Big Red VTR 432 rescues the Legendary Alco 405

The GMRC-405 developed a few minor problems in the final days of the Fall Foliage Excursions based out of Chester VT. Taking some precaution, It was placed out of service and train 263 retrieved it on Saturday, October 14, 2017. The locomotive was back in Chester the following weekend coupled to the "silver fleet".
The Alco 405 is indeed a legend. At 66 years old it was purchased new by the Rutland Railroad in 1951 and has served on the same rails its entire career. As a remarkably maintained operating railroad antique, it is hard to imagine just how old this machine is in the "throwaway world" we live in today. The locomotive is named after F. Nelson Blount founder of Steam Town, USA and the Green Mountain Railroad, in addition to Blount Seafood Corporation.
At the time, the future of the 405 on the Green Mountain Railroad was rumored to be limited, and this could have been the final season pulling passenger trains in the state of Vermont. So, with camera rolling, I was lucky to catch some history on a rare move with 405 on GMRC 263.
The Excursions finished out the weekend with VTR-207 substituting for the 405 on the west end of the train. 405 was back in Chester the following weekend.
Addendum: 405 is still with the GMRC (Vermont Rail System) as of 2021.. Rumors are just that, rumors.

[@moaigaming8418]

I love that horn

[@Steve-xf4uv]

Great video. If true I will be sad to see her go. Hope she gets a good home and gets used some more.

[@Steelrailbearing]

Thank you.. I agree, it would be a sad day to watch her leave the GMRC.

[@TexasRailfan21-RailfanRyan]

I sincerely hope that the 405 will go to a good railroad home

[@briansaxby5357]

Last I knew the 405 is still used by the Green Mountain Railroad for it's tourists train

[@rickledges4412]

February 24, 2020. With much of the VRS loco fleet assisting in the Hoosac Tunnel detour trains, Thje GMRC #405 was pressed into freight service yesterday with a move of 4 cars from Rutland to Bellows Falls. It has usually been mothballed for the winter for the last several years. Last summer, it underwent some mechanical and cosmetic repair. Check out this video taken on 2/19/20 by Palmer Sub Rail videos. 13:23

[@Steelrailbearing]

Thanks Rick, I watched Palmer Sub's video last night. He did a great job capturing that move of 405 last week, along with the Pan Am detour trains. 405 hasn't looked this good in a long time. Somebody put a lot of elbow grease into her.

[@mansfielddepotconnecticutr1224]

Awesome!!!

[@Steelrailbearing]

Thank you!

[@randallcarson5191]

Amazing pieces of machinery.. My wife can't understand the fascination, says watching a train is like watching paint dry. I didn't wanna tell her I forgot her name.

[@Steelrailbearing]

Man, I'm with you on that, I love waiting for a train and then finally hearing one on approach in the distance.. The fascination is endless watching them go by.

[@tswan222]

Any idea what the tankers are carrying and where they’re headed?

[@Steelrailbearing]

The tankers are loaded with calcium carbonate and headed to various Paper Mills in Maine.

[@bengale7054]

what horn do the sd70m-2s have because i want the my ho scale model train to be more accurate

[@Steelrailbearing]

Good question, I'm not sure of the model designation of those horns. Maybe somebody will chime in that knows.

[@bengale7054]

okay

[@bengale7054]

thanks

[@trainfanatic5435]

Ben the train man I know I’m late but it’s a K5LLA

[@bengale7054]

Thanks!