Western Railroad Discussion > Old NW-5

Drove by Samuels in Miwaukee today, I see the old BN NW-5 is parked inside any plans to do anything with it?

The 187, one of only two NW-5's known to still exist was vandalized by copper thieves where it was sitting south of the yard area last week. The %$&*ing meth addicts cut off two of the traction motor leads on the #3 motor; fortunately they left enough cable outside of the motor frame to solder new clasp connectors on the existing leads. The carbody wiring was cut off flush with the underframe; only good thing is that it is directly beneath the electrical cabinet which should be repairable.

The 187 will be rebuilt someday to join the OPR's "operating museum"; this setback simply delays things for a couple thousand dollars and who knows how much time?

OPR will soon begin building a concrete wall along both sides of the locomotive storage area six feet high using the precast concrete modular units to prevent future copper thefts.

Really sucks when one has to resort to this to protect historic equipment.

Dick Samuels; Owner Oregon Pacific Railroad

EMDSW-1 Wrote:
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> Really sucks when one has to resort to this to
> protect historic equipment.

Indeed.

Thanks for all you do to preserve neat engines.

At least 4 NW5's exist. The one mentioned here, 1 at Lake Superior RR Museum (ex GN), one in FL (ex Union Belt of Detroit) and the lone former Southern 2100 on the Mass Central RR.
Larry

Where is the one in Florida?

Also, I understand that the Massachusetts Central unit was recently repainted, but I'm not certain. Hoping to get some shots of it next week.

There was a short line in Omaha/Council Bluffs that had a pair of them about 15 years ago. What ever happened to those two?

Isn't one of the GN units on display at the Izaac Walton Inn?

Regarding the 187 at Milwaukie, Oregon; my tunnelvision was aimed at only two of the ex-GN NW-5's in existence. I was aware of the existence of the other two as industrial units as I think at least one was chop nosed and was unaware of the fate of the others.

The NW-5 #187 is the OLDEST ex-GN to survive; the one at Lake Superior is the #192. However, the 187 is not "pure" in the truest sense as it was re-engined at CEECO with a 8-567BC prime mover and has only one exhaust stack rather than the original two. Maybe final restoration will return a second "dummy" stack.

There was one that I know of on the Council Bluffs railway. The number slips my mind. It was cut up abouut four or five years ago. Some of the body is still there sitting on top of a container.

The Iron Horse


pennsy3750 Wrote:
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> Where is the one in Florida?
>
> Also, I understand that the Massachusetts Central
> unit was recently repainted, but I'm not certain.
> Hoping to get some shots of it next week.
>
> There was a short line in Omaha/Council Bluffs
> that had a pair of them about 15 years ago. What
> ever happened to those two?
>
> Isn't one of the GN units on display at the Izaac
> Walton Inn?

pennsy3750 Wrote:
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>
> Isn't one of the GN units on display at the Izaac
> Walton Inn?

I think you mean the NW3 in Whitefish.

In Tampa - FL Gulf Coast Museum.
Larry