A better question than asking why not do it right, is to ask why do it wrong? Any restoration has to be looked at from several angles before a single flue is pulled or a bearing greased. Why a locomotive is to be restored and what will be done with it once that process is completed are invaluable considerations when considering how to go about the work. There is no "right way" to restore a locomotive. There are safe and legal ways, which must always be complied with, but there is a lot of gray to go along with those blacks and whites. To give an example, suppose you are involved with a restoration project for a museum who plans to run their newly restored locomotive two or three times a year. Unless the funds are unlimited and time of zero consequence, parts of the machinery that are worn or slightly out of adjustment, say a crosshead slipper with a little extra clearance, may be able to be ignored and allowed to operate as such provided it does not pose realistic safety risks. On the other hand, the same condition on a locomotive slated for daily operation at mainline speeds would be worthy of taking the time to repair. In neither example could you convincingly argue that either approach is the wrong way, only different and appropriate to the individual case.

The problems leading to the expensive and lengthy restoration of 1361 resulted largely from the desire to do a top quality job in order to have a locomotive capable of a long and active life but failing to combine that desire with the personel who had the skill and knowledge, in spite of their good intentions, to do a safe and legal job.

At this point, we should no longer be asking what went wrong, or why the job isn't finished, but instead perhaps our energies should go toward supporting all those commited to getting the job done right.

Brendan's answer is right on the money!

Mike Tillger

If there's a valuable lesson to be learned from this whole saga it is;

1. Too many cooks spoil the broth, and

2. A little knowledge is a very dangerous thing!

IMHO-Ross Rowland

Insofar as the calculations and mechanical requirements go, the new steam rule is no different than the old one. It just quantifies the requirements more specifically.