Eastern Railroad Discussion > Another LTEX funeral train today CSX X797

After a quick heads up, I just made it in time to catch the recent LTEX funeral train CSX X797. Units are CF7 2619, GP35s 2536, 2542, 2553, 2566. GP30s 2447, 2422, 2462, 2448, 2471, 2418. Photos taken from Rt5 overpass in Ravenna, OH near MPBG 109. Not the best photos, but you get the idea.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/12 12:08 by FEC2000.

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I was gonna say, I didn't know BNSF still had any CF7s on the property, but I see that one is by way of Los Angeles Junction. I presume BNSF has an ownership stake in LAJ, and this is akin to how SD35s disappeared from the CSX roster long before the two hand-me-downs on CSX-owned TORC here in Toledo were retired.

Interesting! an LAJ CF7!

Good catch!

CR


EDIT: Remember Patch.. Those Amtrak CF7's on the Shoreline? Boy those were better days... 3 CF7's (I believe) pulling a very tardy Amtrak's MAIL-13 towards Old Saybrook with an dead F40, plus lots of mail boxes..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/12 12:16 by CR6444.

CR6444 Wrote:
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> Remember Patch.. Those Amtrak CF7's on the
> Shoreline? Boy those were better days... 3 CF7's
> (I believe) pulling a very tardy Amtrak's MAIL-13
> towards Old Saybrook with an dead F40, plus lots
> of mail boxes..

Oh, yeah, I remember the CF7s on Amtrak work trains -- even got a shot of two such trains passing each other into Mike Schafer's 20th anniversary "All Aboard Amtrak" book. But I was never fortunate enough to catch CF7(s) rescuing a disabled passenger train when I lived there.

There were 22 or 23 motors to start. You should be seeing two more cf7 yet. Also one of the geeps is a one off bnsf paint scheme. BNSF on the side with the herald on the nose in SF paint. That may be on the one in the picture or yet to come by.

toledopatch Wrote:
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> I was gonna say, I didn't know BNSF still had any
> CF7s on the property, but I see that one is by way
> of Los Angeles Junction. I presume BNSF has an
> ownership stake in LAJ, and this is akin to how
> SD35s disappeared from the CSX roster long before
> the two hand-me-downs on CSX-owned TORC here in
> Toledo were retired.

LAJ is a wholly owned subsidiary of BNSF.

http://www.bnsf.com/customers/where-can-i-ship/shortlines/directory/LAJ.html

glendale Wrote:
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> toledopatch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> > I presume BNSF has an
> > ownership stake in LAJ, and this is akin to how
> > SD35s disappeared from the CSX roster long
> before
> > the two hand-me-downs on CSX-owned TORC here in
> > Toledo were retired.
>
> LAJ is a wholly owned subsidiary of BNSF.

Well, that 'splains that. Thanks.

toledopatch Wrote:
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> glendale Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > toledopatch Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > > I presume BNSF has an
> > > ownership stake in LAJ, and this is akin to
> how
> > > SD35s disappeared from the CSX roster long
> > before
> > > the two hand-me-downs on CSX-owned TORC here
> in
> > > Toledo were retired.
> >
> > LAJ is a wholly owned subsidiary of BNSF.
>
> Well, that 'splains that. Thanks.

The LAJ CF7s have been dead and stored on their property for the past several years. I had an opportunity to tour the property a few years ago, and the CF7s were stored, but operable (with the possible exception of one that was heavily cannibalized), according to their chief mechanic. Still, the preference for LAJ was to use power borrowed from BNSF (GP50s, GP39-2s, etc.), as well as BNSFs MK1200Gs (now since retired).

Good catch of the Funeral train on the main

Has a GP-30 been saved for preservation in the USA, Santa Fe or otherwise?

BuddPullman Wrote:
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> Has a GP-30 been saved for preservation in the
> USA, Santa Fe or otherwise?

yea , lots of em. Southern , NW , Conrail just to name a few.

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There are GP30s preserved at the B&O Museum in Baltimore, MD as well. The Western Maryland Scenic Railway also has a GP30 preserved to assist their steam excursion.

Roanoke Chapter, NRHS has a N&W hi-hood GP30 preserved in running condition, and we've got a hi-hood one as well (see my nickname) at the NCTM. In fact, those two ran together this past summer at Rail Days, and the N&W 522 stuck around until after the NS Heritage Event.

-Eric

milepost72 Wrote:
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> There are GP30s preserved at the B&O Museum in
> Baltimore, MD as well. The Western Maryland Scenic
> Railway also has a GP30 preserved to assist their
> steam excursion.

BuddPullman Wrote:
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> Has a GP-30 been saved for preservation in the
> USA, Santa Fe or otherwise?

New Hope & Ivyland operates #2198, a former Pennsy unit...

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R. Craig Rutherford's site lists no less than 16 GP30's in museums or on excursion roads.

http://www.thedieselshop.us/PRSVDemdOthers.HTML

That ranks right up there with the outsized number of army surplus Alco MRS-1's clogging US museums. By contrast, there are only 4 preserved GP35's, 3 CF7's (all angular cabs like the LAJ units), 1 C30-7 (if New Hope & Ivyland's unit can be considered preserved), and zero SD45-2's.