Does anyone know anything about the restoration of New Hope and Ivyland's 4-8-4?

Will the 3028 be painted green when restored?

More importantly, what whistle will it have on it?

dave

Well, If that's where we're gonna go....

Do they have a "Fire up 3028" fund I can donate to? How much have they raised so far? Do we get an NdeM style "lubritorium" (Taco Bell?) with the package?

On a more serious note, this seems like a fair question -- is there a back story here we should know that would encourage just dropping it?

ETA

¡yo quiero 3028!

But seriously, I hear Western Maryland Scenic is looking for power. Potomac, anyone?

It's not a priority....hasn't been - obviously.

They need a management change of mindset, to concentrate on getting butts in their coach seats to keep paying the bills, and paying for the work needed to the 3028....

Read some of the reviews on Yelp...which, like it or not, is a source for the "modern age folk" to decide on being a patron of your business....the reviews are not favorable.

Being in the center of two large metro areas, they should be hauling 6 figures annually.

Every time I am either there, or watch a recent vid of the operations, there are barely enough people to fill half a coach on any given trip. I've noticed oddly, that they are running diesel quite a bit as of late...not sure the reason, but one can assume.

They have done great with their Coaches - they're beautiful cars... and 40 is entering year number 24 of service....its just a shame there are not more people riding it, instead of just watching it pull in and out of New Hope.

I don't include the diesels since the corporate structure does not actually own them.

The 3028 would be out the door by now if they had the funds. (as could 1533) Their initial lease agreement called for restoration within 10 years...that was back in 1995?

The restoration of the Northern was always and remains strictly a rainy day project.

They've been very successful growing the freight business which pays a LOT better than hauling passengers and run #40 sparingly to get the maximum use out of her based on the 1472 law.

I must say that Junior's constant negative postings make him sound like a disgruntled ex-employee??

Overall the NH&I has been a very successful short line and my guess is it will continue to be so.

IMHO, Ross Rowland

And one could notice that you didn't refute the substance of his negativity, but tried to change the subject and disparage the critic's veracity. One could say your posts make you sound like an investor in the line trying to put a positive spin on your investment, or simply the place where you still get to "play trains".

Any competent excursion-hauling short line line should be able to commingle freight business and passenger business successfully without interference. Lines that have done so include the Strasburg, the Verde Canyon/Arizona Central, the Wilmington & Western, the Arcade & Attica, California Western, Sierra, and many others.

And the fact remains that, like quite a few other steam locos (including a couple in New Hope), 3028 appears destined to never actually operate again unless some "angel" or "sugar daddy" from elsewhere gets ambitious. It's one of those locos that not only do I not ask "when," I've given up even acknowledging it exists.

As for the 3028 and WMSR, if I'm to believe SteamLocomotive.com, at 86.31 foot wheelbase 3028 or a sister would fit the turntable at Frostburg as easily as C&O 1309, if not a bit more so--but I've now found a few conflicts of info between various published sources and the data at that website for a couple steam locos, so.....

On the other hand, it's really too small to pass off as a WM Potomac.......

A little birdie told me that change will be coming soon in the story and future of the 3028.

Mr. anonymous commenter, did that same "little birdie" tell you that C&O 1309 was already being loaded onto flatcars for shipment to Cumberland?

I've heard that "little birdie" way too often. Take it with some large lumps of salt.

Haha. My source is not that crazy. I can tell you that ownership of the locomotive has changed recently. Nothing else at this time has changed, but I expect it to.

Matt Giardino

Straws are fun to grasp onto - so long as we realize they are just that.

It beats thinking the engine has been long forgotten.

CN #1533 was recently stabilized with a coat of rust preventing paint.
Not much more to say, but a good sign. Would be nice to see it cosmetically
restored while it sits to give the station area another attraction.

NdeM #3028, yes - has always been a rainy day project. I looked up the original owners without success - it seemed as if they disbanded. And then there was talk of a new ALCO museum in NY that hoped to acquire the engine for display. What ever the situation is, I hope your birdie heard plans for restoration to operation.

I know the idea has been toyed upon at New Hope to run a train at each end. If there is success on one end, no reason not to expect the same on the other end! In the mean time, wouldn't it be great to see some excitement generated with longer runs to Wycombe in a fashion similar to Steamtown's longer runs to Tobyhanna? And a return of a Fall Spectacular or railfan day?

/Mitch

I have not thrown a shovel of coal into 40's firebox for more than 15 years, but what I recall was that on the weekends the parking lot brought in over $5,000 a day. I assumed that was going into the RR, but maybe someone is living big on those parking stubs.

Sorry, Ross, not a disgruntled anything...just a observer that apparently sees things differently than you do.

I said: they've done great with their coaches - they're beautiful and keeping 40 running for 24 years now...its a shame no one is riding them!

I also said: they clearly need to change their management mindset and get butts in those seats to make that operation a profitable one.

Both statements, I think, are spot on. If they were not interested in maintaining the underpaying passenger operations, they why do them at all? You seem to agree that its not a priority for them.

Sorry, again, if I am stating the obvious that some don't want to see.

"IMHO" as you say.

I have no dog in this fight, but allow me these opinions:

Why 3028 has been chosen for that line is beyond me. I'll be glad to see another steam locomotive in operation, but why a Mexican light 4-8-4 on a an old Reading branch line, I can't quite fathom.
CNR 1533 is a sweetheart locomotive, and fixing her boiler, patching, bringing her up to operation again, would be one to see. Even rebuilding her for lease to another party would be something to consider. Those Canadian National 4-6-0's are just beautiful locomotives.