These cars were all in very rough condition and need full restoration before they could be used. The only things usable in Logansport are the 2 NKP cabooses and the rider flat car that are on the side track in Lincoln Indiana at the moment. They are supposed to be moving those and putting those on the L&ER rail at the engine house in Logansport. The idea was short caboose/flat car rides pulled by DS50 once the damaged cab is repaired/replaced. These recent moves were on a side track north of the old museum grounds that they had to vacate. All the diesels other than the 44 tonner are still on the grounds last I was by there. 83a has been the shop switcher and back up power for NPE, they are fundraising to repair freeze damage to 426 so she can be used by NPE. The remaining F's, of which 72 was running and mechanicaly mostly done in 2011 and was waiting shop time to do body work and paint. And the Baldwin are still there. GP7 (or is it a GP9) 200 is unknown to me what happened to it. You can read more about all of the moves over on the Indiana Railroad Bull Session. Here is a link. Mike
https://indianarailroads.org/board/inde ... ic=21506.0

What, if anything, has happened with the two locomotive cranes? They were supposedly going to the Monon Connection Museum.

Any update on the locomotive that the mover made into a convertable? IIRC they found a new cab, has it been installed and were there any other damages found.

The UP #200 was a GP9. It's fate is unknown?

Supposedly the 3 F units are to become razor blades.

The Baldwin? Supposedly going to Kokomo. Don't hold your breath.

The two cranes, Nothing has much been said regarding either of them?

Rumor has it they are too expensive and difficult to move. Aka scrap is their future.

Reliable info is very scarce sadly.

Robert

The Purdue Crane was moved back in October to Schlatter Brothers property in Francesville. (Photo by Joey Schlatter).

Can we please stop speculating?

No word from Mr Davenport, who owns Monon DS50, on its repair status. I know the cranes were removed, but I dont remember off hand where they went. It was posted somewhere with pics of them off park property and in transit. ITM was going to run their Polar Bear Express in Logansport this year, even started selling tickets, but it came out they had not secured permission from G&W to do this, so no train this year. I think they are finding that G&W, who now runs both the WSRY and the TP&W has zero tollerance for funny business when it comes to excursion operations. And, well, ITM doesn't have a very good reputation right now. I have heard the Iowa Pacific IC E units and IC passenger consist parked in Kokomo still is probably gonna be seized by the bank. It hasn't moved in over a year now, still parked in the siding just east of Ohio Street. Mike P.S. The F units becoming scrap is still yet to be seen. 72 had all of its mechanical issues taken care of in 2011, was just needing body work and paint. If NPE is smart, it would be come a parts source for 83a and their F9. Or, to get the younger generation involved, have a local vo tech school that teaches body work, do the rest of the cosmetic restoration. With no outside rail connection, I do not see any of the big diesels leaving other than in a scrap dumpster(I hope not). I think Kokomo backed out of the Baldwin and a few other items they were originally listed as buying. Those who do know the secret plans for stuff or what ITM's long range plan to run trains again, isnt talking

Forrest Park last weekend (May 9, 2020), "laker2555" (only know his handle) photos, looks like most of the unsold items are still there:

Current mayor has plans to redevelop Hobbs Depot and remaining equipment into a railroad park/display:

https://www.ibj.com/articles/climbing-aboard

PMC -

I'm a bit confused by these photos. It was my understanding that Monon caboose 81528 was moved out of Forest Park and up to the new Nickel Plate Express group where I heard it was being used for storage. The caboose is owned by the Monon Railroad Historical-Technical Society and they wanted to make sure it was out of Forest Park before the "deadline". Has it been moved back now to Forest Park?

Les

Les, that was a puzzle to me also, but if you note Kelly Lynch's post below mine I bet the explanation is that the Noblesville mayor is assembling himself a train museum, likely in the multiple seven figures public funding range, after dispatching the previous museum (flawed as it might have been). I'm sure it will have all the historical accuracy of a McDonalds with a caboose next to it (sorry everyone for the snark).

Are you referring to the one that was on Rt 38 in Mt Laurel?

Later!
Mr. Ed

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... um-pieces/

Among other things, NKP 587 is now privately owned:

"Kentucky steam group gains ownership of three former Indiana museum pieces
March 6, 2021

Water tender, Railway Post Office, and baggage cars are part of heritage group's deal with Indiana Transportation Museum

In a landmark deal, the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation has acquired a historic water tender and accompanying former-Pennsylvania Railroad Railway Post Office car from the Indiana Transportation Museum.

Both cars, along with a former-Pennsylvania Railroad baggage car, were transported from Indiana to the KSHC property in Irvine, Kentucky, in late 2018. The cars were part of a package deal when ITM was evicted from its longtime home at Forest Park in Noblesville, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis. The transaction solidifies ownership for all three pieces of equipment for Kentucky Steam.

Kentucky Steam President Chris Campbell said the transaction of the cars from ITM to KSHC helps to further the organization’s efforts in the ongoing restoration of former-Chesapeake and Ohio steam locomotive 2716 to operation.

“The water car itself is a valuable addition to the eventual operations of C&O 2716 and has historical relevance to Eastern Kentucky, particularly the communities of Irvine and Ravenna,” Campbell said. “We have been glad to provide a safe haven for it but now, we believe its future is even more secure, as are the futures for the two Pennsylvania Railroad cars.”

In July 2018, various preservation groups scrambled to acquire and move equipment from ITM’s Forest Park museum grounds with days to spare before the property was repossessed by the City of Noblesville for redevelopment. The marquee attraction of that scramble was the dismantling and subsequent movement of 100-year-old steam locomotive Nickel Plate Road No. 587. The engine now resides on KSHC’s Irvine campus, partially dismantled and in safe storage.

Kentucky Steam inked a deal to coordinate the relocation, storage and eventual restoration of the 587. During ITM’s move away from Noblesville, however, the organization encountered debilitating financial responsibilities, moving artifacts to a potential new home in Logansport, a museum site that has not materialized. In the wake, many former museum pieces have been sold off to other entities or returned to their respective owners.

The water car acquired by KSHC from ITM was originally the coal and water tender for L&N locomotive No. 1958, which operated out of Ravenna, Kentucky — one of the two communities encompassing KSCO’s campus development — during much of its operating life. After the L&N 1958 was scrapped, the tender was saved and assigned to maintenance-of-way service by the railroad. It was later acquired by the Southern Railway and converted into a water car. Later in its life, it operated as Norfolk Southern’s auxiliary tender for famed steam locomotive N&W 611 before being retired in 1987 and donated to the Indiana Transportation Museum where it was used again as a water car, this time for Nickel Plate 587 until 2003 when the engine was taken out of service.

Kentucky Steam leased the car in late 2018 and moved it from an isolated industrial siding in Arcadia, Indiana, with the help of Hulcher Services. The car, along with the two ex-Pennsylvania Railroad cars, was set on CSX tracks where all three were extensively rehabbed for transport on the CSX mainline. The two Pennsy cars were included as consideration in the deal with 587’s restoration estimate.

Kentucky Steam’s official acquisition of the water car, baggage and RPO car coincides with a multi-entity deal that also includes ownership change for Nickel Plate 587. The veteran excursion engine, which was restored and operated from 1988 until 2003, has been sold to a private individual who intends to continue the trajectory originally planned when the 1918-built Baldwin locomotive was moved to Kentucky two years ago.

Kentucky Steam President Chris Campbell said the deal is an excellent outcome from what could have become a very unfortunate situation.

“When we moved 587 and the three support cars in the summer and fall of 2018, it was a major win for railroad preservation as the four pieces were saved from legal trouble and potential scrapping,” he said. “This deal ensures the long-term safekeeping of these cars, and gives a new sense of urgency with the restoration of Nickel Plate 587.”

The new owner of 587, who wishes to remain anonymous, plans for the engine to remain in Ravenna for the foreseeable future. Kentucky Steam will work closely with the owner as plans materialize for fundraising, and potentially transferring the locomotive into a newly-formed nonprofit designed specifically for the engine, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the meantime, Jason Sobczynski, KSHC Chief Mechanical Officer and CEO of Irvine Kentucky-based Next Generation Rail Solutions, will collaborate with the owner to develop a mechanical plan.

“It’s wonderful to see the future of the 587 looking brighter than it has in some time,” Sobczynski said. “While there is some major repair work ahead, it is a rare opportunity to return a locomotive to operation which needs what once was considered scheduled maintenance.”

Updates on the 587 will be limited as logistics are established. For more information, including a full roster of Kentucky Steam’s equipment, visit www.kentuckysteam.org, or visit Kentucky Steam’s social media channels."

what are the plans with the baggage and RPO cars that KSHC have those cars

Anyone know what happened to the GTW caboose?

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPict ... ?id=251064
77956, Age of Steam Roundhouse, Sugarcreek, OH https://www.sites.google.com/site/railw ... nk-western