<P>Although I work for the NPS, I am an amatour railfan. Regarding Erik's good article, I wish to say a few further words about the wooden cars that were briefly mentioned. I staff member from Steamtown told me that they had written off the wooden car collection. This is a shame as there are some great examples of Boston and Maine and other wooden cars there. some of which date back to the end of the 19th century. <p>Static display of wooden cars is not such a bad thing and the craftsmanship in them is something that should be preserved as so little of it has survived for a century or more. Use the steel one on the excursion train and dispaly the wooden fleet.<p>One other thing that Erik did not mention, the collection continues to change. A Union Pacific engine went back out west, a Canadian engine went back to Canada and there are plans to take advantage of the breakup of Conrail toseek out other steam era equipment.<p>Ted<br>




ted_miles@NPS.gov

<P>I'm sorry to hear that about the wooden car collection. I hope the write-off includes the possibility of transfer to other organizations which might have the resources to invest in their restoration.<p>Almost no wooden car is so far gone that something can't be saved, and the man who knows will be at Steamtown at the ARM convention--master woodworker Glenn Guerra.<p>Ted's right, Steamtown has been active in trading, selling and swapping engines to assemble a more regionally and chronologically relevant collection. <p>Among the big developments, BLW 0-6-0 23 came to Steamtown from Ohio Central's Jerry Jacobson in exchange for CN 4-6-0 1551; CP 4-6-4 2816 was sold to CP and is being returned to service as a corporate ambassador and power for CP's new crisue train; and as mentioned UP 4-4-0 737 went somewhere west, exactly where I can't recall.<p><br>




eledbetter@rypn.org

<P>which is amazing to me as they've got a tremendous diesel focus/collection; i wasn't sure they would know what a 4-4-0 was--the GP38-2 of its day! <br>

<P>Or F40PH, whichever...<br>




eledbetter@rypn.org

<P>Seriously, though, Jim has provided the lead we needed. The engine is in Portola, but title actually belongs to the Nevada State Railroad Museum. Nevada sent the locomotive directly from Scranton to Portola.<br>




eledbetter@rypn.org

<P>...Has me more excited now than ever about visiting Scranton during Assn of Railway Museums annual meeting next month; everyone who reads this page who wants to make a difference and get involved would do themselves a favor to make to there. See my commercial plug a few threads below.<p>One qustion, Erik, on the turntable: I was thinking I was told in 1995 that it was a new structure, fabricated by the maker of platforms for rotating restaurants. Your report mentions RDG heritage. <br>




Wrinnbo@aol.com

<P>You may be right and I may be wrong. It was anecdotal info, and I wrote that line I got a bad feeling that my source might have confusted RRM of Pa and Steamtown. Can anybody help us nail this down?<br>




eledbetter@rypn.org

<P>Yup. It is new. The RRMofPA turntable is from the Reading.<p>If the wooden fleet is "written-off" that is a crime. Can we all take it board by board to Mid-Continent?<br>

<P>This is the second time in the past few weeks it has been mentioned on the Net that the wooden collection of Steamtown may be "written" off. The last time was proven to be false... however, if there is a shred (splinter?) of truth here, Steamtown NPS should come clean and allow museums and societies in New England (as most of the wood is from there...) a chance to preserve these pieces.<br>




shack_19@hotmail.com

<P>I am sure all they would have to do is go and pick them. (of course with following up on the needed paperwork) The wood equipment must be stabilized so it could be picked up with a crane and placed on a flat bed truck for transport. The wood structure is to far gone to even couple-up to it. I don't think Steamtown needs to "come clean" but if there is an interest by New England based museums. Then they need to contact Steamtown and get the ball rolling, I would think that this would be the way to get it done.<br>