Eastern Railroad Discussion > A surviving U23B (AC&J)

Ran across one of the very few remaining operational (outside of a museum) U23B units the other day, Horizon Rail #2391, aka Ashtabula, Carson and Jefferson #2391. I've ran across this unit a few times over the years, and it was a daily sight during the times I worked at the NS Chrysler yard in Twinsburg. Built for the Penn Central in 1972, this well travelled unit would become property of Conrail who would retire the unit then sell it in 1991. It spent time on the Reading and Northern where it was renumbered to 2391. It went through a variety of owners after the R&N sold it including a dealer, Whitestone, LaFarge, and Shelly Materials. Locomotive dealer Horizon Rail picked it up once Shelly was done with it and it migrated to the Ashtabula, Carson and Jefferson, a NE Ohio shortline running over some former NYC track. "AC&J" 2391 is shown on 06-11-2022 at Jefferson, Ohio. LaFarge 2391 is shown at Twinsburg, Ohio on August 17th, 2006, and finally as Conrail 2717 at Collinwood on January 15th, 1984. I never visited the R&N during the U boat era, so if anyone wants to toss up a photo from then have at it. 

Roger Durfee
Cuyahoga Falls, OH

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....three more

Roger Durfee
Cuyahoga Falls, OH

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Glad you were able to catch this unit over the years and document its colorful history.

Rich

Any idea as to the function of the multicolor lights on the engineer's cab side? 

mrbill11 Wrote:
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> Any idea as to the function of the multicolor lights on the engineer's cab side? 

This unit was often used in remote when working for the stone companies. The lights were indicators of certain actions (stopped, active, etc). I don't belive the ACJ uses this in remote though.

Roger Durfee
Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Glad to see it! Too bad none of the Lehigh Valley U23B's are in equally good condition. Several of them worked for Wimpey Minerals and have either been scrapped or stripped.

CPR_4000 Wrote:
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> Glad to see it! Too bad none of the Lehigh Valley U23B's are in equally good condition. Several of them worked for Wimpey Minerals and have either
> been scrapped or stripped.

The Whitestone/LaFarge/Shelly progression had a former Lehigh Valley U23B in our area too, the 2784 (Conrail number). It was unfortunately scrapped a few years ago as well.

Roger Durfee
Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Operated many a Uboat....hard to think they're all but gone...nevermind they had few redeeming qualities 

Nice Roger !  Looks sharp in that AC&J scheme. Although I couldn't come up with a roster shot of the 2391 on the Reading & Northern, here is a shot of a quartet of their U23Bs on PILE (Pittston,PA. - Lehighton,PA.) coming east down through the Lehigh Gorge at Hetchel,PA. (MP 126 Lehigh Line) back on 2/15/98. The 2391 was the 3rd unit in the consist on that day. Looks like the R&N Number Boards survived all that transition. This loco has definitely beaten the odds and become a true survivor !



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/14/22 12:13 by perklocal.

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Nice looking unit.
Visited that line one time and saw their S1, interesting little line!

That's a well-travelled loco; thanks for the history and the corresponding images.
GK

perklocal Wrote:
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> Nice Roger !  Looks sharp in that AC&J scheme. Although I couldn't come up with a roster shot of the 2391 on the Reading & Northern, here is a shot
> of a quartet of their U23Bs on PILE (Pittston,PA - Lehighton,PA.)....

Thanks Rod. I figured you might come up with something from the R&N :)

Roger Durfee
Cuyahoga Falls, OH

engineerinvirginia Wrote:
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> Operated many a Uboat....hard to think they're all but gone...nevermind they had few redeeming qualities

I wish I could have operated a U series at least a few times, but they were all gone from Conrail when I hired. Dash 7 and newer for me. I was up in this unit multiple times when working the NS yard it was stationed at but never ran it.

Roger Durfee
Cuyahoga Falls, OH

EL833 Wrote:
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> engineerinvirginia Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Operated many a Uboat....hard to think they're
> all but gone...nevermind they had few redeeming
> qualities
>
> I wish I could have operated a U series at least a
> few times, but they were all gone from Conrail
> when I hired. Dash 7 and newer for me. I was up in
> this unit multiple times when working the NS yard
> it was stationed at but never ran it.

they were fun in their clunky unreliable way...

Nice shots !
Gary

Really neat to see that one of these is still in service!