AMHERST RAILWAY SOCIETY

Above is a photo taken by your webmaster on February 24, 2008 at the Northeast Station in Brewster North, New York on the Harlem Division. Wayne Koch replied with the following:

Those are CDOTs GM-EMD FL9s (Connecticut Dept. of transp.). Truly museum pieces. They are maintained here at Harmon by MNR mechanical forces. That classic paint job is known as the Pat B. McGinnis scheme.

Here's a few of my 200+ top notch photos of the FL9 that I have. Each day that I walk though the shop or the yard, I snap a few shots...I know once they retire them people are going to scream for these photos.

BTW, (6) FL9s remain in service at this time. 2011, 2014, 2016, 2024, 2026, 2027. All built 1956-1960. They are to trains, what the Boeing 747 is to jets. Classic timeless, and you can't build prettier....

Webmaster wrote: Beautiful photos. Thanks. Now what can you tell me about that Lightning Stripe New York Central unit behind the NH FL9 in the bottom photo. I just bought a pair of HO locomotives with a similar paint scheme.

Wayne replied: That unit 2012 is also an FL9. It was painted in 1999 or 2000 in honor of 150th Anniversary of the birth of NY Central. That unit is dead for nearly 3 years now, yet they push it in the shop each October for OPEN HOUSE DAY. Real Rail nuts know that the FL9 never had a lightning stripe scheme. In total 2 units were painted at MNR: 2012 and 2013. 2013 now resides permanently at the Danbury Rail Museum in CT. They did look good huh?

The origins of the lightning stripe started in the mid 1950s. It was superceded by the cigar-band in the early 1960s.

Now you know....the REST of the story,

Webmaster wrote: Do you have a picture that shows the FL9 that was painted in the NYC Lightning Stripe colors?

Wayne Koch replied: two retired MNR EMD FL9s remain on the property and are prep'd and painted for static displays during our MNR October Open House. They are #2008 and #2012 with the "NYC lightning stripes." The open house is well worth it if you can budget a full 5 hours here....

Saturday, October 11, 2008 10 AM to 3 PM Take a close-up look at locomotives, work equipment, passenger cars... Let real railroaders show you what it takes to transport more than 80 million people annually... Hop aboard the Fall Foliage Special train... and more. A great event for the kids and grown-ups too! It's all free and it's all at Metro-North's largest maintenance and repair facility. By train: Take Metro-North's Hudson Line to Croton-Harmon Station for shuttle bus service to the shop. Check timetable for scheduled trains. By car: From New York City, take the New York State Thruway to Exit 9, Tarrytown. Turn left onto Route 119 for 2/10 mile. Turn right onto Route 9 and continue north for 14 miles. After crossing Croton River Bridge, take the first exit, Croton Point Avenue. Follow signs to free parking. From Stamford and White Plains, take Interstate 287 to the New York State Thruway entrance at Elmsford and follow the directions above.

Webmaster wrote: Did I read somewhere that the FL9's are all being retired? Is there anything I should add to the page about that?

Wayne Koch replied: The plan is that the 6 EMD FL9Ms in New Haven Colors will be retired once the Brookville BL20GHs are fully accepted. They are units 125 - 130 (see humor below). As of today (9/4/2008), no one can say when that will happen.