DRGW.NetAlco PA on the Joint Line - 19 Apr 2011
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News Photos Alco PA on the Joint Line - 19 Apr 2011

Of 247 Alco PAs built for American railroads, only four examples survive. These four are all former Santa Fe units that were rebuilt by Morrison-Knutsen for the Delaware & Hudson in 1975. In 1978, the four went to Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Mexico. In 1981, FNM DH-16 (ex-D&H 16, nee ATSF 59L) was seriously damaged in a derailment and sidelined at the Empalme shops as a parts source. DH-18 (D&H 18, nee Santa Fe 62L) also suffered some failure and was also put in the dead lines to be stripped, but had no significant structural damage. DH-17 and DH-19 remained operational, and eventually wound up at the Museo Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Mexicanos (Mexican National Railroad Museum) in Puebla.



In early 2000, a combined effort between the Smithsonian Institution and Doyle McCormack (of SP 4449 fame) brought the stripped shells of DH-16 and DH-18 back to US soil. Both were essentially gutted, and neither came with real PA trucks. Doyle got DH-18 for restoration, and the Smithsonian got DH-16. Their intention was to cosmetically restore the unit as Santa Fe 59L, its original number. However, the engine sat for a decade on a siding outside Lebanon, OR, without progress. Late in 2010, the Smithsonian announced they'd donated the hulk to the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, TX.



On March 30, two flat cars - one loaded with the body, the other with the trucks - left Albany, OR, for their new Texas home. BNSF 585243, the flat with the trucks, made it through without much issue. BNSF 585184 and the body, however, have suffered a number of hangups in transit including being bad-ordered in Laurel, MT, and then again in Denver on Sunday. The load finally made it out of Denver on Tuesday's (19 Apr 2011) M-DENAMS-19, just behind BNSF warbonnet 669 and two UP motors. (Strangely, the two passed over the Joint Line on their trip back from Mexico almost exactly eleven years ago, moving north on 12 Apr 2000 right behind the power of BNSF's M-ABQDEN3-11.)



Alerted by a post on Trainorders.com by "locohntr", I shot out of work with the camera and caught up with the train at Tomah Road, about halfway between Castle Rock and Larkspur. Variable weather (everything from clear to windy, with combinations of rain, drizzle, and sleet balls) and light didn't stop about a half-dozen or so fans out chasing it. I followed it from Tomah to downtown Colorado Springs, and managed to get shots from all four corners.



As a counterpoint of what money, spare parts, and countless dedicated volunteer hours can do, Doyle's PA is now in wonderful shape and nearing operational status. It's being restored as NKP 190, the first diesel engine he got to ride in with his father (an NKP engineer). Photos and history on his restoration can be found at www.nkp190.com. Hopefully the museum in Texas can do as nice of a cosmetic job with DH-16.



Also, I thought I should add - while I can't find any particular photographs of ATSF 59L working passenger trains over the Joint Line, there are others that show other PAs working the Centennial State between Denver and Kansas City. So it's entirely possible that 59L did revenue service over these rails at some point.

Date: 04 Apr 2011
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The first sighting, as M-DENAMS-19 rolls across the entrace to the campground near Tomah Road
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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It's somewhat appropriate that the former ATSF passenger unit was lead by a former Santa Fe warbonnet.
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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And here's the hulk on the Larkspur Santa Fe bridge
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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Passing through Greenland, CO
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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The conductor's side rear in sunlight - as you can see, the unit is completely gutted.
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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Stopped at the sag awaiting a signal, I got the chance to get a few detail shots - just nothing left in there.
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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Strangely at the rear end, the steam generator remains intact, as does the radiator fan.
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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Conductor's side front 3/4 on the flatcar
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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From a secret spot at the south end of Monument Lake. *smirk*
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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The engineer's side of the unit, showing much more derailment damage. I've never seen pictures of the wreck, but it looks like the engine went over on the engineer's side and partially rolled onto the roof.
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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A frontal engineer's side wedgie.
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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Approaching Woodman Road here in Colorado Springs. I lost what little light I had a split second after this.
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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And downtown, from the unofficial Colorado Springs railfan tower (otherwise known as the pedestrian staircase on the Colorado Ave bridge).
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
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An overhead shot, showing a bit more detail of the roofline and its damage.
Date: 04 Apr 2011
Owner: ND Holmes
 
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