Anybody hear of the upcoming auction at Cass? Found it in a very odd place but here it is for all interested. Perhaps some of the diesels could provide parts for other operations.

WV Surplus Property Sealed Bid Req. #09-06FOR SALE: Four (4) Alco diesel locomotives and Consolidation steam engine (built circa 1950s), Stuart and Fraunces Tavern dining cars (built circa 1920s-1930s), steel coaches and wooden caboose. FOR PROPER BID FORMS, contact Jennifer Lovejoy at 1-800-576-7587/304-766-2626.
FOR DETAILS ON RAILROAD CARS, contact Fred Bartells at 304-456-4300, ext. 108

Not that big an 'odd place' when you think about the fact that the Cass is a State Park and not unusual for a tourist road to get rid of things they don't need.

Spin doctors would call it improving your collection.

Bob H

The Cass surplus property bid has not been heavily advertised, but the equipment is mostly junk that has been sitting stripped and vandalized for years. The "wooden caboose" is little more than a set of trucks and some kindling. The only gem on the list is the "Stuart House", a C&O table car, which Cass once employed as an office and which has a good solid carbody. Unfortunately it is a six axle heavyweight that can't move over the line on its own wheels, and trucking it out would be a very costly and difficult proposition via some torturous mountain roads.

Alan Maples

How recent is this ad?....are you sure it is a recent ad?

Is Fred Bartels at Cass?

Found it on Progressive Railroading, it is current. I believe the deadline for the bids is the 28th of this month, I got a bid package.

Anybody know the condition of the ex-Army 2-8-0? When I last visited Cass about 10 years ago, I seem to recall the locomotive was pretty well stripped and looking rather forlorn--but shop personnel indicated that the parts for the locomotive were in "safe storage".

Am wondering if this loco is worthy of bids by someone other than a scrapper? If it is, let's not forget the deadline for bids is only a week away.

Frederick G. Bailey

Frederick:
Thanks for pointing out the #612 at Cass that is up for auction. I saw the locomotive last summer and have attached some fairly recent shots of it from Keith Muldowney.

Overall, I'd say it certainly is worthy of some bids by other than a scraper. If this engine is allowed to be cut up that would indeed be a travesty in this day and age. I would tend to say it is fairly complete, at least compared to other unrestored locomotives I have come across over the years.

The 612 is an S160 class locomotive built during WWII. Seems like 2100 were built with I guess 800 for Europe. The 611 at TVRM was also for sale last year and I believe listed on the RyPN classified section. A fair number have been preserved around the world which I tend to find interesting. There's at least one running in the UK complete with a nice American sounding five chime whistle. An S160 must have been quite the site leading up to D-Day in the UK. From what I can see, it looks like the 612 was still in service by the Army up through 1972 which again I find rather interesting.

The 612 represents, I believe, a design which found a home literally around the world. This one deserves a home and to be at least cosmetically restored.

J.R.

If you're in the market for an S-160 I'm confident the best in the land is the one owned by Monte Helm and long parked at Moses Lake, Washington. Currently for sale.

I was under the impression that that one already sold to a private owner. I'll see if I can dig up the details (assuming I remember it correctly).

I took pictures of the Cass deadline last July.
http://tinyurl.com/qqvb3n

I can't seem to upload the pictures I have of the 612 from Keith Muldowney. If anyone is interested, just send me an email at jrmay@monmouth.com

I could get some photos this weekend of the 612 if someone would like me to, as I will be in Cass.

Didn't this one finally sell?

Have the bids been awarded yet? If so, does anyone know who got the 2-8-0?

Frederick G. Bailey