Visiting NC

[kbkchooch]

I gues I'll have to go more "inland" next time I'm down there.
My sister lives in Wilmington, and I have done a bit of railfanning at the Port of Wilmington. Real friendly folks there, just check in at the office 1st!
And be aware, there are gators in the culverts near the office!!!
Last time I was there I was taking pics of an incoming CSX train, standing on a little bridge over a culvert. The train stopped and the engineer shouted out"Hey, I see you got a little buddy there!" I looked down and there was a 4 ft gator 3 feet below me!!

 

[bnsf971]

It wasn't there last summer when we visited.

One of the museum workers told me that when they have a diesel with a problem related to the internal workings of the diesel loco, they send it off to someplace in Pa. (Sorry I can't remember the place name, it's been almost 4 years.) It could be there now. It's the same place they were sending the SRR FP-7 to have its diesel engine and electrical components rebuilt at that time.

I also will be the first to say that the museum may not do this anymore, but this info was factual at the time. I think that it would be really great if they could do this stuff on premises, like they do with the steamers they're rebuilding.

It's there now, looks like it doesn't really go anywhere. It just sits on one of the turntable leads. I was told it isn't nearly as fuel efficient as the older units, and it's a little too new for them, so it just sits.

If you get there, be sure to take a stack of cash with you across the street to the hobby shop (Little Choo Choo Shop).

 

[bigB]

No doubt, they have some really talented, knowledgable, giving volunteers there who do the rebuilds. Im not too sure how many Diesel volunteers they have, and I think what Terry said about the FP40PH may be too new to restore yet may be right. Most of the things they have running there hasnt seen the rails in 30+years.

The most modern things Ive seen there are the NW GP9 and the Southern GP30. Good museum though and its only been getting better.

 

[bigB]

If you get there, be sure to take a stack of cash with you across the street to the hobby shop (Little Choo Choo Shop).

Terry,

From a fellow local like you who also lives an hour away (in my case an hour south), your advice is spot on...

Little Choo Choo is the best LHS that I have and its 45 min away. My next closest is 1:45 away in Greenville,SC (which I like more)...

 

[bnsf971]

It's there now, looks like it doesn't really go anywhere. It just sits on one of the turntable leads. I was told it isn't nearly as fuel efficient as the older units, and it's a little too new for them, so it just sits.

.

Update on this one: It's now sitting in the roundhouse, if I didn't know better I would think they were experimenting with converting it to coal power. It's sitting about 3 feet in front of a tender from one of the steam engines. It made for some interesting photos. If I can upload them from my phone:

On edit, it looks like I'll have to download them onto my home computer, and then upload them from there.
Okay, here's the pics: