I’m not sure about the forgive part, but if I had a body shop opportunity to help someone I would take it.

Hey Mike Hansen!

1. Don’t make this political. John was convicted by a jury in the most conservative state in the U.S. this wasn’t a witch hunt.

2. I’m glad you stand by John. Know who else did? The two employees who died in the tank car explosion.

Ross,

I find your attitude commendable.


You should establish yourself as a leader in this industry and give John a job with your AFT 250 project, or be a personal reference to get him in at NH&I.

Thank you for the compliment Mr. Wilkins. As that well known old saying goes......there but for the grace of God go I.

We each lead our own imperfect lives best we can.

I do hope John has truly learned from his mistakes and is able to devote his remaining time to doing his best to use his considerable God given talents in a constructive way.

I watched this weeks memorial service for former first lady Carter and was humbled by how she devoted her entire life to various serious causes that are devoted to helping the less fortunate with an emphasis on helping remove the stigma around mental health. Sure made me feel like I need to do more.

My dad suffered from bi-polar disorder and because of the stigma would not seek help until very late in his life so I've witnessed it up close and personal.

Just think how much better our world would be if everyone was like Mrs. Carter.

Hope springs eternal. Ross Rowland

Forgive and forget? Are you kidding me?

1) destroyed the boiler on the k&t 14 and fraudulently billed for the project, repeatedly

$700,000+

2) produced an unsafe product and billed for work not performed on Klondike Kate

$450,000+

3) performed numerous unsafe/non-code repairs on the U.P. 844, something that has been very publicly documented

4) Delivered a non-operational diesel to the railroad in hawaii after almost $400,000 in work was "pwrformed"

5) defrauded the federal government for over $1,000,000 on the steamtown car

6) butchered the cosmetic job of the L&N 0-8-0 in Corbin, KY and then sued them for not paying him for work he was not authorized nor asked to do on a caboose

7) performed $450,000 of work, of which the FRA condemned every bit of, on the 4-6-0 in Grapevine after he got the original contractor kicked out as a retaliatory action for being an expert witness against him


All the while he claims all of the above actions he made to be actually be a conspiracy against him.

Next you will say that Jack Kevorkian should have been allowed to continue practicing medicine, or that Eric Robert Rudolph was just mis-understood.

We as an industry have to protect ourselves if we want it to continue, rather you're suggesting that a known wolf be allowed to dress a sheep again.

Let us not forget the loose rivets in the NNRy boiler that he drove and then seal welded in the barrel that were found during a recent inspection by NVPUC. He needs to get out of the profession. I am sure he can find gainful employment elsewhere.

Mr. Jason forgot one:

The two truck Climax at Cass/Durbin had work done by Wasatch on the boiler. I was told that new rivets were installed and welded on the dome flange, not driven. Engine is now out of service pending repairs.

I certainly have no dog in this fight, however, I'm a Physicist by trade. If i was riding, with my kids, behind a steam locomotive, I'd prefer if there was a reasonable safety factor it didn't go "boom".

From all the posts I've read, literally, over a decade here... I'm not sure I'd trust this guy with my life or my children's life. As I said... I'm not a Mech E, but using threaded rod for staybolts just doesn't seem ok.

Having said all that, if the guy does learn from his mistakes, I'm good with that... but what's that proverb in the military? 10 "oh sh*ts" equals 1 "atta boy"? Perhaps history going forward will dictate trust.

Well Jason with all due respect, as you well know you have your fair share of industry critics that believe that your list of short comings is quite long.

Who among us doesn't have their own list of things they wish were not part of their life story and another list of things we wish were.

As Christ said to the the crowd preparing to stone the woman found guilty of adultry to death, let he who has never sinned throw the first stone. They all left with no stones thrown.

And to all a very Merry Christmas. Ross Rowland

Forgiveness does not equate to trust.

He may have repayed a debt to society, and with that forgiveness may be granted. That doesn't mean I trust him, a freed prisoner does not mean he is a changed man. Some things can't be repaid.

We don't allow felons to vote, own guns, or serve on juries, even after a sentence is served. I sure don't trust this guy to do more work- not for me.

I think a good first indication will be if he chooses to pop up somewhere and post something, if his attitude is much humbled, and stays that way. As Jason noted, there were many things that it seems likely were bungled but that he did not really suffer any consequences for. But his highly confrontational internet persona was all I wanted to ever know about him.

Ross, What good things were part of John's life story? We know the bad. What were the good projects that went well?

Can somebody answer two questions: Did John's company ever reimburse the Big South Fork Scenic for the money owed due to the judgement? And did he pay back the NPS?

C. S. Lewis, said, “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.”

Okay then, Ross. YOU hire him for your current project, then we'll all wait to see if he's redeemed himself. After all, wouldn't giving the poor man a second chance be the Christian thing to do? Taking in the outcast, as it were?

The difference being that the assertions of my detractors are neither factual nor quantifiable. Many are sourced from 1 of 2 steam contractors attempting to eliminate competition. My person favorite is the claim that I framed the Tennessee pedophile, granted this was made as an attempt to excuse away his employment by said contractor.

These detractions are derived from the imaginations of just a few and the game of industry telephone vs that of lawsuits, failed projects, and inoperable locomotives that are a matter of generally public knowledge, and in several instances the details of which are available through eother FOIA requests or the transcripts of legal proceedings.

No one I've ever known has asked for cancer to return, first time for everything.