We must decide if we are really in the preservation business or do we just want to play today and the heck with the future...

http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/funit6302.htm

Is it my imagination or even with all the features offered, is $275K a bit pricey? If you have a line that you're going to run freight on, you won't want a cab unit, especially if you're going to switch with it-especially when
there's GP alternatives about that can be had for less-and you now have "gen-set" alternatives from NRE, etc. that are getting rave reviews on fuel usage.

Am I missing something about these units? I'm trying to figure how they could reasonably expect to command what I think is a premium price?

By the way, these units have CN heritage-what became of the Waterloo-St Jacobs units & train that were for sale a while back?


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Is that price for just a single F-unit, or the whole trainset?

That unit has been re-engined, FP9's did not come with 645-series prime movers. The price is high, but I also note that there is a "Make offer" button right below it. It appears to be the entire Georgia Southwestern excursion train being offered.

I think the price is just for the engine since it says "can be part of the trainset."

And I concur with superheater about using an older engine in freight service. Would you buy a 1950 Ford F-1 pickup for 15 grand to run back and forth to work when for the same money you could get a late '90s to early 2000 truck with power everything and air? Just how long do you think it will last?

Later!
Mr. Ed

The price might seem high but VIA put over a million dollars each into these units about 12 years ago and they have seen little use. The are in excellent condition and must be seen to be appreciated.

Anything's sale price is what a willing buyer and a willing seller agree to.

That being said, $275,000 seems way high.

I have a F40PH that is fully operational and current that I would sell for 275K and run to the bank laughting all the way.
Mike

"I've got some ocean-front property in Arizona. And, if you'll buy that, I'll try the boat and trailer in for free."

I'm not sure how to read the above post. If it was directed to the price / sale of the F9's I would
agree with it. However if it was directed at my post about the F40 I have a issue with it.

I do have a real F40PH (FLNX 418) for sale.

Mike Pierce
Former VP Golden Pacific Railroad, and former 20% owner of GPRR.
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Would you call it preservation if it's a fully functioning unit?
$275,000.00 sounds high for a museum piece, but for a fully function, recently rebuilt, recently ran unit in what appears to be immaculate condtion, the starting price doesn't seem out of line.

If you were starting or supplimenting a tourist line and steam was out of the question, what better then an F unit?

Another consideration would be to evaluate who might be interested in such a unit outside of a tourist railroad. How easy is it to get a hold of an F-unit these days? How much did KCS and /or NS pay for it's units?

/Mitch

As a comparison (and I hope I am remembering correctly), the group that acquired the CN-painted trainset that was listed by OMR last year, paid less than $600K for 2 rebuilt, operational F's and 6 or so cars, then turned around and sold 3 or so of the cars they didn't need to make back some of the outlay for the whole set. Good business sense for them, but even if you said the cars were free with the pair of locomotives, I believe they paid less per F-unit than is being asked for these.

I've been in and ridden in the GSWR FP-9's and there is no question they are nice. I wish the SAM Shortline would work a deal to acquire them so we would have some "streamlined" locos to replace the HOG's freight locos. But at over half a million bucks for the pair it is extremely doubtful that will ever happen. I remember the listing 3 or 4 years ago for the LTV 2 A's and 4 B's was an average of $40K per unit ($240K total) for the 6 as a package (FOB their location in MN). No doubt GSWR paid more for their pair of FP-9's, but except for multi-unit lashups these units cannot be used in regular freight/switching service, making them pretty much museum or excursion train pieces. Without a benefactor (such as happened with the group that bought the CN train) it is highly doubtful anyone but a large regional would be able to buy them. I'm just thankful to have had such nice looking and nicely painted F's operating here in SW Georgia for as long as we have had them. Thanks to the GSWR!