Remember the White House. During the Truman administration, the original 150-year-old mansion was gutted, leaving only the outside walls. After making careful records of interior details and finishes, everything went in the dumpster. The work was needed because the structure was no longer considered safe.

There in fact are established standards and definitions for historic preservation projects which receive federal funding or recognition. These are published by the Secretary of the Interior.

"The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for establishing standards for all national preservation programs under Departmental authority and for advising Federal agencies on the preservation of historic properties listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places." From the web site of the North Carolina

Standards are published for both buildings and historic vessels. (I have quoted here from the vessel standards, as I believe they are more applicable to railroad preservation) I have included links to both below

Here is a recognized set of definitions of various "Preservation" activities

"Definitions for Treatments of Historic Vessels

The following definitions are provided for treatments that are appropriate in historic vessel preservation projects:

Acquisition: the act or process of acquiring ownership of, or responsibility for, a vessel.

Protection: the act or process of applying measures designed to affect the physical condition of a vessel by defending or guarding it from deterioration, loss, or attack, or to cover or shield the vessel from danger or injury. Such treatment is generally of a temporary nature and anticipates further historic preservation treatment.

Stabilization: the act or process of applying measures designed to arrest, retard, or prevent deterioration of a vessel, and to assure its structural integrity. This may include rendering the vessel weather resistant and watertight. The essential form of the vessel shall be maintained during this process.

Preservation: the act or process of applying measures to sustain the existing form, integrity, and material of a vessel. It may include initial stabilization work, where necessary, as well as ongoing maintenance.
Rehabilitation: the act or process of returning a vessel to a state of utility through repair or alterations that make possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those features of the vessel that are significant to its historical, naval architectural, technological, and cultural values.

Restoration: the act or process of accurately recovering the form and details of a vessel as it appeared at a particular time by removal of later work, or by replacement of missing or substantially deteriorated earlier work.

Other Key Definitions

Conversion: (1) the act or process of altering or rebuilding an existing vessel to effect a representation of or a resemblance to another vessel or type or class of vessel; (2) a vessel that is the product of such a process.
Historic Fabric: material remains of a historic vessel or object, whether original materials or materials incorporated in a subsequent historically significant period.

Integrity: the authenticity of a vessel's historic identity, as evidenced by the survival of characteristics such as plan, hull form, rigging, use of materials and/or craftsmanship, which existed during the vessel's historic period.

Reconstruction: (1) the act or process of creating by new construction the accurate form and detail of a particular vessel as it appeared at a specific period of time; (2) a vessel, or part thereof, that is the product of such a process.

Reproduction: (1) the construction or fabrication of an approximate copy of an object; (2) an object that is the result of such a process.
[When applied to a vessel, the term, "reproduction" or "replica," denotes: (1) the act or process of recreating by new construction the general form and appearance of a particular vessel or type of vessel; or (2) a vessel that is the product of such a process.] "

The entire document can be downloaded at:

The Secretary of the Interior's
Standards for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects
with Guidelines for Applying the Standards

http://www.hnsa.org/standa.htm


Also, you can look at the Secretary of the Interiors standards for buildings at:

http://www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/tax/rhb/index.htm

Here's an image of the process halfway through--impressive.

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photographs/displayimage.php?pointer=6&people=&listid=0

[quote="Ted Miles"]There was a small report here on the other PA that is owned by the Smithsonian a while back. It indicated that nothing will happen to the locomotive and perhaps it would be loaned to another preservation group.[/quote]

Where is the unit? Is it in Portland w/190, or at the Smithsonian?

Last I heard it was in Portland; they arrived together and Doyle is storing it until other plans for it can be made.

It's not likely that it will ever be "at the Smithsonian" if by that you mean in Washington DC, simply because there's no space for it.

SI is much more likely to loan it for dispaly at an appropriate site somewhere else. They do this all the time--there is actually a long-term push to get more of the SI collection out of storage and into public view through loans.

According to the latest issue of Trains Magazine, the Kansas City Union Station development has been mentioned as a possible home for the remaining PA, to be cosmetically "re-whatever we've all agreed to call it" in Santa Fe warbonnet colors.

Scott, RJD kindly addressed your post in my absence at the risk of repeating some or all of his points- I'm not disagreeing with either what is being done or the owner's absolute right to do so-although I think he earns his right by virtue of ownership-not reputation.

Doye is giving us a chance to see a REPRESENTATION of the PA. It will look very much like it did from schenectady, be very much like it WAS from M-K. The question is purely one of theory-i.e., how do you categorize it?

I think the fact thats its not going to be restored to its "as built" config is totally irrelevant..
if you "restore" your 1965 mustang, but put the "wrong" V8 engine into it,
when you are driving it down the road people will still say "hey! nice mustang! lookin' sweet!"
and you yourself have every right to call it an original 1965 mustang..
because it is..

there is absolutely no question that when NKP190 moves again under her own power soon, a real-live operating Alco PA will exist in the world again!
:)

personally, I dont care its 100% accurate!
no locomotive in preservation anywhere is 100% accurate..its impossible.
it stopped being 100% "original" probably days after it rolled out the Alco plant and the first part needed to be replaced..
it was still an Alco PA no matter what mods Santa Fe made.
(was it no longer a "real" Alco PA in 1960?)
it was still an Alco PA after MK did some MAJOR mods..
(was it no longer a "real" alco PA on the D&H?)
ands its still an Alco PA now..
its as real as they come..
Scot

To me, there are two types of historic railroad equipment. The pieces that are put on display in as close to the condition it was when it was operating in its original (or at least it's displayed) status. In this category I would put things like the SP cab-forward in Sacramento or the GG1 in Strasburg.

The second category are those pieces modified because of the conditon they were found in or for operating realities found today. These pieces are meant to be operated to give the general public a decent idea of how they looked and operated when in original service. I think a wide range of latitude is allowed here. For example, no original PA trucks are available so a substitution is called for. In the case of our dining car(s) we want people to experienced what it was like to eat dinner in the diner. None of the existing appliances or work spaces meet current health codes (to say nothing of being useable). The new appliances will fit into the existing spaces but are necessary to operate today.

Neither approach is wrong. I think we are better off to have some of each.