B&LE 643 in the news

iamdarb · **Joined:** Tue Jul 08, 2014 2:40 pm **Posts:** 22

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ran an article last week about a town that was offered $500,000 in federal grant money. An old and controversial friend is mentioned about halfway down the page.

LOCOMOTIVE NEEDS A HOME
“There is an antique steam engine sitting in McKees Rocks that we are trying to get up here and put it on display,” Rossey said. “I think it's a 1945 Baldwin. It's been restored, and we want to keep it nice.

“It's privately owned and the guys who own it approached me,” said Rossey, who said the prospective donors wish to remain anonymous. “In talking to them, it sounds to me like they have about $1 million in this engine. They don't have any other place to put it.”
He said the pavilion would be along Fifth Avenue, below the tracks so that people on the bridge can see it.

Rossey said there are no firm figures for the archway and train pavilion, but he estimates the archway will cost about $50,000 and the pavilion about $250,000.

Read more: http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/youra ... z3ROeOirek
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SteamEnthusiast4000 · **Joined:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:09 am **Posts:** 61

This is quoted directly from http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/youra ... z3ROeOirek.

Quote:

Overall, the $650,000 will cover:

• Improvements done on Corbet Street, which incurred an extra $30,000 in costs.

• 2,000 feet of new commercial-grade fencing along the embankment at Riverview Memorial Park.

• New lighting, new picnic tables and benches for the park.

• Landscaping for the traffic barriers on Route 366 (Bull Creek Road) between Route 28 and the traffic light at East 10th Avenue;

• An archway over East Sixth Avenue right off the bridge to welcome visitors.

• Pavilion to house a restored 1945 steam train engine the borough has been offered, at no cost, as a tourist attraction.

OK. I don't know all of the details regarding B&LE 643, but WHAT?!?

Rob Gardner · **Joined:** Sat Aug 21, 2004 10:50 pm **Posts:** 390

This ought to be interesting. I think I'll put some popcorn on the stove....

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Wed Feb 11, 2015 9:53 am

Uff da.

BIG JOHN · **Posted:** Wed Feb 11, 2015 5:42 pm

Gentlemen
I hardly ever post anything here [just a quiet armchair foamer I guess],
but isn't B&LE 643 owned by a single person?

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 5255

BIG JOHN wrote:

Gentlemen
I hardly ever post anything here [just a quiet armchair foamer I guess],
but isn't B&LE 643 owned by a single person?

Also, number 643 was built in 1943, not 1945.

Les

davew833 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 11, 2015 7:04 pm

I hope it was offered at no cost because it's going to take some tall $$$ to get it out of there.

Steamguy73 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 24, 2014 3:15 pm **Posts:** 133

The owner is Glenn Cambell, and honestly, they have to do this. Mckee's Rocks is dangerous for this engine, and it could be safer in Pittsburgh if it's put in a better part of the city. This engine deserves a home, and Pittsburgh is it's best shot

Becky Morgan · **Joined:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:22 pm **Posts:** 339

I hope that's true. The only hope for that engine to stay in one piece is for her to get out of her current spot. Outdoors and covered beats outdoors not covered and in a rough neighborhood.

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

will they pump it full of air and snap track it to the new location?

Dave · **Posted:** Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:25 pm

Helium. It has to float out of a cut.

dave

Howard P. · **Posted:** Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:29 pm

Dave for the win.

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Thu Feb 12, 2015 1:58 pm

Remember when it was "that close" to going to Steamtown? What was that, like 20 years ago?

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Thu Feb 12, 2015 3:04 pm

Let's see how this plays out. It might well be that post "rescue", a locomotive purported to be in good operating condition gets more than a "stuff and mount" future. Good things are happening around the country with steam.

iamdarb · **Joined:** Tue Jul 08, 2014 2:40 pm **Posts:** 22

dinwitty wrote:

will they pump it full of air and snap track it to the new location?

It would require about 30 miles of snap track from A to B. Truck would be the only logical option to get it out of its current location.

B&LE 643 in the news

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