From WeAreCentralPA.com:

ALTOONA, BLAIR COUNTY - The K-4 Locomotive # 1361 has attracted a lot of attention in Altoona over the years. Despite a long an expensive effort to fully restore the steam locomotive, it will be coming back as a non-working museum exhibit.

Built in Juniata shops back in 1918, this particular K-4 Locomotive long served as a symbol of Altoona and the Altoona Railroader's Memorial Museum. The Locomotive was on display for decades at the Horseshoe Curve before a comprehensive effort to refurbish and restore it was mounted. But after years of work, and a couple of million dollars devoted to the project, the K-4 remains and pieces and that restoration effort has come to an end. It was back around 1996 that the historic locomotive was shipped off to the Steamtown repair shop outside of Scranton.

Despite a lot of work done on the K-4 at that location, its clear now the K-4 Locomotive will never be back in full working condition. The board of the Railroader's Museum decided at their last meeting that the K-4 restoration effort was being put on hold. While the change will be disappointment to steam train fans who wanted to see it return to the rails, museum officials say the K-4 will still be a great exhibit. Museum officials are confident the k-4 will add to their collection and attract a lot of attention. Still because the locomotive will never be able to meet current Federal Rail safety standards and return to service of any sort, there is disappointment for those who have long been involved in the restoration effort.

The schedule for returning the K-4 to Altoona will depend on the progress of a quarter round house building that slated for construction on the grounds of the Altoona Railroader's Museum later this year. That building will be needed to assemble and protect the the new K-4 exhibit.

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Notice the statement "...the locomotive will never be able to meet current Federal Rail safety standards and return to service of any sort..."

Thank goodness we still have Steamtown and the URHS to kick around!

Wow.. "...the locomotive will never be able to meet current Federal Rail safety standards and return to service of any sort..."

That's a lot of superlatives in one statement. Quite frankly, enough money can make ANYTHING run again. I think they just left out the true crux of their statement, which should end something like... "with the money we want to spend".

Cue the "I told you so's" and the "If only's" in 5...4...3...2...

Dave Crosby

Well, in a sense..........

I mean, if some lottery winner paid Strasburg or whomever to build an all-new welded boiler and roller bearings for 1361 and slapped them on the frame............ would it still, in the eyes of the people of Altoona who are descendants of the Juniata Shops workers, be 1361?

Probably not.

Shall we root out this press release whereever it appears and point out the lie? I have already posted to that particular website.

It doesn't need a new boiler, only a firebox wrapper. And it doesn't need roller bearings (although they would be nice to have).

Steve

Even as it sits now it could be considered a "replica K4 with some original parts". I think most of the firebox, save for the top of the wrapper, is new material already.

Dave

We can hope that as a "static" exhibit, they place it under cover, not out in the open. We can hope they keep it painted and lubed. In my opinion, a short sighted and sad conclusion (assuming this is the conclusion) to the story. I'd have loved to have seen Strasburg get a chance to bid on completing the operational restoration. It could be done, it should have been done. It wasn't.
Sad.

Dave, I echo your comments. This is probably the saddest and most angering restoration effort I am aware of.

David K.

This is about the time when a newly signed up member comes on and says something like " Hi, I used to work for the railroad a while ago and heard something about a K-4. Can someone fill me in on the details?"

Well....I am a newly RESIGNED member.....but I just wanted to put in my 2 cents (which is really worth 1 cent).

Having visited Strasburg's backshop on several tours, as well as having read some of Kelley Anderson's very informative updates....it is my opinion that not only could Strasburg have been able to get the locomotive running according to FRA guidelines, but they could have done it quickly and under budget.

But that is water over the dam now. The locomotive will be a static display for the foreseeable future, if not forever. At least she will be viewable by the general public again.

Was not the change in management at Railroader's Museum a few years ago predicated on the assumption that new management would improve supervision of this restoration? I do not believe that canceling the restoration was the expected outcome.

Is this another example of naive back seat drivers?

This locomotive could provide an opportunity for trying out innovative display techniques as a means of "interpreting" elements of the design, functioning, and maintenance of steam locomotives to the public.

PC

What makes you think this isn't an improvement? At lelast there's a rational reason for it compared to further beating a dead horse, and a commitment made to completing the roundhouse to preserve it in. We also now have a documentary trail which could guide a new operating restoration proposal from a much more realistic starting point in the future, should one evolve.

dave

Im all for that plan...but one problem: who would spend nearly all their winning money on this perticular steam engine? I dont want to upset you or anyone; but I know I wouldnt want to...Id restore a more historical engine...perhaps the Big-Bad-2666's ( <-- I just thought of that one! =) ).

Edited 4-16-10
The information that is mentioned on the website mentioned above, turns out to be at best an individual's opinion rather than a BOD decision.Official information will be released in the not too distant future and even Ross will like the game plan. Please be patient.

Mike Tillger

If the above post is factual( turns out it is not), should I as a Pa & USA taxpayer ask them to return every penny of my tax dollar spent on the restoration? You do not accept federal, state, and the common mans funds and quit in my book with out some form of repercussion, I hope their BOD took a long look at the consequences of their decision.
Mike Tillger
Former K4 volunteer
Former K4 worker
Former K4 project leader