Nostalgia & History > MRS-1 9 at Liberty Railway Services, Pueblo, CO - 1998

Liberty Railway Services, Inc, located north of Pueblo (West Pueblo), CO, along the BNSF (ex-ATSF) line repairs rail cars. The shop switcher was MRS-1 #9 back on October 8, 1998. It was formerly a US Army unit built in the 1950’s. Last I heard it was out of service.

History on some Army MRS-1’s;

The Alco MRS-1's got a number from 2041 to 2123. Fifty units were equipped with a steam generator in the short hood. Their road numbers were prefixed with a 'B' (for boiler). They also had an alternate number 65-00xxx - 65-00xxx (given after transfer to the Navy). Navy numbering was straight forward: each new acquired unit got the next number from the list. The Alco MRS-1's had numbers ranging (at least) from 65-00543 up to 65-00616. (five Navy EMD MRS-1's were numbered 65-00570 - 65-00574).

The five last Alco units in official service were all stationed at the Concord, California Naval Base. These were numbers 65-00612, 65-00613, 65-00614, 65-00616 and 65-00617. All MRS-1's are now gone from Concord NWS.

Anyone know the background on Liberty Railway’s #9?

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Here's what NWSC Crane does;
The Crane Division-Naval Surface Warfare Center Ordnance Engineering Directorate, Weapons Department is responsible for refurbishment of all Navy small arms weapons from handguns through 25mm automatic cannons. The Department also maintains significant engineering capability related to all areas of small arms manufacturing and support. These capabilities include ammunition analysis and development, weapon development, failure analysis and extensive weapon and ammunition performance analysis. The small arms refurbishing facility has the capability to refurbish small arms weapons to better-than-new tolerances and does so regularly in support of match competition and special operations forces.


In support of the department's functions, the Directorate maintains three firing ranges including a fully instrumented underground firing range with extensive high speed photographic and chronometric instrumentation. This range has environmental capabilities including live firing under temperature and humidity extremes. The indoor range, used for acceptance testing of refurbished weapons, has a bullet trap built from shredded rubber tires to greatly reduce the lead dust associated with impacting conventional steel traps. The outdoor range accommodates weapons up to 30 mm and is instrumented out to 1,000 yards.

Late 1990's or 2000 info;
One of the U.S. Military's leading weapons and munitions facilities, the Crane Center is currently providing extensive support to U.S. military operations in the Afghanistan region. Originally limited to support of the Navy, the Crane Division now provides a variety of weapons development, testing and manufacturing for the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps as well as the Navy.

Under exacting new requirements specified by the Pentagon's NMCI (Navy Marine Corps Installation), all legacy technology applications in military installations must be now certified to assure they function well in simulated "real world" conditions. Recently completed tests showed LaserFiche Document Imaging passed all of the NMCI "PoP in the Box" requirements.

The base, which dates back to December 1941, was recently (unknown date) named the top facility in the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) competition, which measured overall efficiency and quality of performance. It now will go on to compete with other top Navy bases worldwide for international honors.

Seldom photographed Liberty Railway Services, Inc, at West Pueblo, CO, north of Pueblo was photographed October 8, 1998. They had ex-Naval Weapons Storage Center (NWSC) Crane, IN, MRS-1 working as their shop switcher. Liberty Rly Services numbered it 9. It's the yellow unit on the left. The freshly painted orange and silver unit was done by Liberty Rly Services for the Royal Gorge Scenic Railway. It's Royal Gorge F-7A 403, ex-Chicago & North Western 403 sold off by Union Pacific.

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We had a couple of MRS EMDs and Alcos along with BLWs, SW-8s and a few 2-8-0s at Ft Eustis, VA. The MRSs were built so they could be gauged in a quick manor for different overseas operations. They ran long end forward. The only engines that were legal to leave post to interchange with the C&O were the SW-8s and even then, they were red tagged a lot of the time.

Nudge

The 7 and 9 used to work at the DOT test track. Photoed them there several years ago.

9 is ex USN 65-00617, nee USA B 2064.

Keith

65-00612, and 65-00614 went on their own wheels from CNWS at Port Chicago to Martinez and then to Cannon thanks to the SP and then on to Rio Vista Jct and the Western Railway Museum.

612 went into service for five years on the sucessful Prairie trains (before being killed off for poltical power). The 614 wasn't a basket case, but needed attention. 614 was the locomotive that ran over Brian Wilson at the CNWS main gate.

Rumors have both going to Portola as part of a major trade between FRS and BAERA. Doubt they'll go on their own wheels this time as FRS shipped one off to Yreka not too long ago. It had to make the trip on a flatcar.

612 was a good workhorse, steam generator worked well. Fond memories of running her down the former SN from Cordero to RVJ one well moonlit night.

We have two MRS-1's, with one from Concord Naval Weapons Station, at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown, CA, Sierra Railway #613 (ex- 65-00613) and SRY #546 (ex- 65-00546). Currently #613 is fully operational and steam generator equipped. It is used frequently as a back up for our steam engines. Before the Sierra Railroad acquired a more reliable locomotive fleet, the #613 was occasionally pressed into freight service for the Sierra RR. The #546 is almost operational. It has some minor glitches to be worked out before it can be available for service.

I believe there are two MRS-1's in Sacramento on the California State Railroad Museum's line the Sacramento Southern. I don't know which units they have but I think one, if not both, came from CNWS as well.

Interestingly these locomotives were equipped with 'variable gauge' trucks enabling them to travel over almost any railroad line in Europe and the former Soviet Union. They are odd looking as their cabs are the same height as the hoods due to the close clearances in tunnels and other obstructions found in foreign service. The steam generator equipped #613 has lagged steam heating lines throughout both the long and short hoods, which may have come in handy if the unit ever had to ply the rails in Siberia!! Concord never got that cold!! We do on occasion utilize the steam heat on the #613 on those rare chilly days in the Sierra Nevada foothills and have supplied steam heat to our passenger cars quite regularily during operations in the late fall and winter months.

One things for sure, you can always tell when the #613 is running. Either by sound or smoke it....

It's an ALCO.

SV



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/14 16:42 by SandingValve.

Gentlemen, my thanks for your helpful information on these rarely photographed workhorses (switchers). I'll have to get out to the Sierra Railroad more often. Too much fun to be had in CA.


So much travel awaits, so little vacation time.

Not the best pic, but it shows me on the pilot of Sierra Railway #613, an ALCO MRS-1 doing some switching in Jamestown,CA

SV



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/14 16:43 by SandingValve.

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Roll the Lone Ranger theme and. . . . Wikipedia to the rescue!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALCO_MRS-1

Cheers,
Jack