150th Anniv. of "The General's" Theft: Does Anyone Care?

jayo · **Joined:** Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:01 am **Posts:** 19

p51 wrote:

I stand corrected on the locomotive being sealed up inside the display building. It’s been many years since I was there and I was just a kid then.
I get that the engine was modified several times over the years, but you’d think they could at least get her into more accurate paint colors. I wonder how many people go to Kennesaw and confuse the locomotive for the “Jupiter” in Utah! And as for that L&M-style number on the headlight lens, I can’t think of any reason why they kept that on there. I don’t think she carried the number on the lens at any point until the tour in the 1960s.

Actually, the engine did carry the number on the lens well before the 1960's. It actually had that number on the headlight lens since at least the 1890's, probably earlier. As for the paint scheme, the current scheme has become rather synonymous with the engine, and that's why they don't bother repainting it. In fact, I think the matte black it wears on its boiler and cylinders actually distinguishes the engine from the more colorful Jupiter quite well!

As far as operating it again, the whole custody agreement would be a bit of an issue. Not only that, but even though the engine is likely in pretty good shape for operation, it would likely need some work done to bring it up to recent FRA standards. And really, I think the museum would prefer to keep the engine preserved.