Where is ex-FEC Pacific No. 148 these days? What is its current condition? I had heard it was undergoing repairs in Michigan for a possible return to operation. True or false?

> Where is ex-FEC Pacific No. 148 these days?
> What is its current condition? I had heard
> it was undergoing repairs in Michigan for a
> possible return to operation. True or false?

True. It is being restored in Traverse City, Michigan.

Photos of the locomotive in various stages of its ongoing restoration can be found on Jack Hengartner's web site. See the link below.

-fm

Jack Hengartner's Web Site

148 is at Traverse City, Michigan and is indeed undergoing repair work for operation. I believe it's now owned by someone from Iowa, but the plan is to operate it in Michigan.

There is a website with many photos of this ongoing restoration. Go to http://members.tripod.com/MEWDI Click on "steam" for the most current photos (10/00). Use the "previous" button at the bottom of this and each page to scroll backwards through the overhaul photos. I enjoyed the shots where the FEC lettering emerged under the layers of paint being removed!

Regards,
Jim Robinson

> I believe it's now owned by someone from
> Iowa

Make that Missouri.

Regards,
Jim Robinson

> Make that Missouri.

> Regards,
> Jim Robinson

For what it's worth,

I was just in Michigan for two days this week and happened to talk to two different individuals who are true professionals when it comes to steam. The word from both of them is that the locomotive is not restorable without a complete replacement of the firebox. That's a very costly proposition. Unfortunately, it seems that the people working on the 148 are not qualified. They would probably take great issue with me saying this, but I trust the 2 sources of that information. The whole thing sounded a little shady. I know the info's second or third hand, but I thought it was worth throwing out there. When it comes to restoring and operating steam in today's environment, we can't afford to turn a blind eye from activity that could jeapordize the public sometime in the future.

Steamingly,

Rob Gardner


train@nls.net

I guess what I'm trying to say is that we need to be our own best policemen when it comes to safety and liability issues.

Steamingly,

Rob Gardner


train@nls.net

Dangerous ground, but rumors aside, I can't believe any of us wouldn't agree that we need to keep our own houses clean first and foremost.

Having seen 148 many years ago in CT, having worked on two other FEC 4-6-2s, and having looked over the badly cracking shell on sister 750, and then having heard thirdhand what the restoration budget was proposed for this project 3 years ago it didn't seem reasonable to me either. I do not know any of the people involved or even their names, but this is a challenging project on many levels and can't be done halfway.

It amused me to read the descriptons of this locomotive in an advertising circular some years back which represented it in ready to run condition when there were some large missing pieces of firebox.

I certainly wish the new owners and their team the best of success and hope to see this beautiful long, lean, greyhound of a light fast passenger engine running again someday soon. Shame Missouri doesn't look more like the Key West extension.

Dave

lathro19@idt.net