KJ B Unit ready to roll

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bn13814
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

Unread post by bn13814 »

Super Chief wrote:Well any pictures of Santa behind the 3 F's? Would love to see them, or did the B not even make the trip? We've got a National Christmas Train depending on them to compete against the two Canadian trains!!!
I shot 15 minutes, 15 seconds of video of the Keokuk Junction Railway's Santa Train, Saturday, December 6, 2014. Footage at or near all stops shown.


Super Chief
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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Great video many thanks for sharing. They do look sharp and would look good leading any consist. Hope the B units problem is minor. Hats off again to the people responsible for making that day possible for the fans, parents and of course the children. Santa had a respectable ride there. Everybody's Lionel train set to boot.

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MP73point4
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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Is the B unit back in service?
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Bulby
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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No
Apparently I work on GEs now...

Matt Short Line H
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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What is wrong with it exactly?? :evil:
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bn13814
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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Matt Short Line H wrote:What is wrong with it exactly?? :evil:
Electrical issues. It had problems during the Santa Train run on December 6.

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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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Matt Short Line H wrote:What is wrong with it exactly?? :evil:
It isn't playing well with others when dead in tow. Nothing really difficult to fix, just need time to trace out the wiring and find the problem. For the moment, the shop crews have their hands full with the rest of the running fleet.
Apparently I work on GEs now...

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MP73point4
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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I'm planning to head to the KJ next week to photograph the F's. Yeah, I don't expect to see the B-unit running, oh well. Looking for a little help regarding the operation.
Am I correct that operations are centered in LaHarpe and trains run east and west from there? Do the F's stay on the segment from LaHarpe to Peoria? Is there an eastbound one day and a westbound the next? About what time do they get started in the morning?
Any particular photo spot suggestions? I have looked through the pictures on RailPictures.net and come up with some thoughts from those.
Any help/clarifications/confirmations/corrections/advice will be appreciated.
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bn13814
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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MP73point4 wrote:I'm planning to head to the KJ next week to photograph the F's. Yeah, I don't expect to see the B-unit running, oh well. Looking for a little help regarding the operation.
Am I correct that operations are centered in LaHarpe and trains run east and west from there? Do the F's stay on the segment from LaHarpe to Peoria? Is there an eastbound one day and a westbound the next? About what time do they get started in the morning?
Any particular photo spot suggestions? I have looked through the pictures on RailPictures.net and come up with some thoughts from those.
Any help/clarifications/confirmations/corrections/advice will be appreciated.
The F's (usually with a GP20) work between Mapleton, Good Hope and East Peoria Monday and Thursday. I've seen them depart Kolbe/Mapleton a little after 8:00, but it could be later. Occasionally, they'll run to LaHarpe if they have a big (read storage cars) train. Seems a relief crew may take the local back east the same day or the crew making the westbound trip runs back east on Tuesday and Friday.

Other local trains are based at Keokuk. Both an AM and/or PM switcher primarily work Roquette America's riverfront corn processing plant, the BNSF interchange and Twin Rivers Yard 24/7/365. The weekday LaHarpe Job runs as far as its namesake, and to Blandinsville and Sciota elevators as needed, and to swap traffic with the F unit-led local out of Mapleton, usually Monday and Thursday afternoon.

Bulby can set me straight if any information is incorrect.


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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

Unread post by Bulby »

Information is correct except that right now the 2047 is leading west, 2003 leading east with the 1752 and 1750 in the middle. With 1761 still (urgh!) down, more power was needed than 2 FP9s and a single GP20 can provide.

At least 2047 is a little bit better than 2041...

Railpictures.net and rrpicturesarchives pretty much covers all shots you can get from public property.
Apparently I work on GEs now...

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MP73point4
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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Thank you gentlemen for your information. This is exactly the kind of detail I was hoping for. It helps make a trip so much more productive.
Due to the expected weather this weekend I am rescheduling my trip for a weekend in June. Maybe there'll be some sunshine and progress on the B unit by then. An F unit sandwich is not what I'm hoping for. I'll cross my fingers.
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Bulby
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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I hate to make predictions like this, because they usually end up correct; but I'm guessing the 1761 will be back mid-August, if past performance is any guide.

As to how long the F-unit sandwich lasts, it may go away before then if the traffic doesn't warrant 4 units.
Apparently I work on GEs now...

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MDH
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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Bulby wrote:I hate to make predictions like this, because they usually end up correct; but I'm guessing the 1761 will be back mid-August, if past performance is any guide.

As to how long the F-unit sandwich lasts, it may go away before then if the traffic doesn't warrant 4 units.
Boy, I'm really glad I got there (just due to luck!) pre-sandwich!

ImageSpringtime at Spoon River by Michael Harding, on Flickr

ImageF's & old grain bins by Michael Harding, on Flickr

(and more on my Flickr)

I wouldn't mind going back sometime for an A-B-A set of F's, but sounds like that could be a while...
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penn central
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

Unread post by penn central »

The last time I was to Mapleton Illinois there was a Pioneer Rail Corp RS3 Alco sitting there along with the Fs and fully painted Santa Fe GP20. This was back in December of 2007. I wonder is the Alco still there.

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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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penn central wrote:The last time I was to Mapleton Illinois there was a Pioneer Rail Corp RS3 Alco sitting there along with the Fs and fully painted Santa Fe GP20. This was back in December of 2007. I wonder is the Alco still there.
That unit is at LaHarpe dead. It was used for switching the car repair shop at Kolbe then sent to Shawnee Terminal Railway before returning about 2012 or 2013.

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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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bn13814 wrote:
penn central wrote:The last time I was to Mapleton Illinois there was a Pioneer Rail Corp RS3 Alco sitting there along with the Fs and fully painted Santa Fe GP20. This was back in December of 2007. I wonder is the Alco still there.
That unit is at LaHarpe dead. It was used for switching the car repair shop at Kolbe then sent to Shawnee Terminal Railway before returning about 2012 or 2013.
The RS3m (12-567 under the hood) is dead at Laharpe with a laundry list of vandalism from the Shawnee Terminal's local "riff-raff" amounting to over 60k in damage. Darned shame, she was a great locomotive.
Apparently I work on GEs now...

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AARR
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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$60k of damage. Isn't that more than what they can be sold for? :wink:
Bulby wrote:The RS3m (12-567 under the hood) is dead at Laharpe with a laundry list of vandalism from the Shawnee Terminal's local "riff-raff" amounting to over 60k in damage. Darned shame, she was a great locomotive.
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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AARR wrote:$60k of damage. Isn't that more than what they can be sold for? :wink:
Bulby wrote:The RS3m (12-567 under the hood) is dead at Laharpe with a laundry list of vandalism from the Shawnee Terminal's local "riff-raff" amounting to over 60k in damage. Darned shame, she was a great locomotive.
It's worth what someone will pay for it... and if you find someone with more money than sense, they might pay more than that.

It is indefinitely sidelined, but not up for scrapping. If four of the correct traction motors magically appeared at Laharpe, the repair cost would drop significantly. The lion's share of the repair cost is having to rewind all four traction motors and restring the motor leads. Copper vandals got them.
Apparently I work on GEs now...

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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

Unread post by jrgerber »

Queston:

What's the cost analysis as to when to repair and keep a unit vs. scrapping and using the proceeds to buying a different used locomotive?

For example I see alot of former BNSF GP-7s and a few GP-10s and GP-16s at National Railway Equipment any idea what a decent GP-7 would cost these days?

Thank you.

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MDH
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Re: KJ B Unit ready to roll

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jrgerber wrote:Queston:

What's the cost analysis as to when to repair and keep a unit vs. scrapping and using the proceeds to buying a different used locomotive?

For example I see alot of former BNSF GP-7s and a few GP-10s and GP-16s at National Railway Equipment any idea what a decent GP-7 would cost these days?

Thank you.
Blue carded & serviceable probably $100K plus. Here's an example:

http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/det ... -GP10-8126
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