Re: PC: GP-38 timeline

[Jerry Jordak <jer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bill K. wrote:
 
> Genesee and Wyoming 50-51 are old Conrail units (heck one is still blue and
> has been on G&W for 10 years or more!).  Anyhow according to some of the
> articles on them, they were among the oldest GP38's built and supposedly
> dated to 1965 (as NYC engines).   I had my doubts on that although the 645
> dates back to 1966-67 and a few of the oldest PRR SD40's got rebuilt to
> still run on Conrail now.  Anyone know how true that info is?

No PC predecessor owned GP38s. The first PC units built (7675-7814)
had build dates of 6/11/69. (Source: PC Power).

As for the heritage of the GNWR units, I think they were PC units, but
not completely sure. According to the American Shortline Railway Guide
(4th edition), GNWR 50-51 were built 5/1970 as builder numbers
7625-19 and 7625-36. PC Power lists an order for GP38s 7825-7867 as
order # 7265, builder # 36441-36483, built 5,6/1970. So if you use
the unit number of the order number and not the builder number itself,
and assume that 7265 was the order number (makes more sense at that
time than 7625--ASRG typo then), that would make GNWR 50 and 51 former
PC 7843 and PC 7860.

Henry Frick wrote:

> Gp38s arrived on PC in earyl 1970s  PRR may have had some
> They bought a large batch in 1971 73 and had to arrange financing
> and for another railroad to take them if the PC went under

Actually, it was Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines (PRSL) who
bought some. They were numbered in the 2000 series, but the last
batch, 2010-2014, were transferred to PC and relettered when delivered
in 1970. Apparently, the banks were worried about the financial health
of PRSL, so the units were transferred to PC, since their credit was
somehow better than PRSL, even though PC had been bankrupt for a
couple of months at the time. Go figure.....

Later,
-Jer

-- 
Jerry W. Jordak               Time has little to do with infinity
mailto:jer@smellycat.com      and jelly doughnuts.
http://prozac.cwru.edu/jer/                      -- Thomas Magnum
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