The Pacific Imperial Railroad "Pick-A-Part" Facility at Coyote Wells - As was predicted by “the arm chair captains of the Transportation Industry” movement of the PIR’s three pack of downgraded GP-40-2's purchased from the Idaho Northern & Pacifc, from Plaster City to the yet to be fully described and constructed future intermodal transloading facility at Coyote Wells California has resulted in the units being stripped of their parts by itinerant passersby traveling on Interstate 8.
While it is not known how many of the units were on-line (if any) during the March 2016, move to the yard at Coyote Wells from Plaster City, it is at this point obvious that the GP-40’s have undergone significant conversion from transportation assets, to scrap metal standing in place.
Further, the units proximity to the highway and lack of any security measures whatsoever, has encouraged copper thieves, vandals and souvenir hunting railfans to visit the easily accessible site to glean parts and pieces from the rusting hulks.
Evidence of how far the scrapping process has progressed is apparent by the hole in the floor below the control stand of number 4500 (to the right in the photo) that connects with the opened hatch on the far side out of the frame and the pieces of fuel line parts that are lying about the site.
I would not be surprised if at some point one or more of the control stands ends up missing, only to be relocated in some railfan’s basement, or available for purchase on E-Bay.
Not
just heritage schemes, not just commemorative schemes - this album is devoted to some of the world's most interesting paint schemes, past or present.
