N&W Geeks... A Question

[wm3798]

I find myself in possession of a surplus GE U25B, and I think I have found a use for it.  But I want to make sure I'm pointed in the right direction.

I need to add some more N&W power to my fleet to handle grain trains and Alpha Jets from Connellsville, and it appears the N&W had a handful.  Well, three maybe.  I found pictures of 8139, 8142 and 8143 on Elwood's Fallen Flags, and they have me asking a couple of questions.

First, they don't appear to have dynamic brakes and they do have low short hoods, so I'm assuming they were inherited from the Nickel Plate and/or Wabash... would this be correct?

8142 and 8143 were shot in northern Ohio (Nickel Plate country) in 1972.  Any thoughts on what service they would have been in?  Any chance they may have wandered down to Connellsville via the P&WV? (and thence thru to Hagerstown, thereby justifying its existence on a WM themed layout?)

And finally... What's up with the lettering on these two?  It looks like the N in N&W is stenciled upside down!  This looks like a transitional paint job between the black "Hamburger" and the white block NW, how long did that last?  Are there decals available for this?

I assume that there were more locomotives in this number series, can you point me to any other resources?

That is all.
Lee

[sirenwerks]

Here's a unit #3515 wandering in NY. - http://www.modeltrains.com/PICTURES/PICTURES%20-%20Brass/Division%20Point/DP-1000-9999/DP-1870.jpg. Granted, it's not Hagerstown but... (Note the split windshield)

[Bob Bufkin]

I remember seeing one on the former Wabash in Illinois wayback but can't answer your question on use into Hagerstown.  Hey, it's your RR, if you want one do it!

[wm3798]

I was hoping to find evidence of a pure NW one with a high nose, but apparently these all came in with the absorption of the NKP/Wab.

It's a back burner project for now.  I may end up slapping an LRV paint out on it and just using it for a yard switcher.  I was working up the train sequence this morning, and I might have a bit of a power shortage...

Lee

[Philip H]

I was hoping to find evidence of a pure NW one with a high nose, but apparently these all came in with the absorption of the NKP/Wab.

It's a back burner project for now.  I may end up slapping an LRV paint out on it and just using it for a yard switcher.  I was working up the train sequence this morning, and I might have a bit of a power shortage...

Lee

Thanks to your help I've got both a GP30 and that FM unit that are likely to be available for pool service in a regular basis.

[davefoxx]

I was hoping to find evidence of a pure NW one with a high nose, but apparently these all came in with the absorption of the NKP/Wab.

It's a back burner project for now.  I may end up slapping an LRV paint out on it and just using it for a yard switcher.  I was working up the train sequence this morning, and I might have a bit of a power shortage...

Lee

The C&O's U25Bs had a reputation for being "slippery," so I don't know if a U25B would be a very good yard switching locomotive.  But, it's your layout . . .

What exactly are you short?  WM equipment or locomotives from interchanging roads?

[wm3798]

Interchange roads, mostly.  I had to sell off a couple of things to raise some funds last year, and now I'm wishing I didn't.  The units I miss the most are the Reading SD45's.  I'm still in no cash position to be buying anything outright, but I don't mind window shopping for a little longer.

The main thing I'll need to stock up on is some N&W power for the AJ's and grain trains coming from the west, plus a couple more Reading units to handle the inbound Lurgan traffic.  I've eyeballing some GP30's and C-630's for that purpose.

I had a pair of Lifelike C425's come through the decoder shop a couple years ago, which I really liked.


Great pullers, good looking, and era appropriate.  But like all old Life Likes of any quality, rare as hen's teeth.  I also have an undec one of these sitting on the bench, between that and the U25, I should get some decals and that would take care of the NW side of things.

[davefoxx]

Would any C&O locomotives and a Magor caboose or two help with the shortage?  I might be able to have my arm twisted to put them on long-term lease to the WM.  Let me know if I can help and, if so, what your power needs are.

In fact, among my fleet, I have a C&O U25B that I rarely used, even when I was running C&O power on the Virginia Central HCD layout.  That one could be available for purchase at a fair price . . .  or you could get an undecorated shell, paint it up for the N&W, and swap shells for the time being.

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've got a trio of RDG GPs (a GP30, GP35 and GP7) that I'd be happy to get in running condition for you to help out. They need DCC though (two will need CN-GPs, the third a standard swap). If you'll kick in for the decoders, I'll loan em to you for 2-3 years.

[wm3798]

I happen to have two CNGP's in stock...

The U25B I have may get C&O paint... I have decals for that one, and it's a fairly easy dip job to do.

Truth is, the power shortage won't become urgent until the yard gets built so traffic can flow properly... but there's a package of salvaged track en route from South Central York County as we speak, so that may not be the case for long!

Lee

[Bob Bufkin]

Believe I have a undec Trainmaster body you can have.  You'll have to scrounge up the rest tho.

[Philip H]

Well if bob is pitching in ... I should have left you the guts on Friday ...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'll get to work on the RDG Geeps and send them over your way next time we see each other.

[wm3798]

But seriously folks...  When you guys all come down for an ops session, you usually bring enough "run through" power to take care of any immediate needs.  You know there will be Rock Island power working the paper mill, a Conrail U boat working the west end of Ridgeley, and a PRR M1a going as fast as it can... ;D I've also got some PC and B&O stuff in the stable, if I want to mix paint a little.  I've also got a spate of RS-3's that I haven't even dusted off yet to work the Thomas Sub.

What I'm thinking about is longer term blanks that I'd like to fill to maintain the illusion of being in Hagerstown in 1970... specifically, some NW and Reading power, 4 and 6 axles, maybe 2-3 each.  I've got an NW SD35 hi nose, and a Reading GP35 (3652 for those of you taking notes), which I've been mixing into the Alpha Jet pool.  But there are two trains in each direction requiring run through power, plus the grainer, which could have pure NW power all the way to Baltimore.

The optimal wish list would be as follows:
2 NW C425's (Life Like black hamburger scheme)
1 NW SD40 hi nose
1 or 2 NW Alco RS 11 or C424 hi hoods.

2 RDG SD45's
2 RDG C630
2 RDG GP30 (I just like them better than 35's)

That's a whole lot of dollars from now, and the list includes plenty of reserve power to linger around the roundhouse.  In the meantime, the bird in hand appears to be the C-424 undec I've got, and two U25B's.
Just need to get some decals.

Lee

[Bob Bufkin]

For ino, I actually caught a CNJ unit on a runthru headed to Hagerstown once.  A mixture ofr WM, Reading and the CNJ unit.  It was a roadswitcher but I don't remember what type.