> I'm sorry, but there is no way that those
> locomotives that kind of money. Scrap is
> only bringing a penny or two a pound.

Better check the rates on scrap. This week I was advised that heavy metal prices are now over $200/ton which is more than 10 cents per pound. At these rates, which are the highest in years and years, I believe we will see a lot of endangered critters going to the torch. A lot of scrapyards 'bank' old iron hoping for the right market when it will be worthwhile to invest the labor to cut 'em up. Unfortunately the right market is here and now and that is the wrong market for anyone hoping to save some of these.

Bob Kutella


68trolley@comcast.net

What are the plans for the equipment left from the tourist operation? I understand some was sold at auction.

Whatever happened to those coaches that were stored on Northern Avenue in Boston? I worked for a company located on Sleeper St. mid to late 70's, we could walk across the vacant lot behind our building and see them. There were at least 7, maybe 8 of them and they were there for years and years.

The entire area is nearly unrecognizable today.


SJHussar@aol.com

I can see it as both an artifact AND an asset. It is an artifact that has some "modern utility" and can be easily "renewed."

In comparison, if it were a LV Baldwin roadswitcher, I would view it as more of an artifact.

> I agree with Erik and will expand upon that.

> One of the great issues at Steamtown has
> always been who decides what is accepted. No
> museum can accept everything-however,
> sometimes its necessary to consider the
> nature of the donation.

> Without starting a flame war or getting into
> the realm of who says what or specific
> policies- my personal opinion is the
> following: a GP38AC or any other second
> generation unit is an “asset” and not a
> “artifact” and should not be subject to
> rejection on the basis that it is not
> pertinent to the collection anymore than
> curatorial oversight should be applied to
> computers, pickups or any other items that
> are quite necessary to operate the park.

> SPEAKING PURELY HYPOTHETICALLY: In my mind,
> should an outright donation of valuable
> non-accesionable equipment be refused- the
> General Accounting Office should be brought
> in to conduct an audit with the objective of
> determing whether or not such a refusal is
> waste (of taxpayer funds) since every long
> excursion requires rented power.


newhaven0401-NOSPAM-@verizon.net

From locaal press reports, it now seems very clear that the railroad right of way is wanted not for "trolley" use but for use as a riding and hiking trail for its entire length. The "trolley" idea is just so much window dressing to capture Proposition 116 funding to buy the line.

bakerst@best.com

> Two years ago we did exactly this. We wanted the ex-TAG 80 (NS 2879). We knew it had been out of service for a while and negotiated a price based on what they were getting at auction at the same time. Yes, the engine had some serious issues (like a bad prime mover) but I think that helped get us a reasonable price. We hope to rebuild it for operation at some time in the future.

Tim Andrews
TVRM

tandrews@researchcouncil.net

Can someone explain this process to me, assuming the turntable being reinstalled is not the original? Turntable clearances don't leave much room for error to be off-center. Thus far, most installations have been old turntable-new pit, except for Steamtown's, which was vice-versa.


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ryarger@rypn.org