SCRANTON, Pa. – The Anthracite Railroads Historical Society, which owns an A-B set of F3s painted in Lackawanna Railroad colors, is raising funds to restore F3B No. 664B to operation. The two units, plus F3A No. 664 owned by the Tri-State Railway Historical Society and also painted for the Lackawanna, made the trip to the Streamliners at Spencer event at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, N.C. but only No. 664 was operational. The other unit, F3A No. 663, is presently being shopped by the ARHS for main generator repairs that will return it to operating condition.
Plans to restore 664B include an oil change, starting batteries, water pump and injector work, a governor and a number of minor items such as new gaskets in several places. The unit was built for the Boston & Maine as F7B No. 4268B in 1950. After the ARHS acquired it, it was externally restored to look like an F3B to match the A-units, which were originally Bangor & Aroostook units.
Make a donation for the restoration of 664B here.
Kudos for the attempt. This unit, ex Boston and Maine F7B 4268, worked daily on the B&M for many years in freight and passenger duty. Even her mother, B&M 4268A at Conway Scenic Railroad, has had "cosmetic" work done. Regardless of their looks or paint jobs, EMD engineers built products to last. With new/rebuilt internals, she should last another 25 years. This unit is like the B&M "Bluebirds" GP-9 units who got many of their parts from the B&M FT's that were traded in to make the batch of Geeps. One part borrowed, one part bought..Good Luck in bringing her back to run again under her own power.
Wayne Gagnon, Past President/BOD-Boston and Maine Historical Society,
I applaud the project, but let's be honest, here. Every time this locomotive is mentioned, the statement is made that it is a F7B visually backdated to resemble an F3B. Internally it's still an F7 so call it that.
The recent TRAINS feature article on the same trio, one of the A-units was described as being the last "unmodified" F3, which is preposterous. Not a single diesel-electric anywhere older than a few months is "unmodified." All of these cab units have seen historic rebuildings, swap-outs of main generators, air compressors and other auxiliaries.
I may be sounding nitpicky, but journalistic truth is important, and frankly this story represents some pretty untidy journalism if only for the sake of "Gee, wow!" storytelling.
Like I said, I do applaud the preservation effort, but these are stand-in diesels for others long gone, and not even true DL&W units at that. A little tidiness and honesty goes a long, long way.
Thanks,
Walter,
in a BTW, the ESTC received a trailer load of stuff from the Rock Island's version of our training center, mostly air brake stuff, but included was a connecting rod bent like part of a pretzel.
Impressive and scary, heck of a teaching tool….
I hope that finding out about hydraulic lock wasn't painful…..financially.
And many thanks to the inventor of the "creepy crank" module….
Francis X, the engine is a 'C' Model. We had the gaskets and other top deck items renewed in 1991 at the now-defunct Rome Locomotive Works. All of the Low Voltage switchgear had been scavenged by the B&M when we bought the unit, so that was a major deterrent to getting her running. This past winter, we became aware the NS Exec B-units were being upgraded electrically, so we were able to buy both electrical cabinets for an EXTREMELY reasonable price (Thanks, NS!). One went to the Reading Co, Tech and Historical Soc, and the other one was installed for us in partnership with Steamtown. Since there's no need to replace the entire cabinet under normal overhaul procedures, there's no roof hatch. So, Steamtown cut out the roof, removed the framework of the old cabinet, installed the new one and re-welded the roof. This will save untold hours in the rewiring process- we have most of the relays and other heavy electrical parts, but now we don't need to remount everything, just merge the B&M schematic with the NS schematic.
Low Voltage Control wiring was started over the winter and will continue now that the units are back in Steamtown.
I've never heard this engine run, and am looking fwd to the day it happens. BTW, we do blow down all the cylinders before refiring the prime mover in 663 and 664- we know what hydraulic lock can do to a con rod……
Walter, ARHS President
Don, you are correct. 662 was the highest original Lackawanna number, we decided to keep on going, with the '3' in 663 as a reminder that it's Tri-State's.
Bruce, the B-unit has all three types of porthole glazing: fixed, swing out and swing in (for the hostler controls). It's pretty cool to be able to see all that equipment still in place and we hope to make it functional again so people can see a B-unit move under it's own power!
Gerald, we'd love to see you at Steamtown. Our 40th anniversary is in 2015 and we're in the beginning stages of planning our largest convention yet for November '15. The Spencer event really re-energized me 'spiritually', although it almost killed me physically over the week I was there. I'm still recooperating! Talking with people like you and your Dad over dinner was even more impressive than the line-up of power that showed up.
I spoke to them at spencer.Great people very knowledgeable hope to visit them again at steamtown.
I'll scour the sofa for spare change if….
you can assure me the engine at the least is a 567BC, a 567C or 567D or has 645 pistons and cyl. liners…..because by reading that an oil change and new gaskets in several places hints that a 567B on life support is in it. Oh, and a cooling system water pump….almost an indictment.
Why….The 567B and earlier variants, had gaskets that, when the engine cooled, leaked cooling water into combustion chambers; crank that engine and that water wreaked mechanical havoc during the compression pre-ignition piston stroke.
Did'ja ever wonder why even in mild temperatures the EMD's were left idling? Back then?
The Tri-State unit is, I believe, numbered #663, not #664. #664 is the ARHS A unit. The Tri-State unit has the bad generator.
This "B" unit is actually an F7B and belonged to the B&M railroad, It was #4268B . The "A" unit for it ( former EMD demonstrator) is in North Conway, NH, and owned by the "470 Club" This B unit was set up to to "hostle" in a yard and was used by the B&M to move cars and engines after many years of track service. IT spent some significant time at the North Billerica yards. Regardless of its current paint, its nice to see it on the tracks again moving. It was built in Nov, 1950, and is serial number 12383. The builders tag should be black and red. The reproduction builders plates seems to be done in later used blue and a much lighter blue than was originally used. I donated at Spencer and hope some here can help out as well. They gave out some NICE big posters there at Spencer of the 2 Bangor and Aroostook F3's with the 7B .. Good luck guys!! hope it can be stored indoors. somewhere, somehow…
I met these folks at the Streamliners event. What a great bunch of people. I look forward to seeing these motors in their native habitat one day when I can make it to Steamtown. Thanks for your efforts at the event, you put on a good show.