Eastern Railroad Discussion > Eastern Shore RR Cape Charles, Virginia

In July, this year, while on vacation to Virginia Beach, I had the opportunity to be in Cape Charles, Virginia, visiting friends and happened upon the yard where the Eastern Shore RR kept their equipment.
In the current issue of Trains, there is an article on the Eastern Shores, barge service across the Chesapeake Bay. I was surprised to see this article and I remembered taking photos and would like to share them, here.
Perhaps, you, the readers, can add the types of locomotives and equipment shown.
Enjoy.
...Richard

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Wide angle shot of three locomotives.

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A work, in progress?

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Looks like this one is, "Out to pasture".

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Does anyone know if this unit was owned by ATSF? The paint looked similar. Anyone know her history?

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Another view.

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Check out the old Alco! Who knows her history?

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Another view of the Alco.

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One more time.

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Some very interesting rolling stock, as well! Named the, "Southern Comfort, Roanoke, Virginia". Does anyone know this car's history?

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And finally, the observation car! The, "Philadelphia Star".

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Another view of the observation car.

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The end!

Please give me all the information, possible, on this equipment. Thanks and God Bless.
...Richard

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Nice photo essay! That certainly is a motley mix of power! And seeing some of the equipment in pieces makes me wonder if that ATSF cab isn't just that! A transplanted cab bought from a locomotive boneyard! I guess somebody here will know.

All of the geeps in the photographs are ex IC GP10s. It appears that the "work in progress" may be a scrap job. I can only see the thumbnails, but if it is one of the 1600 series units that were "out to pasture" a bit east of the locomotive shop, that'd be my bet. They have been out of service for some time. Looks like at a minimum, they have removed the main generator.

The ESHR 2000 is not ex ATSF. Apparently, that paint scheme was added for a part in a movie, and never removed. This is what I was told; I have no idea what movie or when. It is definitely a knock-off warbonnet job, though. Each side is different, too. The conductor's side is in full red, yet engineer's in black. Note difference from above photo of conductor's side at my shot taken earlier this year:

http://www.shortlinesusa.com/Eshr302%20copy.jpg

The MRS-1 is ex US Army. ESHR has two. Neither has turned a wheel in several years, and likely won't unless sold or preserved.

With scrap prices high, and ESHR in need of funds for track improvements, etc., it would not surprise me in the least to see some house cleaning of retired locos and rolling stock very soon, if not already underway.

Mike Derrick
http://www.shortlinesusa.com

I realize from reading the Trains mag article that CSX only interchanges with ESRR in Virginia but I wonder if CSX has considered negotiating some sort of deal to use ESRR/NSRR to route hazardous payloads (ie, chemicals) between Delaware / Conrail Shared Assets in S & N Jersey and the south to avoid Washington, DC? Of course doing this would mean acceding to local governments' demands wrt interstate commerce, a precedent that no RR wants.

Here is another view of unit #1600, the one I said looked, "out to pasture".

Please give me some information on the old Alco and the cars I have shown. I'm real interested in their history. Thanks, to all, for your input.
...Richard

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The ESHR has two Alco MRS1s, 2085 (pictured above at Cape Charles) and 2090 at Little Creek. Both are ex US Army (same numbers), and had no previous or in between owners that I can find.

As for the history of the MRS1, they were built in 1953-54 for the US Army by Alco under subcontract to EMD, with variable gauge wheelsets so that they could be used on the rails of other countries if need be. More info is available at this link, to the Bluegrass Railway Museum: http://www.bgrm.org/locomotives

Thanks for the pic of 1600 up close.

Mike Derrick
http://www.shortlinesusa.com

After reading about it in Trains too, this was a great surprise!!
Thanks for posting, I really enjoyed them.
Art in DC

cota1992 Wrote:
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> After reading about it in Trains too, this was a
> great surprise!!
> Thanks for posting, I really enjoyed them.
> Art in DC


My pleasure.
...Richard