Restoration candidates

[NW Mailing List]

The Reading inspection locomotive "Black Diamond" at the St. Louis MOT 
is a somewhat different situation than the Y6.
The BD was originally "on loan" to the Museuml; then came the formation 
of Conrail.  As the legalities of Conrail were
being finalized, the inheritors of Reading property uncovered the 
unwanted BD, then residing in St. Louis.  Conrail
sold the BD directly to the MOT; within the past two years it has been 
externally restored and placed on display.

Back to the 2156 - just suggesting that inquiries made 20 or more years 
ago may not be relevant now; present
management of the MOT may be more receptive tp parting with a 
locomotive which has no St. Louis history while
they focus on preservation and restoration of St. Louis related 
artifacts ( such as the last Wabash steam loco, a
St. Louis PCC, NYS Mohawk, etyc ).  The question should be asked.

Jerome Crosson;  (once NJ; now St. Peters MO).

-----Original Message-----
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: nw-mailing-list <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Tue, Dec 17, 2013 9:51 am
Subject: Re: Restoration candidates

I'm actually enjoying this conversation guys... Let's keep it up.
 
Signed...
 
Richard D. Shell
Troutville, VA
 
In a message dated 12/17/2013 6:55:07 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org writes:
           The conversations here have been all over the place of all 
the coulda,   woulda, shoulda, wanta, wannabes for restoring this or 
that favorite   locomotive, wherever it may be located, and hopefully 
preserved. Enough   already, let it go, let's move on as at least these 
two animals are forever   ensconced in their respective museums, 
probably for eternity, stuffed and   mounted. The animal is no longer 
free to roam where it once did so quite   successfully.


Many such properties, once they receive such things   do not feel the 
need or desire to let it out of their grasp ever again, for   whatever 
the reason. IRM is not one of such properties as they have probably   
done a better job at restoration and preservation than many others. 
They are   not perfect but they try hard and mean well and do share.


As for   the 2156 owners, regardless of the cracked frame segments, all 
that is   restoreable should the parties so desire. All it takes is a 
willing railroad   and then lots of $$$$$$$$. Over the years, take a 
look at what significant   rail objects with flanged wheels this 
property has permitted to return to its   former environments or even 
off its own property unless in the total care,   custody and control of 
its people? Answer -- little if anything significant.   Five years ago, 
Who would have thought that a Big Boy really would be   restored? Okay, 
it hasn't happened yet, but ifr I were a gambler, I wouldn't   be 
making odds against this one. However, look at what has departed St. 
Louis,   once it was there? Answer -- not much and if so name it, 
please? What HASN'T   left where genuinely interested and caring 
parties would have liked the items   back into its original home 
territory for display and recognitions? The   Reading inspection engine 
didn't leave; neither did the 2156 some 30+ years   ago when polite and 
discreet inquiries were made. And then DL&W 952,   albeit with some 
serious faux-pas on the parts of both interested parties,   still sits 
in St. Louis, too. Nothing leaves there once it arrives and barring   a 
serious change in managerial attitude, probably never will,   either.


Everything can't "return home" sure and the parties which   have served 
as the willing hosts need proper appreciations made on their   behalf, 
but the idea of permanently stuffing and mounting these iron horses in  
  a permanent manner, and many others for that matter, too, I find sad. 
I can go   to a zoo and see stuffed and mounted long-deceased animals, 
but to see the   beats roam in its native habitat, now THAT's something 
to behold, be it Y6a,   or any of the dozens of others around, many of 
which have received minimal   care, which is also sad.


So, unless there is something new, let's   cut this discussion as it's 
going to lead nowhere further and let's get on   with some real 
productive and  investigative discussion.


Subject: 2156 and 2050 restoration

As a Virginia transplant to   Illinois and N&W Historical Society 
member, I want to let you know I would   hate for the Illinois Railway 
Museum to lose the 2050 and for the National   Transportation Museum in 
St Louis to lose the 2156. There are N&W fans   worldwide and we like 
having a small piece of its history in easy driving   distance. That 
said, I do understand the desire to bring the girls home to   Roanoke. 
And seeing them under steam would be glorious ... since I have missed   
everything since then, steam wise. Something neat happened at IRM--I 
was   videotaping a kid about 5 years old running around being a 
nuisance .. (to   everyone but me) ... he climbed on the nose of 2050 
and was yanking the bell   cord...I muttered to myself, That's N&W 
brass, boy, and you just go to   town and let me record.? His parents 
have no idea that they were the ones   being a nuisance...they took him 
off the locomotive!
Mike   Shockley
Peoria,   IL







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