B&M BL2s in local service

Does anyone have any photos of B&Ms BL2s in actual local service? I've seen a few here and there in magazines but I have to believe that there are more out there. I am trying to do some personal research into their use on the B&M, specifically the types of consists they pulled (passenger vs. local freight vs. mixed), and I am really not finding much other than generalizations. Any other photos of B&Ms BL2s would be appreciated as well.

I'm surprised that they never installed MU on them. Several of the GP7s came without it, and it was added later. In the long run, they likely got much more out of the 1750 class, then they could have from a BL2.

You need a copy of B&MRRHS Bulletin Volume XIX Number 2, which has a twelve -page cover story article on the BL-2s, with photos, drawings, and specs. Copyright date is 1993. You can probably find one on e-bay or from Alden Dreyer through this forum.

PBM

There are photos of early BL2 led trains in various sources such as Nimke's Connecticut River series, the Philip Hastings' book, and the Morning Sun Boston and Maine books. My area of interest is of the railroad operations in and around Woodsville, NH during the late 40s to early 50's era. Most of the photos I've come across show mostly #1552, and occasionally #1553, at the head of various trains during that time. As previously stated, the Bulletin article is a wealth of information of these engines and I would recommend obtaining a copy.

Two of the Woodsville area trains they were running early on was local passenger train #402 between Woodsville and Concord, which returned the same day as #9. This was an all stops 2-car local which hauled a baggage and coach. The BL2 replaced P-Class Pacifics used previously. The other trains they hauled were milk trains #49 (empties) and #50 (loads) to and from Woodsville. These trains up to that time had used K-Class Consolidations. During 1951, the B&M wanted to replace steam on the local freights that ran in and out of Woodsville. The local passenger train was being hauled by the Sacred Cow unit and the milk trains had been discontinued. The BL2s took over on the White River Jct. to Plymouth local(which returned the next day) as well as the two locals that operated between Woodsville and Groveton six days a week.

Duane Goodman

I did find these B&M BL2 photos on the web

1551 at Westboro
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... 1&key=1957" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

1552 at Boston (May have been Billerica)
http://tinyurl.com/pktubkj" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

bumthum,
Get in touch with me, I can't find your address, I'll send you photos from my collection.

Two BL-2s were initially assigned to Portsmouth-Boston service. Each one made 1.5 round-trips Boston-Portsmouth passenger and then did the Portsmouth-Boston local freight overnight and wound up at each day's starting point next morning. Early on they migrated to the North Country and finished out their days there. I have a Summary of Equipment about 1958 and they were all stored. They went to EMD as down payment on the 1750s about 1961.

Thank you all for your responses. I had seen a photo of one of the BL2s crossing the Connecticut River bridge at Wells River-Woodsville so I had an idea that they may have spent their waning years up north. They were an interesting locomotive, I find it odd that B&M never had MU equipment installed, they might have lived longer, more useful lives. BAR kept their BL2s in service long after B&M had traded theirs in, although I suspect B&M management at the time was more interested in newer power and a changing image rather than keeping existing first generation diesel power in running order.

A different management might have put money into extending the BL-2s' usefulness. But McGinnis bought 42 more RDCs so he could sell off the Boston coach yards. Plus 50 GP-9s to replace 48 FTs (after freeing up all the GP-7s and RSs in commuter service) so he could show a big reduction in maintenance costs. The B&M had no use for 9-year-old BL-2s and RS-2s, and no budget to maintain them. I expect the "out of service" was actually, "run till something important broke", given that most were scrapped rather than sold, at a time when Mexico was buying used 15-year-old FTs.