BLI Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad (GM&O) E7s and Erie E8s

[R L Smith]

As I continue to go through my Erie 'library', I have come across numerous 1951 photos - they must have been a big deal when delivered. 

820 (one of the units that Peter is offering) has a freight pilot in July 1954 but no lightning bolts. Same for 828 dated 1956.

So, as Ann Landers would say, a mea culpa is in order.  While I am aiming for 1952 as a cutoff date, a casual review of the rolling stock on my layout reveals a healthy percentage of mid-1950's build dates or repaint dates.  (NH and B&M McGinnis anyone? How about some green and yellow Rutland PS-1's?)  So I will be ordering the pair after all.  Hopefully I can sell some other stuff by then to help pay for them!


Ron

[OldEastRR]

RE the Erie wreck photo: how did a tank wind up being hit by a train?

[Chris333]

RE the Erie wreck photo: how did a tank wind up being hit by a train?

Think I remember that happening in Kent Ohio. Parade maybe?

Edit: Barberton Ohio
https://www.reddit.com/r/DestroyedTanks/comments/e6g0gr/a_sherman_is_hit_by_an_express_train_in_barberton/?rdt=55764

Barberton’s Very Worst Train Accident 
In 1951, Barberton suffered a horrendous train accident on the Erie tracks near the curve in the tracks at Fairview Avenue On April 30 at 5:50 p.m. A Sherman tank from the Ohio National Guard Company B, 137th Medium Tank Battalion, 57th Infantry, was crossing the tracks at Fairview Avenue and heading down Norton Avenue to the Armory. Erie Diesel Engine No. 6, an express train, was speeding north past the bend in the tracks when it hit the tank.
The crash tore the turret off the Sherman tank and crushed to death three out of the six National Guardsman inside the tank. The other three tank crewmen were seriously injured and numerous passengers on the Erie express train had to be hospitalized.
At the time there were no crossing gates at this very dangerous crossing. Many Barberton residents flocked to the crash site.

https://www.summitmemory.org/digital/collection/ABJarchives/id/9660/rec/6
https://www.summitmemory.org/digital/collection/ABJarchives/id/9657/rec/5

[learmoia]

And on the GM&O side, eventually we need these later ones... large numberboards and later lettering. 

 

https://www.lakestatesarchive.org/Ed-DeRouin-Collection/GMO/i-5NrR3kX/A

https://www.lakestatesarchive.org/Ed-DeRouin-Collection/GMO/i-9Vhk8rX/A

https://www.lakestatesarchive.org/Ed-DeRouin-Collection/GMO/i-nLRCFMQ/A

https://www.lakestatesarchive.org/Ed-DeRouin-Collection/GMO/i-Rbsz6nL/A


GM&O is a tough railroad to model, at least on the passenger front.  Lots of weird equipment.

Or the Later-Later ones that also made it to Amtrak.
https://csanders429.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/img20191224_10202662pkg-2.jpg

[jargonlet]

With the current situation with tariffs, what has become of this project?

[eja]

Click on one of the images on the vendor's web page .. and it says:

Broadway Limited Imports 8836 EMD E8A, Erie 820, Two-Tone Green, Paragon4 Sound/DC/DCC, N (Pioneer Trains Exclusive)

Passenger pilot installed, freight pilot in the box.

Radio Equipped Lightning Bolt decal included in the box.

[CBQ Fan]

This is from early April

Your pre-order has a new ship date
We wanted to provide a quick update on your recent pre-order with us. The following products you pre-ordered have a new estimated shipping date:
BLI 8834 EMD E7A, GM&O 101, As-Delivered, No-Sound / DCC-Ready, N
Your new estimated shipping date is 1 July 2025. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us. Thank you for your patience and continued support!

The Lowell Smith E units are the same batch and expected in July.

[Sokramiketes]

@Peter Amling I don't kow if you've got any of the standard run BLI GM&O F3's yet, but the color choice is... unfortunante.  The maroon seems brown, and the scheme a bit lifeless.  Are you working with them on better color samples for the E units? 

[Peter Amling]

Yes, I bought a couple when they came out and had the same reaction. I reached out to BLI to see what we can do for our production run. Hopefully it comes out less brown. It should not be brown at all. Fingers crossed.

[Sokramiketes]

Yes, I bought a couple when they came out and had the same reaction. I reached out to BLI to see what we can do for our production run. Hopefully it comes out less brown. It should not be brown at all. Fingers crossed.

Excellent.  Work your magic!

[Curtis Kyger]

The ALTON Railroad F units and E units and perhaps earliest GM&O F Units came in the "browner" shade of maroon and, although I do not know this to be fact, I believe the model manufacturers have used the EMD color chips to match the colors or perhaps been so directed by a historical society member whos proud of having determined the correct EMD factory colors. None-the-less, the GM&O very quickly began repainting these units as they relettered the units Gulf, Mobile & Ohio with The Alton Route script there-below. So--in my opinion--, Intermountain put a lettering scheme on a shade of paint that was at best very rarely seen and probably never seen with that lettering scheme.  ...'And apparently BLI went down the very same rabbit hole of being able to claim using colors matching original manufacturers color chips rather than looking at photographs.  [Note: I'm not saying to look at artists renderings, for those too were sometimes inaccurate.]  IMHO

[mark.hinds]

Think I remember that happening in Kent Ohio. Parade maybe?

Edit: Barberton Ohio
https://www.reddit.com/r/DestroyedTanks/comments/e6g0gr/a_sherman_is_hit_by_an_express_train_in_barberton/?rdt=55764
https://www.summitmemory.org/digital/collection/ABJarchives/id/9660/rec/6
https://www.summitmemory.org/digital/collection/ABJarchives/id/9657/rec/5

Since a Sherman tank only had 5 crew members, I wonder about the accuracy of that clip.  I suppose someone could have been sitting on top...  MH