The other Jensen locomotive that was scrapped was former Nickel Plate 2-8-2 No. 965, rather worn out, but fairly complete. Richard purchased it from a scrap yard in East Chicago, Indiana in c. 1967. I helped him get it prepared for shipment to "his" roundhouse at 51st St. in Chicago. Next thing I knew it was moved to another scrap yard near a river in the same area. Richard said that he was storing it there, but a couple of years later it too was scrapped.
When getting out the crying towel for lost Jensen stuff, don't forget the countless tons of steam locomotive parts, tools and machinery that mostly got scrapped at 87th St. along with the 5632. A small portion of the parts did make their way to NWS&W and some of those went to IRM when we got the 0-8-0s.
J.David

jdconrad@snet.net

Dear Howie:
You are correct, they shipped the 4-6-6-4s all the way to Florida for scrapping. Richard Jensen's (you remember him) parents retired to Florida and he used to go down there to visit during the winter. The year they got scrapped, he came back with the Edsel wagon loaded (and scraping the ground) with parts that he had bought from the scrap dealer.
J.David

jdconrad@snet.net

Hey J.David-

Sad part of it is, I'd almost be as interested in the Edsel station wagon you mentioned! There is something about a "Mercury pushing a toilet seat" that is so ugly that its almost cool. A generational thing I guess.

TJG


Port Huron Museum
tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

> Hey J.David-

> Sad part of it is, I'd almost be as
> interested in the Edsel station wagon you
> mentioned! There is something about a
> "Mercury pushing a toilet seat"
> that is so ugly that its almost cool. A
> generational thing I guess.

> TJG

TJ:

I always thought it was "an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon". At least that's how Dad explained the Edsel to me.


hpincus@mindspring.com

Howard-

I hadn't heard that one, but the "lemon" part of that is definitely fitting. As an old car buff as well as a rail fan, it just seemed to good to pass up. Besides, I have a nasty habit of driving cars older than I am. Heck, who needs good heat or air conditioning? I'm a firm believer that the auto company's conspired to eliminate vent windows so people would buy air conditioning anyway.

> TJ:

> I always thought it was "an Oldsmobile
> sucking a lemon". At least that's how
> Dad explained the Edsel to me.



Port Huron Museum
tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

> The other Jensen locomotive that was
> scrapped was former Nickel Plate 2-8-2 No.
> 965, rather worn out, but fairly complete.
> Richard purchased it from a scrap yard in
> East Chicago, Indiana in c. 1967. I helped
> him get it prepared for shipment to
> "his" roundhouse at 51st St. in
> Chicago. Next thing I knew it was moved to
> another scrap yard near a river in the same
> area. Richard said that he was storing it
> there, but a couple of years later it too
> was scrapped.
> When getting out the crying towel for lost
> Jensen stuff, don't forget the countless
> tons of steam locomotive parts, tools and
> machinery that mostly got scrapped at 87th
> St. along with the 5632. A small portion of
> the parts did make their way to NWS&W
> and some of those went to IRM when we got
> the 0-8-0s.
> J.David

And not all of what Jensen once owned ended up scrapped. The Burlington 2-8-2 at Union and the Georgia Northern 4-6-0 at the End-of-the-Line museum are two examples.


midlandblb@cs.com

> Howard-

> I hadn't heard that one, but the
> "lemon" part of that is definitely
> fitting. As an old car buff as well as a
> rail fan, it just seemed to good to pass up.
> Besides, I have a nasty habit of driving
> cars older than I am.

There is a certain lanky mid-western steam jock who was known for his quaint and unusual automobiles for years-- and I'm NOT referring to Dick Jensen! I think this individual has switched to more contemporary motor vehicles these days.

hpincus@mindspring.com

TJ:

1. Most cars ARE older than you.

2. You need heat up there and I need AC down here.

3. Some of us, OTOH, would find it difficult to get cars to drive that are older than we are.

Now about halfway through 36,000 miles on my 1975 Chevy pickup, 7000 of which I have put on since July. Most of us in this business have no economic choice other than old cars since we have the mechanical skills to keep them going.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

Dave:

1. Point taken. Your truck, for instance, is the same age I am.

2. Michigan summers can get pretty hot, and from what I have heard lately you may be needing heat down there more than you think you do (i.e., can Delta fly out of Atlanta yet? Should I send you my snow chains?)

3. My experience has been that older vehicles are the easiest to get running, unless you looking to restore a Tucker or a Hupmobile. Any time you put a diagnostic computer on a new car, its $100. (In which case it will usually say something like "its mis-firing, stupid")

4. For the record, I pretty much drive two
vehicles: A '73 Delta 88 (455 Rocket, gurgle chug) in the winter, and a '50 Chevy Pickup in the summer. My wife's car of choice is a '69 Firebird. I can keep all those cars on the road in a given month for a whole lot less money than the average payment for a single SUV. (and the rocket really only eats as much gas as an average SUV anyway.) With a young son and a new mortgage, I am in the same boat. Nice to know I have lots of company though ;-)

> TJ:

> 1. Most cars ARE older than you.

> 2. You need heat up there and I need AC down
> here.

> 3. Some of us, OTOH, would find it difficult
> to get cars to drive that are older than we
> are.

> Now about halfway through 36,000 miles on my
> 1975 Chevy pickup, 7000 of which I have put
> on since July. Most of us in this business
> have no economic choice other than old cars
> since we have the mechanical skills to keep
> them going.

> Dave


Port Huron Museum
tjgaffney@phmuseum.org