Thank you Mr. Rowland for injecting a little bit of reality into the situation.

I think it is a real shame when the owner of a historic artifact "hoards" it without a realistic plan for its future. They promote unrealistic and unfulfilled plans for the future of the artifact, or just think it is worth a mint. The real victim, of course is the artifact, which sits outside, with an uncertain future ahead of it.

I want to say something. Sure Ross may have been doing tons of stuff with steam since before my PARENTS were born, but I do not agree with his outlook on the beast being scrapped. I'm not trying to call anyone out or start a flame war but I know there are ways to get it out of Pittsburgh. There is no reason anyone should be calling this scrap metal already as there are plenty of example of locomotives that have fared MUCH MUCH worse than the 643 has, and are still around. May I direct people to:

Exhibit A: The Lost Engines of Roanoke.

The Lost Engines of Roanoke were set aside in the weeds waiting on a scrapper that would never come for 50 years in the elements. That is at least 45 years longer than this beast has been sitting outside in the Elements. They were saved, now all of them have a home someplace be it Ohio or Virginia. This engine is in MUCH better shape than anything that was rescued from the scrapyard. The 2 Chesapeake and Western engines were in worse shape than this steam engine probably has EVER been in.

Exhibit B: Some Museum and Park engines

C&O 2700 sits in much worse shape than the 643. It is missing Boiler jacketing and many other large parts like the side rod and headlight. The B&LE has a tarp on its boiler, in addition to all of its jacketing on. The B&LE 643 is NOT as good as scrap and is far from it. There are PRR engines at the RRMoPA that are in worse shape than the B&LE 643.(I am aware they are a nonprofit at the RRMoPA and they are cosmetically restoring some of them as we speak.)

The point I am trying to make to all who read this is, this engine is NOT going to be scrapped anytime soon, and Its future, although many say it has none, is FAR from a dark future. If I am to say anything about the 643, I will only say that it has a slightly dimmed future, as although as many have said Glenn is hard to work with, it is FAR from the end of the story of the 643. I can raise awareness about it since I am a local, I've been spreading the word as well of what it looks like, and most that have seen the pictures of this compared to others agree that it is not a total loss or even a major one from what they have seen of it.

I get it, Glenn is hard to work with. I know as Glenn gets older and older and his time starts approaching he will know the right thing to do with the engine. I doubt he would have it scrapped. As many have said he is delusioned. I think he is a little delusioned, but has a good heart and will for his steamer to survive.

I welcome all criticisms you may give me for anything in this post. It is very possible to save this at the moment. There is currently a property acquisition going on that if you guys did a little research on, you would find is being done to put another roof over its head.

I need guidance here...is there some point to this seemingly unending, circular discussion of B&LE 643? Or has enough been said that we can, for a time relegate it to the same pit where we hide discussions of 1361 and an assortment of other locomotives?

I am of the opinion that this thread is rapidly nearing a departure from the bounds of preservation discussion. Anyone care to comment in PM?

And yes, I'm back as Site Administrator, and a moderator. More about that coming soon.

Just for fun, let's examine your premise. While you may disagree with his outlook on the locomotive being scrapped, he has several things that you don't (yet). Experience and credibility.

You say, "I know there are ways to get it out of Pittsburgh." Oddly, I agree with you. Application of cubic meters of money would do it. Reality check: where would this come from, and why?



No one, and I have carefully read both this thread and others on the subject is trying to imply that the 643 is in terrible shape, or near "scrap metal". Rather the implication is that is likely to be scrapped for the same general reasons that Dick Jensen's 4-8-4 (5632) was scrapped. The scrappers torches had NOTHING to do with the condition of the locomotive.



I don't have anything to add, but none of what you have asserted really matters much at all. Ross's post hewed very close to the likely truth of the matter.

After seeing what you have posted, Steaminfo,and reading about about Dick Jensen's locomotives, I want to say yes, In theory, like what you said about getting it out of Pittsburgh, It can be scrapped at any time, but in reality, it probably will not be scrapped in place in the near future. As I have stated above, there are plans in movement for this engine. I am going to link the group. https://www.facebook.com/BLE643?ref=ts&fref=ts The land the locomotive sits on is currently in negotiations for being sold to Glenn Cambell as viewing the comments on the side shows. Progress is moving forward. Let's see where this will go under this direction.

Maybe pin the current statuses of these long-contested locomotives somewhere, where mod approved updates could go without editorial comments? Just a thought...

After reading the Facebook page for this locomotive, marveling at its incoherent grammar and execrable spelling, a bit of reading determined that a long time acquaintance of RyPN is involved with this project. Any credibility this might have had with me is complete gone. At this juncture, I see no further need to keep this thread open and it is therefore locked.