"If you want this steamer saved, why don't you buy it and then have it restored, After all you must have a good enough of a bank account, being a well to do person like your self."

I'm jes' sayin........

Nah!
I'd still prefer to use your money instead...you seem to have the answers for everything so it only makes sense that you have the dough too!!!

Besides,
Didn't you just rip off Schuylkill Valley's reply to you by hitting me with that? What are we in High School with the pestering and the bullying? Believe me Mr. Mitchell! If I had the capital to restore an engine, I WOULD. I would love to see A LOT of the engines from my childhood run again but due to money, insurance, buracracy, BS and more BS that vision is slowly fading. I often told myself that when I win the lottery, some lucky company is going to get a visit from me one way or another where I plop down X amount of dollars and tell them..."Here! Run 'Ole Bessy' one more time. When you need money, you come to me!"
I can't see that happening any time soon, although it better (money wise) Sadly, the only engine I can restore right now is an HO Scale 4-4-0.
But I like Len's idea better.
Let's use your money and that way we ALL can see 148 back in Whippany under steam again. Whadjya say 'bout that?

Actuall, 148 SHOULD be running in Florida...............Whippany was just a stop at a junkyard between other junkyards.

Sandy, could you also fund reconstructing the line to Key West?

dave

Dave -

Well, asking to reconstruct the entire line to Key West is perhaps asking too much. BUT, maybe using one of the old viaducts between two of the keys, with a genuine FEC steamer running between them for tourists, now THAT might be feasible! Great for tourism and certainly historic to boot!

Les

My little way of indicating how silly this has been getting.......Les, thanks for trying to make it sound more rational than it was ever intended to be. I've gotta start being more literal........

Maybe Goulds to Homestead?

dave

Would it be possible to reconstruct as least PART of the line?
I have two books on the FEC Key West Extension and I would absolutely love to go to Key West via rails.
I am planning to fly to Miami and drive the rest of the way in a couple of years just so I can say I drove the whole thing.

While I believe it would be great if they restored rail service to at least part of The Keys, would full service to Key West ever be realized...again?

Whatever you're smoking, the Feds want to charge you with its possession.

I took a quick spin out on the Keys during my last trip to Miami (on railroad business), and I would say that your biggest obstacle to ANY rail reactivation south of the southernmost end of track in Homestead would be reclaiming any rights-of-way that have been inactive since the 1930s. Every square foot of land down there that isn't swamp or highway, hurricane-prone or no, is highly coveted as real estate, much of it commercial in nature. It's not like rebuilding the East Broad Top or WW&F.

Jeez! I didn't know Marlboro cigaretts were illegal!!
Just curious though. I know there's prime real estate involved down there but if you think about it, Henry Flagler and his men built on swamp how many years ago? Close to a hundred if not more than that right?

Who's to say that it cannot be done with today's engineering standards?

Just a thought man, that's all...

Then again Mr. Mitchell
Its not what I'm smoking.
It must be something that you're drinking...

Jeff -

Please note, I was never advocating a major reconstruction of FEC's Key West extension, but just a very small portion of it. Using one of the viaducts. Some of these are now used for fishing bridges I believe. Certainly one of these could be earmarked for a SHORT reconstruction of the railroad. Most tourists when they go down to the Keys, have no idea of what the FEC's railroad meant to helping bringing automobiles all the way down to Key West. I think there is even a bridge near a state park that might be a doable candidate. And where better for an ex-FEC steamer? The 113. Or the 148. Or even the 253. And yes Dave, I knew you were talking "tongue-in-cheek". So sorry to turn it around, even a little bit.

Les