Actually, with all of the April Fool’s stuff going on, there is actually something potentially very interesting going on in Pennsylvania. As you know the GPRR ran ex-Reading Company T-1 for about a year and then kind of just, well, stopped updating the website.

In any case, some Steamtown volunteers have been working with a still-unknown “anonymous benefactor” to obtain the 2100 and bring her East. With CP 2317 scheduled for major maintenance, CN 3254 would be the only operative engine.

The park has been quietly looking for ways to have additional steam power for a couple of years, through a quietly formed 501c3. There were discussions with OC about some of its power, with the CP Pacific considered the best option. The GTW Northern is sidelined and the operating department considered the former LS&I consolidation but it was rejected due to its lack of a rear trailing truck.

From what I hear, the individual is well known in railfan circles, but nobody realized he’s something of a stock market genius.

There are some issues to be worked out, transportation and the conversion to oil being the worst, but its possible there could be a T-1 under steam in Scranton for ’09.

Finally, something that makes bloody sense. It's bad enough the T'1s are born with an Anthracite face only a mother could love [ ;) ], but it's worse when the orphans are scattered around the continent in all states of disrepair. Bring her home, fill her full of Keystone coal, and let Steamtown enjoy.

And that GTW Northern may be sidelined with a repair, but it's only six months and a few thousand dollars shy from it, and remember it's still spanking NEW from a restoration (2001 was only yesterday!). A Northern in that condition of that size would certainly be a little less of an albatross than the T1 with its numerous unknowns.

Of course, the T1 is a "local" engine, and that's something I think that may count for something more than anything.

And what say yee of this 501c3? Sounds rather promising, unless of course Mr. Steamtown, you have led this goose astray with your cleverly disguised April Foolin ;)


KL

> There are some issues to be worked out, transportation
> and the conversion to oil being the worst...

I'm not sure if this is simply another 4/1 joke, or a serious comment. (I'm suspecting Loof Lirpa consulting is involved, but just in case...)

The 2100 has already been converted to oil. Aside from what various folks will tell you, after some modifications and the crew got experience she fired pretty well on it. I have a proposed modification to make it fire even better, but she is capable of maintaining steam as is.

Should you wish to convert her back to coal, that would also be quite easy as all the oil burning modifications were done in a manner that can quickly and easily be reversed.

Should you somehow win the lottery and actually get permission from the CP to run her (Yeah, I know, April Fool's) I'll be glad to help out on crew, and I'm one of only a handful that has fired an oil burning T1.