Steam & Excursion > Another 1309 set back and its not what you think

Saw this on the facebook page

"We here at the Chesapeake and Ohio #1309 page have remained quiet since the management change at WMSR. We did this to try to stay out of the inevitable political discussions that were bound to occur, as well as to not promote the “new approach” the new management had towards rebuilding #1309 which time has been shown to be slow at best.

However, we were informed yesterday of what could be a major setback to #1309’s restoration efforts. This setback is not the result of wear or unexpected findings, but massive employee theft. While the details are not known and strangely not being talked about by WMSR, this is what we understand: brass and bronze parts, both loose and already installed on #1309 as well as business car #204, have been stolen. Parts stolen include bearing brass, wear liners, and potentially other assemblies (including some that have already been rebuilt). Parts believed to be stolen from the business car include the end platform brass railings and many of the cast brass light fixtures and hardware from inside the car. The alleged theft reportedly started around September of 2017. The replacement value of the hard-to-find and machined parts could easily reach $100,000.

While it is believed that most of the material was sold to a scrap dealer, please keep a look out on EBay, at railroad shows, and other forums where such parts can be sold.

Part of the information for this announcement was taken from the Allegany County (MD) Sheriff’s office Facebook page. If you have any information, please forward it to them. If you do not want to contact them directly, please feel free to contact us here at Chesapeake and Ohio #1309 and well will forward any information anonymously."

Sad news. The #1309 just can't catch a break.

Martin

Just plain despicable that so-called employees would commit such a grievous act of betrayal....

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

livesteamer Wrote:
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> Just plain despicable that so-called employees
> would commit such a grievous act of betrayal....


Depends on what their definition of an "employee" is....

Damn shame.

Several thoughts:

1. I can hear Johnny Cash..."I built it one piece at a time."

2. It started in September???? Who is watching the hen house? Insider/outsider...we on TO just don't really know.

3. It's a 3 state area for scrap facilities..WV,MD, PA...makes it harder to do police work.

4. We need tougher scrap laws. For unlicensed scrappers, Photo ID, a photo of individual doing the scrapping, photo of material, hold for 30 days. (the hold for 30 days is a tough law.) Needs to be universal to avoid taking it to easier state.

If it was in fact "employees" Badge pix to scrap dealers should find them fast enough.

I don't know how to link to it, but WMSR reportedly just posted a "Press Release" on their Facebook page, and one of the interesting points about the various thefts was, the scrap yard involved got very suspicious, and alerted the Sheriff's Dept.

https://www.facebook.com/WMSRailroad/posts/10156027130242970?hc_location=ufi

https://www.facebook.com/AlleganyCountyMarylandSheriff/photos/a.10155738003861170.1073741829.42583886169/10156129405691170/?type=3&hc_location=ufi

If they catch the culprit, string 'im up by the 'nads!

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

Maybe it's time to check Mr. Garner's garage and basement to see what's there?

exprail

Another item interesting in that "Press Release" is, all six drivers are NOW at the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum Shop for machining of the axles, crankpins, and quartering. However, I seem to remember that all six drivers previously had gone to the Strasburg Rail Road Shop for all new tires. Now,,,,,,,,wouldn't you think that the "management" at the WMSR would have also contracted the Strasburg to machine or replace the crankpins at the same time while all the drivers were there for tires? Then, to top it off, after the six drivers were returned to WMSR, they were all left out in the elements, and NOW the axle journals and crankpins need re-machining????? Imagine THAT!

wcamp1472 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Let’s seek to get the stolen hardware
> returned...before it gets resold and melted
> down...
> But, also this happens often enough, that the
> managers appear to have been negligent in
> safeguarding their valuable property.
> Used, easily lockable shipping containers could
> have been bought to store the loco’s parts in,
> and rudimentary alarm systems could have alerted
> folks.


"Those that do not learn from history are doomed to
repeat it"

It's unreal how often lessons from the past need to
be relearned in this field. Sickening, in fact.

/Mitch

Tominde Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 4. We need tougher scrap laws. For unlicensed
> scrappers, Photo ID, a photo of individual doing
> the scrapping, photo of material, hold for 30
> days. (the hold for 30 days is a tough law.)
> Needs to be universal to avoid taking it to easier
> state.

With the exception of the 30 day hold, that's the way it DOES work where I'm at. They take your license before they unload anything, take your picture and make you sign when you get paid and pretty much have video surveillance on the whole transaction, especially the high value non-ferrous stuff. I've been grilled more than once about stuff that was possibly of a suspicious nature. I got asked three times about a 15' piece of aluminum underground cable I sold a few years ago. Indiana even has a list of items that are illegal to accept from non-commercial sellers.

My first thought also. About ten years ago disaffected employees stole a lot of HEP cable from WMSR’s own cars. You fire all of the long-term leadership and hire bottom-of-the barrel permanent employees and temp outside contractors and this is your result.

Someone on the Board here does not want steam. Someone wants cheap Diesels and part-time and temp employees that cost fewer dollars and doesn’t have long term liabilities. A Diesel can be inspected by a contractor every 92 days and signed off daily by the engineer ( until it breaks). However, all of the marketing was for “Mountain Thunder”. You don’t have the Thunder, and your social media reviews have gone in the toilet.

TL

Mgoldman Wrote
>
>
> "Those that do not learn from history are doomed
> to
> repeat it"
>
> It's unreal how often lessons from the past need
> to
> be relearned in this field. Sickening, in fact.
>
> /Mitch

Posted from iPhone

Hopefully, those valuable parts are just being held for ransom by a disgruntled employee, maybe in exchange for a pay check or something he feels is owed to him..

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Another item interesting in that "Press Release"
> is, all six drivers are NOW at the Tennessee
> Valley Railway Museum Shop for machining of the
> axles, crankpins, and quartering. However, I seem
> to remember that all six drivers previously had
> gone to the Strasburg Rail Road Shop for all new
> tires. Now,,,,,,,,wouldn't you think that the
> "management" at the WMSR would have also
> contracted the Strasburg to machine or replace the
> crankpins at the same time while all the drivers
> were there for tires? Then, to top it off, after
> the six drivers were returned to WMSR, they were
> all left out in the elements, and NOW the axle
> journals and crankpins need re-machining?????
> Imagine THAT!

The more i see about WMSR the more i laugh. What a joke!

I have not been there in many years,but from everything I’ve been reading here and in other outlets in recent years,it seems this venue is on a slow death spiral,which could be accelerated when the state power brokers have decided they’ve had enough. Hope it doesn’t come to that,but...

Tom

The bad part of this kind of thing is that the parts could cost 5 or 10 times as much (or more) to replace or replicate as they brought in as scrap.