PC: PC GP9 at Morgan Run

[Jerry Jordak <jer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi guys,

Yesterday, I rode an excursion train sponsored by the Akron Railroad Club 
over the Ohio Central between Sugarcreek and Morgan Run, Ohio. We rode 
south in heavyweight coaches behind OC 4-6-2 1293, a former Canadian 
Pacific engine which wore CP lettering on its right side (for the photo 
runbys). At Morgan Run, we got an hour to walk around and check out the 
OC's shops. (The PCRRHS convention in 2002 got a tour here too.) The return 
trip was powered by ex-Amtrak F40PH 280. Talk about extremes of old and new!

But, that's not what I'm here to tell you about...

South of the shops on the old W&LE mainline is a long string of stored and 
derelict power. The first one on the north end was a GP9 7049, painted in 
"red P" Penn Central paint. I don't have any pictures of it from yesterday 
yet, but here's a picture I found on the net of it:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/6274470/61354233vnFqvr

This locomotive, along with a former Weirton Steel Alco S2 and a Nickel 
Plate bay window caboose, were at a musueum in Wellsville, WV, that I think 
went defunct. The equipment was stored on a track which the city wanted to 
use for a trail, so it had to either be moved or cut up. The caboose was 
moved to the Beaver Valley Junction NRHS site in Mahoningtown, PA, but it 
looked like the locomotives were going to meet their end.

Until Ohio Central's Jerry Jacobson got wind of the situation, and stepped 
in to give them a home. Norfolk Southern moved the locomotives for free 
over to Mingo Junction, and one of the ex-Amtrak F40s was sent to Mingo to 
bring them back to Morgan Run. (That would have been a move to see!)

I asked Mr. Jacobson last night at dinner about the PC Geep, and he relayed 
the above story to me, and added that he is probably will donate the PC 
Geep and the Weirton Steel switcher to a museum. (I learned from another OC 
employee where they may likely be going, but since I don't believe that 
deal is finalized, nor is it public knowledge yet, I won't divulge that 
information here at this time.)

Granted, it isn't the best looking PC paint scheme, as the letter looks a 
little goofy (the numbers are Conrail-style, for instance), and it never 
actually wore a red P under Penn Central (7045 was the closest that did). 
But, it *is* a restored Penn Central piece, so I hope that it gets a good 
home eventually.

-JWJ