We Lifted a Locomotive Hood... Then Things Went Wrong | ALCO RSD-12 Restoration Ep 9

We lift the massive hood off our ALCO RSD-12 diesel locomotive, and things don’t go exactly as planned. In Episode 9 of our locomotive restoration series, the crew at the Southern California Railway Museum rigs up a crane to remove the huge long hood from Southern Pacific 2954, formerly ALCO 7004. We hit a few snags during the lift, and while we eventually get the hood off, it takes some damage along the way. Now the hood will need repairs before it can go back on the locomotive. Then Bo Golson brings in a collection of rare factory photos of ALCO 7005, the sister locomotive to our 7004. The whole crew gathers around to study these historic images and see what these engines looked like when they came straight from the American Locomotive Company. Follow along for real-world train engine restoration, vintage diesel locomotive repair, and railroad history preservation as we document the grit, engineering, and teamwork it takes to save this old locomotive. This restoration takes place at the Southern California Railway Museum (OERM) with the Saving Locomotives crew. If you love diesel locomotive restorations, train repair, ALCO locomotives, and railway museum behind-the-scenes content, subscribe and follow along as we continue the ALCO rebuild. 🚂 BECOME A MEMBER — CLICK THE JOIN BUTTON ABOVE! 🚂 Get access to exclusive members-only content and help support railroad preservation. 🛍️ SHOP SAVING LOCOMOTIVES MERCH — Hats • Shirts • Mugs https://www.savinglocomotives.com Or click the Shopping button above. ▶️ BINGE-WATCH PREVIOUS EPISODES: https://www.youtube.com/show/VLPL0yNJ... 📬 Send us Mail: Southern California Railway Museum c/o Hans at Diesel Shop PO Box 548 Perris, CA 92572 ⏱️Time Stamps 00:00 Intro - Big Lift Day 00:26 Moving the Locomotive Outside the Barn 01:37 Prepping the Hood Lift 02:15 Rigging the Spreader Bar and Shackles 04:54 Moving the Spreader Bar Over the Locomotive 05:37 Attaching and Aligning Rigging to the Hood 06:03 Hood Lift Begins 06:26 First Snag 06:53 Lift Resumes 07:32 Second Snag 08:14 Lift Resumes 10:03 Third Snag - Bringing in Second Crane and Forklift 11:03 Final Lift 12:16 Hood Is Off 13:36 Setting the Hood on the Ground 15:39 Carl Assesses the Lift Damage 17:02 First Look at Exposed Engine and Wiring 17:30 Bo's 7005 Factory Photos - Crew Reacts 21:24 Final Thoughts 21:53 Bonus Footage with Bo Golson 24:22 Outro 🚂You can also see our locomotive collection in person at the Southern California Railway Museum in sunny Perris, California, where volunteers continue to preserve and operate historic railroad equipment. 📩 Business inquiries: For business inquiries, media requests, historical information, or collaboration opportunities: hans@savinglocomotives.com ❤️Museum Donations: To contribute donations for restorations, please contact the Southern California Railway Museum (https://www.socalrailway.org/) and mention Hans from the Diesel Shop. FAQ: Q: What locomotive is being restored? A: Southern Pacific 2954, originally ALCO 7004, a 1961 ALCO RSD-12 diesel locomotive preserved at the Southern California Railway Museum. Q: Why remove the entire hood? A: To access the engine, cooling, and electrical systems for locomotive restoration and to repair rust and damage underneath. Q: How was the hood damaged? A: During the crane lift it contacted / shifted and dented - covered in this episode. It will require metalwork before reinstallation. Q: What are the 7005 photos? A: Rare factory builder photos of 7005, the sister engine to our 7004, donated by Bo Golson showing original details for reference. About Saving Locomotives: I'm Hans, a volunteer at the Southern California Railway Museum. We document hands-on preservation of historic trains for railfans and history buffs. #LocomotiveRestoration #TrainRestoration #RailwayMuseum #VintageDiesel #SavingLocomotives #railroadhistory #alcolocomotive #RustRepair #DieselLocomotive #VintageRestoration #heavyequipment Filmed at the Southern California Railway Museum. All work performed by trained volunteers.