I am not party to the chain of events, wish I knew more.

What I do know the Lost Engines of Roanoke were in a futile circumstance and were saved and moved. Where the engines go from now is in the vestige interest of the parties now in hands of them. I feel a continued legal issue is a waste if time energy and money on the 2700, we know where the engine is now and its circumstance, the interest now is it needs the help to restoration. There could be future profit interest if the engine is brought back to life, but there is no guarantee on that when there is an ever present argument now, those who lay claim and stakes could legal manuever sueing money all over the place, an even bigger mess.
The issue needs to come to rest now or it goes nowhere. I see this in the Oil Spill people who rely on their living on the ocean. 2700 is not that issue, its about historical preservation and those who did rely on it for their food and water.

Anyways, I hope all here are interested for the engines sake and help it.


I wanted to add a little more, it was mentioned clean coal. Ross Rowland here has already been thru this little fun with the ACE project. There are already clean coal technologies now but steam development took a curve ball when railroads dieselized, the ACE project was one effort. 2700 isn't going to be your "clean coal " engine nor other existing engines, but you can choose any steamer out there to help back the clean coal railroad steam locomotive development, there are other operable engines out there and I will point you to 765, or talk to 4449 folks and so on. But 2700 is in the dire condition for help. Welcome to the Blood Sweat and Tears of the preservation effort.

cheers.

IMHO this is exactly the kind of nonsense that gives our whole "industry" a black eye in the minds of the Class 1 executive community and does us immeasurable harm.

I personally saw this poor engine when it sat abandoned for all practical purposes near the Timken plant and was to put it very politely an eyesore and graffetti magnet.

Seems to me that now that it has by some miracle found its way to becomeing adopted into a decent home where it at least has a fighting chance of being made into a respectful looking icon...we should applaud that good fortune and if possible lend our individual support towards that goal.

As far as I can see all this now interest by those who were nowhere to be found for DECADES while it sat forlorn in the weeds of Ohio is nonsense...pure and simple, and the sooner they fade back into obscurity the better it will be for all concerned...especially for the 2700!!

IMHO-Ross Rowland

Guys, the last thing you need is a drawn out court battle over ownership. This has been happening elsewhere in the industry, making plenty of lawyers rich and preservationists poor, causing damage to beautiful equipment through neglect, and causing rifts in an industry where we should all be trying to help each other.

I understand, from your postings, that you have money tied up in the 2700. Frankly, I don't want to know how much. I don't want to hear the gory details. It's none of my business.

Is there any value in throwing good money after bad, making lawyers rich, when a court already (whether mistakenly or not) decided who owns the engine?

I'd suggest you approach the Dennison people nicely and without any confrontational attitude. Sit down with them- maybe even take them to dinner, as a peace offering. Show them the proof of your 2/3 ownership, and tell them you'd like to work things out.

Agreed, your interests were neglected if your 2/3 ownership was not recognized. Now, how visible were you during all the events that involved the engine... did you not notice strangers starting to work on her? While the engine may not have been abandoned, obviously many individuals and the court believed she was. Is this not the time to bury the hatchet and work with Dennison to ensure the engine receives the loving care she so badly needs?

Your investment has done nothing for you since you made it. Perhaps you might consider donating your shares to the museum.

In return you could receive a tax receipt, positive press, and the respect of the preservation community. As a donor, you'd still have the ear of the new owners and have input as to the engine's future.

Sure, you won't recapture your full investment, but some value is better than none. And, you won't be throwing new money into lawyers' pockets. Surely that's a good thing.

The alternative is a ton of unpleasantness for all concerned, a huge waste of money, and continued neglect for the engine.

How about it?

Note that I have absolutely no connection to the Dennison group or the locomotive's difficult past. Heck, I don't even live in the same country.

However, I'd love to see her put back together and proudly restored, at least as a cared- for static exhibit. Running would be icing on the cake.

Here's hoping,

Steve Hunter
Cardinal, Ontario

All I can say is AMEN to that, Ross!

On the one hand there's a group that thinks they have a valid claim of ownership (and very well may have), and a dream of restoring it to operation, but did nothing about it for decades while the engine sat rusting away. On the other hand, the engine is in the hands of a respectable museum, the courts have spoken, and a protracted legal battle is only going to drain away resources that could be spent caring for the engine.

Hmmm... Why does this sound vaguely familiar?

its the chicken little story, its the people who try to save the day, and the claimed 2/3 ownership should appreciate it, thanx Ross, Rich!


I had another thought, since this seems to be happening, claiming ownership now can present actually problems to the person claiming ownership, because of all the costs involved moving the engine you could be inviting yourself to be billed for 2/3 of all the costs getting the engine where its at now, ready, set...GO ==>

Got to see C&O 2700 and the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum on my way back home from the Festival Of Streamliners At Spencer.

Chesapeake & Ohio 2700 (Museum Tour), 05-31-2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_R6PGUD2uk

Dennison Railroad Depot Museum (Rolling Stock), 05-31-2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttfwNnaJi18

Enjoy! ^_^