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 Post subject: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2018 4:52 pm 

Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 5:26 pm
Posts: 612
Location: Pure Michigan
From Trains News Wire
Quote:
The Heber Valley Railroad has purchased three former Boston & Maine GP9s from Pan Am Railways.

Heber Valley Chief Mechanical Officer Michael Manwiller tells Trains News Wire that the locomotives will help standardize the Utah tourist road’s motive power fleet. In 2015, the Heber Valley acquired a former Union Pacific GP9 and ever since Manwiller has been looking for more locomotives like it.

Manwiller says the locomotives are perfect for the Heber Valley because they provide the right amount of horsepower, parts are still readily available, and they’re appropriate for the steam-to-diesel transition era the railroad is trying to recreate. The GP9s are also a favorite among the Heber Valley’s operating crews.

“These locomotives are a good fit for us,” Manwiller says. “Business is growing and we really need the motive power.”

Among the locomotives included in the sale are Pan Am’s two heritage units: Maine Central No. 52 and Boston & Maine No. 77. Pan Am painted the two locomotives for its predecessor roads in 2011. The third GP9, No. 72, is in Guilford Rail System gray-and-orange. All three locomotives were built in 1957. The locomotives are currently stored at Pan Am’s facility in Waterville, Maine.

Manwiller says the locomotives will move to Utah by rail and then be trucked to the tourist railroad’s facilities in Heber City. A date for the move has not been set.

It is possible that one or two of the GP9s will operate in their current MEC and B&M schemes until the railroad finds time to repaint the locomotives, Manwiller says. It is likely that the locomotives will receive a Denver & Rio Grande Western-like paint scheme, a tribute to the Heber Valley route’s original operator. With the arrival of the GP9s, the Heber Valley’s former U.S. Army MRS-1 will be retired.


So is the MRS-1 the only operating locomotive at the moment? When I visited in August the RS-4-TC was tucked away in the back, and nothing else looked like it had been started up in a while.


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2018 7:47 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:28 am
Posts: 2726
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
NS 3322 wrote:
From Trains News Wire
Quote:
The Heber Valley Railroad has purchased three former Boston & Maine GP9s from Pan Am Railways.

Heber Valley Chief Mechanical Officer Michael Manwiller tells Trains News Wire that the locomotives will help standardize the Utah tourist road’s motive power fleet. In 2015, the Heber Valley acquired a former Union Pacific GP9 and ever since Manwiller has been looking for more locomotives like it.

Manwiller says the locomotives are perfect for the Heber Valley because they provide the right amount of horsepower, parts are still readily available, and they’re appropriate for the steam-to-diesel transition era the railroad is trying to recreate. The GP9s are also a favorite among the Heber Valley’s operating crews.

“These locomotives are a good fit for us,” Manwiller says. “Business is growing and we really need the motive power.”

Among the locomotives included in the sale are Pan Am’s two heritage units: Maine Central No. 52 and Boston & Maine No. 77. Pan Am painted the two locomotives for its predecessor roads in 2011. The third GP9, No. 72, is in Guilford Rail System gray-and-orange. All three locomotives were built in 1957. The locomotives are currently stored at Pan Am’s facility in Waterville, Maine.

Manwiller says the locomotives will move to Utah by rail and then be trucked to the tourist railroad’s facilities in Heber City. A date for the move has not been set.

It is possible that one or two of the GP9s will operate in their current MEC and B&M schemes until the railroad finds time to repaint the locomotives, Manwiller says. It is likely that the locomotives will receive a Denver & Rio Grande Western-like paint scheme, a tribute to the Heber Valley route’s original operator. With the arrival of the GP9s, the Heber Valley’s former U.S. Army MRS-1 will be retired.


So is the MRS-1 the only operating locomotive at the moment? When I visited in August the RS-4-TC was tucked away in the back, and nothing else looked like it had been started up in a while.


No. Union Pacific 296, a GP9 still in Great Western Paint is operable and reliable. The 296 hauled all 80 sold-out Christmas Trains this past year. The dynamic brakes were popular with the crews.

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"They love him, gentlemen, and they respect him, not only for himself, for his character, for his integrity and judgment and iron will, but they love him most of all for the enemies he has made."


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2018 10:36 am 

Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 1:18 am
Posts: 6
Hope this doesn't spell death for the MRS-1, they never seem to have any luck in preservation or tourist use.


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2018 11:03 am 

Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:17 am
Posts: 244
Location: New York
I guess I am surprised that the best option was to purchase some clapped out Geeps from the other side of the country? Nothing closer? Also sad these historic Geeps are leaving New England, they only ever operated for one owner their whole lives...

http://railfan.com/new-england-geeps-in-twilight/

-otto-

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----------------------------------------------
—Otto M. Vondrak
President, Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum
Rochester, N.Y.


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2018 11:05 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:28 am
Posts: 2726
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Otto Vondrak wrote:
I guess I am surprised that the best option was to purchase some clapped out Geeps from the other side of the country? Nothing closer? Also sad these historic Geeps are leaving New England, they only ever operated for one owner their whole lives...

http://railfan.com/new-england-geeps-in-twilight/

-otto-


They weren't "clapped out" based on the thorough mechanical inspection given to them before a purchase was negotiated.

Otto, do you know how to inspect a GP9? Have you bought a locomotive? I mean a "real" road locomotive, not an industrial one? Any idea what the market is like? Your complaints make you sound like a foamer, rather than someone who knows how to run a tourist railroad, or is realistically involved in railway preservation.

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David M. Wilkins

"They love him, gentlemen, and they respect him, not only for himself, for his character, for his integrity and judgment and iron will, but they love him most of all for the enemies he has made."


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2018 11:13 am 
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Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:05 pm
Posts: 1053
Location: MA
wilkinsd wrote:
Otto Vondrak wrote:
I guess I am surprised that the best option was to purchase some clapped out Geeps from the other side of the country? Nothing closer? Also sad these historic Geeps are leaving New England, they only ever operated for one owner their whole lives...

http://railfan.com/new-england-geeps-in-twilight/

-otto-


They weren't "clapped out" based on the thorough mechanical inspection given to them before a purchase was negotiated.

Otto, do you know how to inspect a GP9? Have you bought a locomotive? I mean a "real" road locomotive, not an industrial one? Any idea what the market is like? Your complaints make you sound like a foamer, rather than someone who knows how to run a tourist railroad, or is realistically involved in railway preservation.

I am going to jave to give Otto this one unless it was a third-party inspection I would not trust the report.


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2018 11:16 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:28 am
Posts: 2726
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
RCD wrote:
I am going to jave to give Otto this one unless it was a third-party inspection I would not trust the report.


Did you or Otto inspect the locomotives? If not, how do you have initiate knowledge of their condition?

What locomotive inspection experience do you have?

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David M. Wilkins

"They love him, gentlemen, and they respect him, not only for himself, for his character, for his integrity and judgment and iron will, but they love him most of all for the enemies he has made."


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2018 11:31 am 

Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 5:26 pm
Posts: 612
Location: Pure Michigan
Pokemonprime wrote:
Hope this doesn't spell death for the MRS-1, they never seem to have any luck in preservation or tourist use.


That is very true. I'm glad I got to ride behind #1813 last August!
Is the only other operational MRS-1 in San Diego?
Does the one at the Museum of Transportation (Kirkwood) still operate?


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2018 12:08 pm 

Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:17 am
Posts: 244
Location: New York
Bad news, guys. I've been outed as a foamer. Please disregard all posts. Thank you.

—Mgmt.

_________________
----------------------------------------------
—Otto M. Vondrak
President, Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum
Rochester, N.Y.


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2018 12:19 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:28 am
Posts: 2726
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Otto Vondrak wrote:
Bad news, guys. I've been outed as a foamer. Please disregard all posts. Thank you.

—Mgmt.


Admission is the first step to working on your problem. I hope you get the help you need. I think there are support groups, though no medical remedy just yet. Recovery will be a long tough road. I wish you luck.

_________________
David M. Wilkins

"They love him, gentlemen, and they respect him, not only for himself, for his character, for his integrity and judgment and iron will, but they love him most of all for the enemies he has made."


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 1:06 am 

Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:07 pm
Posts: 179
Location: Utah
Oh god, did I just read what I think I did? Oh my gosh. This is hilarious. Otto Vondrak a foamer?

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Josh B.


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 1:29 am 

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2015 11:34 pm
Posts: 270
Utah Josh wrote:
Oh god, did I just read what I think I did? Oh my gosh. This is hilarious. Otto Vondrak a foamer?

See this is the part where I can't tell if Wilkins is joking or he genuinely has lost his mind. May god help that man.


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 9:15 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:28 am
Posts: 2726
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah Josh wrote:
Oh god, did I just read what I think I did? Oh my gosh. This is hilarious. Otto Vondrak a foamer?



To Otto’s credit he understands the phrase “accuracy in reporting” far better than you or your blog mates ever will.

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David M. Wilkins

"They love him, gentlemen, and they respect him, not only for himself, for his character, for his integrity and judgment and iron will, but they love him most of all for the enemies he has made."


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 9:17 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:28 am
Posts: 2726
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Cameron Wolk wrote:
Utah Josh wrote:
Oh god, did I just read what I think I did? Oh my gosh. This is hilarious. Otto Vondrak a foamer?

See this is the part where I can't tell if Wilkins is joking or he genuinely has lost his mind. May god help that man.


Otto made the claim that the locomotives are “clapped out” but when challenged neither he or you could back up the statement. One drive-by reporting comment beggars another.

_________________
David M. Wilkins

"They love him, gentlemen, and they respect him, not only for himself, for his character, for his integrity and judgment and iron will, but they love him most of all for the enemies he has made."


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 Post subject: Re: Heber Valley Railroad purchases Pan Am GP9s
PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2018 10:01 am 

Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:42 am
Posts: 68
Location: Either behind my desk or on my phone
wilkinsd wrote:
Otto Vondrak wrote:
Bad news, guys. I've been outed as a foamer. Please disregard all posts. Thank you.

—Mgmt.


Admission is the first step to working on your problem. I hope you get the help you need. I think there are support groups, though no medical remedy just yet. Recovery will be a long tough road. I wish you luck.
Oh please guys...

Otto, We've known all along but we accept you anyway. Besides, you've been such an excellent role model for others with the condition by showing that you can still have an intelligent conversation about the law or economics of railroads.

David, My Grandfather is the resident curmudgeon.

Guilford/Pam Am does have a reputation (deserved or not) for minimal maintenance and less than absolutely reliable power. if I were buying stored power from them I'd assume it needed at least some work. The truth is that while I didn't say it here I had the same thought as Otto. On the other hand the Heber Valley seems to know what its doing and if the engines can make it to Utah on their own wheels then they're already ahead of some of the horror stories.

Meghan

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Meghan

Subscribing to my grandfather's philosophy that no case is so weak or cause so harebrained that somebody cannot be found to handle it in exchange for a sufficient retainer up front.


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