I have no idea. I would assume that CN did it at the same time she was converted to piston valve cylinders.


Sure, as soon as your seven figure check clears the bank. I expect that is what it will take to see her running again.



Right.



I try to take a Will Rogers approach to steam engines, and no offence to Silver Dollar City, but that is a seriously ugly locomotive. It shouldn't be difficult for SDC will make some cosmetic improvements to it.



No maintenance was needed during it's life. It was showing signs of cracks starting, so with the car entering the shop anyway, it was a good time to replace it. 20 year warrantee, and we got 29 years out of it. Not bad.

I try to take a Will Rogers approach to steam engines, and no offence to Silver Dollar City, but that is a seriously ugly locomotive. It shouldn't be difficult for SDC will make some cosmetic improvements to it.

You should have seen how it looked before Jim improved it! And it's the only 2-footer I've ever seen with a grapevine throttle.

I think you got your money's worth.

How often does SRR wash their passenger cars? I assume it's the brush and bucket brigade, as I haven't viewed an automatic car washer sitting in the yard.

David,

The cars get the soap and water treatment several times a year, but the windows get cleaned at least twice a week. A pressure washer is a no-no because the last thing you want to do to a wood car is to ram water into the wood/joints.

Rick

Great stuff to see as always!

Just curious about one detail, and I may be wrong with it, but I seem to recall that B&O car had spoked wheels. Do you plan on using those, or do you plan on replacing them with solid ones?

I believe that is the B&O Café-Observation (its original number is unknown) that is still cocooned in the yard. I'm with you, I hope it keeps its spoked wheels when the time comes.

Thanks for the response.

Oh my, oh my TWO B&O wooden cars, and one a cafe-observation. . .need to paint them blue, and get a nice high-stepping 4-4-0 to pull them, like the B&O's famous Director General, or maybe you can liberate that CNJ Camelback from the museum in Baltimore. . .

Just kidding, of course, but it's all grand to hear.

They tried for the high stepping 4-4-0 #98 in Delaware a few times....

Will the strasburg restore that camelback? It can haul maybe 4 loaded coaches? It's not exactly big enough for their purposes, but maybe a trade/dual lease to the museum next door for a unique steamer more suitable would be mutually beneficial?

Kelly, I sent that check three times, and not once was it cashed! :-)

We have no practical employment for #1187 that would justify the high cost of restoring her to service. It would take close to a million dollars to get her running, and then what? We haven't run trains only four cars long for many years. She is also too slow to used on our regular schedule. We can't afford that kind of outlay for an engine that could only be used on special occasions.

As far as I know, a standing offer to swap her for #1223 has been on the table since 1990 with no interest from the RRMPA.

There has to be some plan on the shelf for 1187? She's a very historical design, and having her rusting out back doesn't really seem to fit into Strasburg's style, or care for its equipment.

So then you'd restore #1223 to operational service if that swap were to happen?

That presents a good question... What does #1187 need to get it into working order again?

I believe that the odds are that such a trade is extremely unlikely to occur, based on discussions with past staff about Museum and PHMC policy towards the specific ex-PRR collection from whence 1223 came to the Museum.

This might prompt a different question, however:

Does Strasburg specifically want 1223, or could another loco be traded if acquired by the Friends of the RR Museum of Pa., or even a zealous Reading fan, specifically to trade for 1187--say, just to make up an example, if a certain 2-6-2, 4-6-2, 4-6-0. 4-4-0, or whatever ended up on the market?

Imagine if, say, 20 years ago, George Hart had acquired CP 1098, and just offered to give it to Strasburg if the 1187 went across the street permanently?

(Obviously, Strasburg would have to want said loco, and deem it powerful enough to handle its trains......)