Because I accept the fundamental need for the rights of private property WAY AND FAR above and beyond any perceived "need" to "rescue" a fourth Reading T1, now of quite questionable condition and utility.

There is nothing preventing someone stepping up and buying 2100, save for either the current owner(s)'s refusal to sell or enough numbers in the price. They can haggle. (This presumes, of course, that there isn't currently litigation ongoing and liens in place, etc., but you get my point.)

The RCT&HS (or another appropriate 501(c)3 group like the Friends of the RR Museum of Pa., Berks County Historical Society, whatever...) can make an offer of a tax write-off for donation. Whether that situation is logistically, financially, or emotionally appealing and advantageous to the parties involved is between them, the IRS, and their respective accountants and officials.

But, by and large, we absolutely HAVE to accept that it's the owner(s)'s right to scrap the thing, or sell it to a Japanese amusement park, or sell it to a casino and have it hung from the rafters, or sink it as a reef if he/they so choose. It may be a travesty of epic proportions; it may be an abomination of historic scale; but it's still their right.

There have been at least five opportunities, scattered over nearly fifty years, for Reading Railroad enthusiasts to acquire this particular locomotive specifically for preservation. Some of those opportunities lasted for years--Striegel Scrap Yard in Baltimore, from Rowland while it languished in Hagerstown, from Richard Kughn, and now from the current ownership. The fact that it hasn't happened indicates one or several factors: Not enough support or money (Leesport is evidence against that); accepting the stored 2102 and/or the stuffed/mounted 2124 as "good enough" (the dereliction of 2101 in Baltimore indicates that they've forgotten about that third T1); or quiet animosity between, or rejection of, the parties involved.

Personally? I'd rather hope for the opportunity to ride behind a T1 once again around the Horse Shoe Curve or up Sand Patch or 17-Mile Grade, or--who knows?--at speed on the former Reading mains again.

Well, that certainly wasn't the original intention. When I first became interested in railway preservation forty years ago, the plan seemed logical, and the goal attainable... Some pieces were to be "operating equipment" on the "demonstration railway." These were chosen to be small, simple machines, nothing too complex. Yes, they would see normal wear, and would have to be maintained. Repairs would be made in kind; there is really no reason to say that steel for flues and stay bolts, bronze for crown brasses, and Babbitt for crossheads would ever become unobtainable. The work of maintaining and repairing the locomotive (and cars, for that matter) would preserve these skills, and this coupled with the operation, would result in a "living history" museum, along the lines of Colonial Williamsburg, but more mechanized. This is the reason that several of the older museums have spent considerable effort to acquire the machinery needed to support steam operation, and why many of the organizations that consider themselves museums, rather than ride attractions, collected small fleets of shortline "swamp rats", because they were the smallest, simplest power to be had.

Unfortunately, it hasn't played out that way. The shortline engines, while simple, were universally tired. Compliance with state boiler codes in pre-FRA days often dictated less than ideal choices for locomotives; post FRA different criteria have dictated different choices, often larger, more modern power than is really warranted.

The business plan hasn't really proven to work, either. As evidence, there have been, and still are, several smaller engines in the Mid-west that have certificates, but nowhere to run. Meanwhile, there are several museum groups that have private railroads, but no steam to run upon them. The problem seems, as always, to be money... the owners of the locomotives don't want to lease them for less than a rate that will pay for their eventual re-restoration (which is what the 1492 day inspection work amounts to), while the museums don't see how they can afford that cost, given their potential earnings at their present fare/admission structure. Which is, of course, the reason they haven't been able to keep their own locomotives in service, either.

I don't see a clear solution to this problem, but I suspect it looks a lot like the Leviathan; a modern facsimile of the smallest, simplest engine possible.

You make it sound like there was some sort of grand plan, voted on by everyone involved, approved by the NRHS and blessed by TRAIN, ARM, FRA and who R&LHS. In the world I lived in, "tourist railways" were a rag-tag disorganized mess, with only the fact they ran trains connecting them. On one hand, you had D&SNG, C&TS, Strasburg and the Durango & Silverton. They presented the railroad in it's "natural habitat", with the original equipment, or close to it. On the other hand, you had Petticoat Junction and the like. Trust me, they weren't all on the same page!

Sure, some museums operated under your pretense. I'm not overly familiar with the railways in the UK, but it's my impression that there's a lot of the "living history" stuff over there, where they try and preserve railways as is. There are lots of those type of operations here in the United States as well, such as the ones I mentioned. They're great, and they do a wonderful job of it.

But there are lots of pure tourist railways. Not all steam railways were founded on the noble cause of preserving the railway heritage. Some were created, get this, to make money. If you were around in the 1960's, you'll recall the operations I'm talking about. You get an under-used branchline, and old teakettle, a couple of commuter cars, paint it bright colors (Gee, that sounds familiar...) have fake indian raids or holds ups (thankfully that part doesn't) and try and generate some cash. There was no more "history" in those than there is a John Wayne western.

Here's the problem. You get to choose what you do with your railroad. You don't get to choose what somebody else does with their railroad. Think you can do it better? Think the equipment should be saved/restored/whatever? Fine, step up to the plate with cash in hand and make them an offer. When they sell it to you, then it's yours to do with as you see fit. Until then, you have no say in how they operate and what they do.

EXACTLY! What he said!

Meanwhile, the 2100 is, as far as I know, still for sale. Asking price, last I heard, was $1 million, as-is, where is, bring your own flatcar for loading. That's as of a couple years ago, but unless the owner suddenly needs a really big paperweight, I don't think it's changed. So, here's your chance! Want to save her from being scrapped, made into a casino, shipped to China or retro-fitted with a nuclear powered firebox? (It is next to Handford you know, so who knows what they might try...)

The solution is simple. Buy it, and then you can do whatever you want with it!

Thanks for the reply, Dennis. A lot of good food for thought there.

OK. I have taken a piece of paper with these 3 words on it, and taped it to the wall.
BANG HEAD HERE

If this is your idea of a fundraiser, how much are you asking us to pledge per blow?

Is that price realistic? In today's lack-of-places-to-run, probably not, barring a VERY ambitious for-profit plan by the likes of Rowland or Ellis.

Is waiting around for someone reported to be in a "financial hole" to just donate it to a non-profit because it originated at a certain railroad realistic? In my opinion, much less so.

"RDG 179 wrote:
OK. I have taken a piece of paper with these 3 words on it, and taped it to the wall.
BANG HEAD HERE


ADM: If this is your idea of a fundraiser, how much are you asking us to pledge per blow?"

I ask: whose head gets to be banged against the target?

Anyway, I think 98% of us already have that piece of paper taped up in our shop/tool car/station office/crew room. Doesn't raise much money, but it feels really good once you stop.

Howard P.

Seriously, 2100 is privately-owned. The owner gets to decide what is to be done with it. He also gets to decide what "the price" is, if it is for sale. He may have a very inflated notion of what it is really worth, but that does not matter to us. Or it shouldn't. Move along, there is really nothing more to see here. At some future time, something will happen, and I seriously doubt anyone posting here on RyPN will have any ability to affect that "something".

I think many of us care what happens, but let's remember that it is NOT in our power to control/change/influence that outcome.

Howard P.

Can we set that up as an auto-reply when somebody beats this dead horse again? It would save a lot of typing.

I think anything that needs to be said about 2100 has already been said. If you have something else to say please read all of the 101 previous posts and if it has not been said feel free to start a new thread.

Thanks,

Tom Gears
Moderator