news. One saved, and the others arn't getting scrapped anytime soon!

Makes me happy.

[jukeman45]

Is the lesson here if a bunch of Railfans grumble loud enough people will listen?

Seriously though, this is great news. One saved, and the others arn't getting scrapped anytime soon!

Makes me happy.

So happy you'll buy one?

[Clay320]

Is the lesson here if a bunch of Railfans grumble loud enough people will listen?

Seriously though, this is great news. One saved, and the others arn't getting scrapped anytime soon!

Makes me happy.

So happy you'll buy one?

I wish. No money though, I can hardly finance my model layout let alone a alco. I'm one of those young guys(as in not out of HS yet) who apparently don't care about history or whatever some people were tryng to say..

So unless there's a 95% discount and free shipping its a no from me.

[sd70accsxt700]

I wish. No money though, I can hardly finance my model layout let alone a alco. I'm one of those young guys(as in not out of HS yet) who apparently don't care about history or whatever some people were tryng to say..

So unless there's a 95% discount and free shipping its a no from me.

I also see you are one of the young guys that know it all like a lot of the others do to, with out even haveing been able to get out in the world. My point was and is that there is and are young people who dont care about saving stuff and could care less about older stuff. Just because you and everyone eles aperently have never talked to one, dont mean that they are not there. You and everyone else is naive if you think that all young people care about saving stuff.

[Clay320]

I wish. No money though, I can hardly finance my model layout let alone a alco. I'm one of those young guys(as in not out of HS yet) who apparently don't care about history or whatever some people were tryng to say..

So unless there's a 95% discount and free shipping its a no from me.

I also see you are one of the young guys that know it all like a lot of the others do to, with out even haveing been able to get out in the world. My point was and is that there is and are young people who dont care about saving stuff and could care less about older stuff. Just because you and everyone eles aperently have never talked to one, dont mean that they are not there. You and everyone else is naive if you think that all young people care about saving stuff.

I do not claim nor try to know it all. The 3rd sentence of my comment was more sarcastic and lighthearted than anything serious, hence the smilie face. I know most people my age don't give a crap about anything other than themselves, and that's really too bad. But there are ones who do care, and they don't like getting thrown in with the generalization that "no/almost no young people care".