A few years back there was a list of surviving F units on the net. This list is no longer available but I recently ran accross my printout of it. On this list is an F7A painted as WP 920D ex US Steel, ex Burlington Northern, nee Northern Pacific. It is listed as privately owned and on display in Oroville,CA. I've never been able to find it. Never heard anything more about her and never heard back from and email to the list owner. Anyone got a clue where she is???
I'd not heard about this unit. As an NP fan, am curious to know if true. And more of it's origins. Boxcab E50
This is all I found tonight in my quick searching http://www.somewherewest.com/WesternPacific/western_pacific.htm
Darren- Thanks for the link and pics!! This is the real WP 920D. I'm looking for an ex US Steel unit that was just painted to look like 920D. An imposter if you will. Boxcab- I have the builder or frame number and build date somewhere too. I'll post it next time if that will help ya.
Sounds like a road trip, John.... with a scavenger hunt! All I could find on the net was 921-D http://www.wplives.org/PRM_Home/Locomotives/locomotives.html [ November 16, 2005, 12:04 AM: Message edited by: nscale_lover ]
Mike and all- Problem is, I've been on that hunt before Back in ohhh '93 or early '94 is when I first got into trains a bit. My buddy and I took a trip up to Oroville and on through the FRC to Portola. Then on to Truckee and back home to Auburn. While in Oroville, I have a very vague recollection of an F unit. I thought I remembered the location of it even better than the unit itself. Well several years later another friend and I were in Oroville railfanning and we ran across the spot that matches my completely random memory. Only now there is no loco and I didn't see any evidence there ever was. Gave up the search after not getting any return emails from the list owner and not finding the unit until now. I was digging through a box of junk and found my printout of the list and thought I'd ask here. Boxcab- The builder or frame number is 14255 and build date is 5/51. Maybe I should check out some NP sites or rosters.
Looking through F units, shown on the Preserved Diesels List, nothing shows as going from NP to WP paint. Current to September, 2005. Boxcab E50
Evening all, Ok, here is what I have on the 920D. From Virgal Staff's book D Day on the WP. The 920D was built 1/27/50. The serial number was 8977 and it was traded to GE for a "boat" on 3/20/72. Shannon WP LIVES ATSF LIVES
Yeah, I've gotten the "real" WP920D down. I'm looking for an imposter. On this list I have as surviving F units is an ex US Steel #734, ex Burlington Northern #734 ex Northern Pacific #6014D. It was never officially a WP unit. Just got painted that way by private owner. Was supposedly on display in Oroville,CA but I'm now guessing it's not around any longer. I'm still holding out hope though as I'd like to take a drive and get a pic if its still there somewhere. Thought that maybe some WP fans would have an idea since that is what paint it was supposed to be wearing at last sighting. Now you all get to share in my mystery!
Boxcab- Found a different list of preserved F's on the net. NP 6014D is listed but only as privately owned. This is the unit I'm looking for. Supposedly she wears a WP paint scheme as the 920D???? I'll have to shoot some emails out and see what I can come up with.
John, have your tried the COC? Or the local paper (if they have one)? They might have a lead... or a pic... or somethin
Scrounging through everything I can find: For c/n 14255= NP 6014D (2nd.) Built 5/51. To BN #734. Sold to Joseph Simon & Sons, 5/73. (JS&S is a scrapper in Tacoma, WA.) Doesn't help much, does it? Boxcab E50
There were other F units that passed through that scrap yard. Such as the three that went to the Seattle & North Coast. One of which Doyle now has in Portland. Believe the other two are on a tourist RR these days. Too bad someone doesn't have a contact there, who could help with tracing dispositions! Boxcab E50
I remember in an old train magazine about U.S. Steel and in the background was a cab of an NP F-unit sitting on the ground and I think this is what you are looking for. I seem to recall someone from "Railfan & Railroad" magazine might have bought it and added it to his house? It was back in the early to mid- eighty's.
I saw plenty-o-boxcars in various stages of "storage" sitting right off the main highway on my last drive through (Monday)... no power though
