It doesn't matter.

Anything capable of hauling a good consist reliably over a long trip at mainline speeds will be fine, thank you........and what region or nation produced it is immaterial as well. Hell, I'd love to see one of the FEC big engines that went to Mexico return, but a nice Hudson or heavy Pacific or whatever would be fine. I don't even care what the livery turns out to be, and I won't be counting rivets.

A continuation of a fine job of running passenger trains the way they are supposed to be run behind steam is all that is necessary.

I'd almost rather see a program of using all the available-with-nowhere-to-go steamers taking their turns in the spotlight, although that would require reliance on declarations of reliability beyond immediate control. This way madness lies........

Whatever they do it will be done nicely.

dave

they have NKP 757 I think (ono another berk!) but I think some parts are scrounged off it.

Well, a fun guessing game here.

Well, since we're all guessing and keeping ourselves amused to bide away the time...

With all the interest in a CB&Q engine,, how coincidental that the IRM 2010 calendar features a very nice looking S4 Class 4-6-4. If nothing else, you can see what a truly classy look the Q had for their locomotives.

(Not to mention the other pieces of CB&Q equipment in the photo, that Chinese Red SD24 is a real eye-catcher !)

While we're guessing, my completely uneducated guess is CB&Q #4000 "Alice the Big Goon.", or GN P2 2523.

*shrug*

Mr. Steam Info. Could you please qualify this statement?

"I'd be happy to remind this gentleman that a west coast locomotive which is beautifully restored and happily operational had a hole in the boiler that you could put your fist through before the restoration began. That exceeds "pitted" by a tad".

I would hope that this probable unfounded rumor isn't about a particular locomotive that I may be affliated with.

BobK

Actually, I can't. Just repeating what Steve said in conversation, word for word. And since I've no idea what locomotive you're associated I can't even guess.

I think this refers to 4449, a long, long time ago. Recall 4449 required a special welding process and lots of documentation to repair a large crack and return to service in 1974-75. Maybe it was more than a "crack".

This is sure getting away from the 261 however The 2472 had a tube sheet crack that was badly repaired by SP but redone correctly by the 2472 crew. The 4449 did not have any barrel holes or cracks but in my failing memory it perhaps had a tube sheet crack that was repaired. The other west coasty is the 3751 that did have some localized pitting but no fist sized holes or cracks. The 3751 localized pits were repaired in a procedure that was identicle to the now allowed procedures for repairs in the 230. Don't have the exact section in front of me.

is there that possibility thats its the 700?

Hopes and prays for PRR M1a #6755 as Steve's next ride.

Would it even be possible to get her from PA to wherever Steve is?

Possible? Absolutely. There ARE flat cars, Silk Road, other truckers, etc.

The question that needs to be asked is whether the RR Museum of Pa. would allow such a lease/borrow/etc. in 2009 and beyond. The words invoked in past years included "an act of God co-signed by Allah, Buddha, and the Flying Spaghetti Monster...." On the other hand, that was when the RR Museum of Pa. actually still had a curatorial staff.....

An eastern locomotive, with no connection to the midwest is unlikely, doesn't fit the business plan, simply put. Think midwestern connection, roller bearings and you'll have a tidy way to limit the field.

Am I missing something here or does the definition of "midwest railroad" here seem to revolve only around lines going west of Chicago for some reason? PRR and NYC operated through Indiana and Ohio and that's the same amount of midwestern-ness as GN in the Dakotas (if one counts those as midwest) and Minnesota. Maybe the search would be better described as Twin Cities-centric rather than midwest.

Steve

Your inclusion of Indiana and Ohio in the "midwest" brings back old memories. I lived for many years in suburban Minneapolis and then went to college in New England. One of my classmates was from Cleveland. At this school anyone from west of Harrisburg was a rarity, and so this classmate liked to pair us up in conversation as "fellow midwesterners".

I had nothing culturally in common with this fellow. Yes, for Minnesotans, "midwest" ends at Chicago.

It is just me or do the rest of you find it very odd that after the initial "news release" sent from NRM in Green Bay to Trains magazine that started this whole debate, there has been no noticeable response from NRM. And that initial news release was so vague and poorly written that it's virtually useless if one is to understand what's going on here from NRM's perspective.

So, given that (and maybe I'm just slow-witted), it really mystifies me why NRM has taken the hard-nose stance with Steve Sandberg on the 261. I think most rational rail historians on this board agree that the chance of NRM finding a way to run 261 are almost nil. Can NRM be that dumb or do they have a secret plan? Only The Shadow knows, apparently.

If I were a leader of a group who could be reasonably expected to restore and operate 261 and was approached by NRM and asked to restore and operate the locomotive, the first thing I'd do is look at how NRM has behaved over the last year-plus with Steve. After having done that I would head for the exit in a BIG hurry.

The huge question that has yet to be answered is: What the heck is NRM thinking?

Thanks!