Waterville Deadline

I was looking through the NERAIL Photo Archive and I saw a picture of one of Guilford's newer engines being scrapped. MEC 513 apparently had its generator and other components removed. Why would Guilford decide to scrap such an engine? Was it a lemon or something? It is kind of sad to see many of those engines being destroyed...but most of their equipment is so old it seems inevitable. With 6-axel locomotives becoming the standard, Guilford will soon find that it will be difficult to obtain 4-axel locomotives. Dare I say that they will have to jump on the bandwagon one day.

Mr. Kevin Burkholder, who took the pictures of the GRS Waterville deadline, lists all of the numbers but one: GP40-513, ???, GP35-201, GP40-302, SD26-619, GP40-312, & GP35-214. SD26-615 is seen being scrapped in another area of the facility.

The engine that is not listed is in the background of this picture (in a very faded GRS paint job). Does anyone know which engine it is?

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... 632076.jpg

Trains, to answer your 513 question,

MEC 513 apparently had its generator and other components removed. Why would Guilford decide to scrap such an engine? Was it a lemon or something?

I would assume that it was a lemon. When you buy 20 used locomotives, it is likely that 2 or 3 will not last too long. Some of the SD26s GRS bought back in the 80s only lasted a few years.

Thanks,
Stephen

If a locomotive is in the deadline , that does not actually mean it is going to be scrapped.

It is possible that they might take some of the guts out of a couple of older GP40s and cobble them together to get the 513 up and running. Anything is possible.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this: I've been told, by two separate Guilford employees, that the 513 was dead-on-arrival back when they first bought that group of locomotives. I'm pretty sure it's been dead at Waterville all along, but has just now made it to the actual "dead line."

In another post Kevin noted that the Remenants of GP-7 # 25 was being cut up and the GP-38 # 252 was being parted out behind the roundhouse. So for orginal MEC power it looks like GP-7 # 12 (MEC 592) and # 15 (567 ?) are the only two left.

Anyone else know what happend to 252 ?? I have seen pictures in the last few months of it being in service. For them to be parting it, it must have blown the main generator.

Josh

619 is being junked?? Yipes! I'm glad I snapped a pic of it when I did! I also have the Atlas N scale version!

If the 252 is gone (or going), then the 15 is the only truly original MEC unit left, since the 12 was originally an L&N unit, bought by MEC in 1978. The 15 was bought new in 1953.

Regardless, I'll be sad to see the 252 gone. That was one of the first Guilford units I ever saw or photographed, and it became one of my favorites.

Instead of starting a new topic, I figured I would post this question here. How many units are currently active for Guilford right now. Are there any shortages? And is the purchasing of new locomotives something Guilford may do soon?

Trains wrote:Instead of starting a new topic, I figured I would post this question here. How many units are currently active for Guilford right now. Are there any shortages? And is the purchasing of new locomotives something Guilford may do soon?

When I spoke with the chief at Waterville a couple years ago, he told me this: "We always have a motive power shortage -- even if we've recently purchased additional units."

When you say "new locomotives" do you mean brand new? The answer to that would be a definite no. Well, let's say I'm 99.9% sure that the answer would be no. I suppose pigs could sprout wings tomorrow morning, theoretically.

There is a good chance that they will purchase additional used locomotives in the future. Whether it happens in a year, two years, five years or more is anyone's guess. The folks who know for sure -- the big-wigs at North Billerica -- aren't gonna tell us.

yeah sorry, when I said "new" I meant new by Guilford's stantards, meaning new to Guilford. lol

Well the Pic's are on NeRail of 252 on the deadline with headlights missing. It maybe stored serviceable, but as Kevin B. points out in the pictured its reached the end of its life. 40 years isn't bad. but hate to see it go. Its strange the so many of the units the left Guilford are still running. Most have been rebuilt, but are still going.

Ones that I know of inservice:
253 (Union Pacific)
255 (CLP/VRS)
256 (Either in Oregon on the CORP or in NC)
257 (UP)
258 (NC)
263 (Not sure where this unit is, it was a Helm Lessor)

Gone or stored:

251 - Scrapped
252 - stored
254 - Stored N. Billerica
259 - Stored N. Billerica
260 - Scrapped
261 - Scrapped
262 - Scrapped

Well, said to see another ex-mec go.

NHguy

NERail has a bunch of new pics of the Waterville deadline.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... 3AGuilford

Dead Engine Line at Springfield Terminal, Waterville ME contains the following: MEC 513, ST 204, MEC 312, ST 204, MEC 312, ST 214, MEC 302, ST 206, MEC 303, MEC 344

Photographed by Ejen Nordfors, September 21, 2005.

Thanks, Ejen.

Chris



Chris

Any news on the Waterville deadline?

Thanks,

Chris