Thefts prevent reopening of Toledo, Lake Erie & Western

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 8:07 pm

Normally, I wouldn't lift stuff verbatim from Trains' pay-barrier news site, but this needs to get out. The line operated out of Waterville, Ohio: http://www.tlew.org/

Quote:

Theft prevents reopening of Ohio tourist line
By Brian Schmidt
Published: May 25, 2011
WATERVILLE, Ohio — The Toledo, Lake Erie & Western Railway and Museum won’t operate this year, after vandals stole more than $60,000 from the railroad’s engines and cars. Operators of the tourist line, which ran the “Bluebird” train over ex-Nickel Plate rails between Waterville and Grand Rapids, Ohio, fear it may never recover.

The vandals broke windows and locks to steal wicker seat bottoms from passenger cars and parts from Alco S4 No. 5109. Batteries and rerailing frogs were also stolen.

The railroad had planned to open for the season in July following Federal Railroad Administration-mandated track work and locomotive maintenance.

Russ Ewing, a volunteer and the railroad’s historian, said the group doesn’t have the ability to replace the stolen parts. He’s hoping for cash or parts donations that could bring the Toledo-area train back into operation.

MEC_557 · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 8:53 pm

Stealing wicker is news to me and a bit perplexing.

They should contact any scrap yards and dealers in a 100 mile radius to be on the lookout. Most scrap yards now require ID when scrapping alot of stuff.

Dave Stephenson · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 9:43 pm

Wicker seat bottoms have little or no intrinsic value. However, they were essential to the operation of the line, i.e., customer comfort. I never heard about anything quite like this before. Vandalism is usual wanton/aimless. This seems to have a deliberate purpose, and smacks of sabotage.

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2011 7:12 am

I hope whoever stole those parts are rolling over in their sleep. Steal parts from a railroad museum, presumably to make a quick buck; it makes me sick!

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2011 9:47 am

I hesitated before doing it. And I don't make it a habit. They post preservation-related stuff all the time in Newswire; I seldom repost any of it. But in THIS case:

1) I couldn't really edit much out of it and still have the whole story;

2) This is important news for this "industry" on several levels (you may be next/you might see the seats somewhere/it doesn't take much to shut something like this down, possibly for good/maybe we can help them/etc.)

3) not everyone here happens to be a subscriber to Trains Magazine, so a link to the full story does no good;

4) I couldn't find an alternate news source for this (I looked, albeit briefly);

5) Staffers at Kalmbach have maintained a presence here and even lurked here to (apparently) get news from this forum.

It might be presumptuous of me to say so, but I believe that Trains editor Jim Wrinn and Kalmbach VP-Editorial Kevin Keefe, both of whom had considerable hands-on and administrative experience with rail museums/preservation projects before going to Kalmbach, might share a little more of the above sentiments than you may think, even if they don't/can't express them in public. (Ditto Steve Barry and Railfan & Railroad/Carstens.)

Bobharbison · **Joined:** Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:42 pm **Posts:** 3011

I'm also curious. Did they really do this to steal the wicker seat bottoms? What possible use could they have? I can't see getting much for them at the pawn shop, scrapyard or flea market.

I have to agree, sounds more like deliberate sabotage, unless there's a demand for wicker that I'm totally unaware of?

mikefrommontana · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2011 1:46 pm

Stealing locomotive batteries is also an oddity--true lead is worth a bit, but no mention of copper theft, which is more lucrative yet.

Has shades of the "hits" on Strasburg and the B&O museum (I think) years back. Private collector?

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

Kuyahoora Valley · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2011 4:34 pm

Batteries are almost 300 lbs each. 2 strong men would even struggle with them because they are somewhat bulky to handle. Changed out a set on an S2 by hand last week and it wasn't fun. Plus to unbolt the battery box covers takes some work...unless they were already out of the locomotive. A lot of work for $500 scrap.

G. W. Laepple · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1182

I was thinking the same thing about those batteries. I've changed them out of locomotives and coaches, and even with equipment, it's not fun. And rattan seat bottoms? Something is really fishy about this whole story.

rjenkins · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2011 6:13 pm

I agree, the things that were taken seem like very odd targets for a run-of-the-mill scrap thief, and sabotage sounds like a distinct possibility. The somewhat obvious question that comes to mind is, does the railroad have any known enemies? Any vocal NIMBYs, disgruntled former volunteers, trail nazis, or anything of that sort?

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2011 7:44 pm

rjenkins wrote:

I agree, the things that were taken seem like very odd targets for a run-of-the-mill scrap thief, and sabotage sounds like a distinct possibility. The somewhat obvious question that comes to mind is, does the railroad have any known enemies? Any vocal NIMBYs, disgruntled former volunteers, trail nazis, or anything of that sort?

I'll do some digging to see what I come up with.

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2011 7:50 pm

daylight4449 wrote:

rjenkins wrote:

I agree, the things that were taken seem like very odd targets for a run-of-the-mill scrap thief, and sabotage sounds like a distinct possibility. The somewhat obvious question that comes to mind is, does the railroad have any known enemies? Any vocal NIMBYs, disgruntled former volunteers, trail nazis, or anything of that sort?

I'll do some digging to see what I come up with.

Well, looking at the blurb, it seems that people have complained about the noise the train causes, and the litter along the tracks. Anyone know who could have brought up those concerns? I think some of those naysayers may be the culprits.

robertmacdowell · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2011 8:17 pm

A turbocharger??? That's a mighty particular, expert piece of sabotage. I don't see a NIMBY or trailer having the expertise. It's also a mighty slow job, involving a lot of tools you'd have to bring, because the museum isn't going to have them.

If the goal is sabotage, it seems to me there are lots of easier things to break or take, and just as harmful.
If the goal is selling scrap, there are many parts on a diesel with better labor:dollar ratios.

No sir... you take an Alco S2 turbo because you need one.

And that explains the batteries: if you need an S2 turbo you also need batteries eventually, and possibly rerailing frogs as well. Now who is actively working on an S2, S4 or RS-1?

Same logic on the seats. Who would need those parts?

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2011 9:04 pm

robertmacdowell wrote:

A turbocharger??? That's a mighty particular, expert piece of sabotage. I don't see a NIMBY or trail nazi having the expertise. It's also a mighty slow job, involving a lot of tools you'd have to bring, because the museum isn't going to have them.

If the goal is sabotage, it seems to me there are lots of easier things to break or take, and just as harmful.
If the goal is selling scrap, there are many parts on a diesel with better labor:dollar ratios.

No sir... you take an Alco S2 turbo because you need one.

And that explains the batteries: if you need an S2 turbo you also need batteries eventually, and possibly rerailing frogs as well. Now who is actively working on an S2, S4 or RS-1?

Same logic on the seats. Who would need those parts?

I'll do a search on nearby museums with ALCos under restoration.

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Thu May 26, 2011 9:12 pm

My search has shown three railroads near the TLE&W; The Michigan Southern, the Mad River and Nickel Plate, and the Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation. Only the Mad River site has ALCos on site; a B&O S-unit, and a RSD-12. Can anyone give a list on ALCo units under restoration in Ohio and eastern Illinois? Some sort of update should show up, and if I'm right, there will be something fishy about the part's source.