Re: PC: PC 1100s

[NYC4600@xxxxxxx]

I recently wrote to the National New York Central Railroad Museum about the
Metro-North Railroad's 1100 series former New York Central 4600 and 4700
series 1962 and 1965 MU's.  I told them how well liked those cars are and all.
Hopefully they can acquire at least 1 of them before they are scrapped which
I'm sure won't be in too long.  However, although I am hoping that they'll at
least acquire 1, if they can acquire 2 of them, I was thinking how one of them
would look nice wearing Penn Central paint, and the other New York Central
paint.

Of course this is only an idea, but for NYC/PC MU fans, these cars mean a lot,
and it'll be shame if all of them dissappear without any of them going to the
most fitting Museum for them - the National New York Central Railroad Museum.
A while back I started a lot of conversation on this mailing list about that
ex-NYC 4500 series, ex-PC 1000 series, 1950 St. Louis Car Company MU laying on
the siding north of Croton-on-Hudson, New York.  Obviously there's no hope for
that car sadly, as it is terribly vandalized, and apparently there's little
left in it from NYC and PC days.  

Additionally, I'm sure it would take many years to restore, and the cost of
this restoration, as well as the transport of the car to the National NYCRR
Museum in Elkhart, Indiana, would be very great.

However, there is still hope for the 1100s.  They are in great condition.
They have been well maintained over the years, and recently the MNRR has been
taking great care of them.  They are comfortable cars to ride, and are much
better than the newer M-series cars.  I'm sure the transport cost of one or
two 1100s from NY to Elkhart would be much more worth it then with that ex-PC
1000 series MU.  All a Museum like the National New York Central Railroad
Museum would have to do is paint one or two of the 1100s in NYC/PC paint to
have them look as they did when they were still new cars.  They could put them
on display immediately.  No restoration of the interiors necessary, they're in
operating shape now.

I know most of us couldn't afford to help pay for the transport of a train
car, or even the cost of the car.  However, I was wondering if any other fans
of these cars would write to the National New York Central Railroad Museum and
show them there is a number of people out there that would like to see at
least one or two of these old NYC/PC MU's preserved.  

The National New York Central Railroad Museum's web site is at:

http://nycrrmuseum.railfan.net/

The 1100s were the last MU's ever to be purchased by the New York Central, and
when the 34 car 1965 order (given the 4700 designation) began to be operated
by PC, these 34 MU's were only 3 years old.  Therefore those 4700s ran for PC
longer than they did for the NYC!  These cars have great New York Central and
Penn Central value.  It would be a shame to see them all disappear with none
being acquired by the New York Central Museum.   

It seems as though NYC, and ultimately also former PC equipment is floating
around all too much out there.  It all needs to be preserved, because as the
years go on, only more will dissappear that hasn't been preserved.  And as
equipment is purchased by different museum's, you end up having a peice of NYC
equipment here, and a peice there.  Although preserved in one way or another,
cars and locos are often scattered among museums.  I think the NYC Museum is
the most fitting place for an 1100 or two to be preserved, and could only help
them out, by having more to offer visitors.

Thanks ahead to all all the MU fans and NYC and PC fans out there who'd like
to write to the National New York Central Railroad Museum about the 1100s.  It
would truely be a shame to see all of those cars scrapped, and none of those
cars preserved.

John W.