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| Meanwhile.. A Look Ahead...Steamtown 2030 https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=12776 |
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| Author: | superheater [ Wed Apr 13, 2005 8:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Meanwhile.. A Look Ahead...Steamtown 2030 |
Its 2030.... Consider the somewhat unrealistic possibility that we reign in the trial bar and imperial judiciary.. after a few years.. insurance rates start to go down as insurers realize lower loss ratios on fewer and less astronomical claims...and sanity replaces novelty as the key ingredient in the courts. Andy Muller decides that is time to relax a little and sells the R&N, to a group of investors who in turn decide that a couple of steam engines are merely temptations to be besieged by the FRN's for whom Thomas was the gateway drug into a lifetime of foaming. Besides, they've got a railroad to run and its hard enough coaxing 20 year old SD70 ACes to run, now that that EMD went out of business and the need to refit the core electronic systems with updated technology and EPA Tier 5 compliant hydrogen or LNG prime movers. So it is that a group of people decide to really live the fantasy and buy a REAL blue steam engine. (No offense intended to the BEDT Thomas) They made a few quid in the carbon nanofiber business, now its time to live a little, hell ritiring at under 40 is pretty cool. There's just one problem. Before the passage of the Tort Reform and Judicial Improvement Commission Act (known as TRAJIC to the bar) in 2020 most of the steam shortlines were driven out of business or replaced their steam with diesels-which accelerated especially when the last generation that actually remembered steam passed on. So it is the only place that has the knowledge of operating steam is Steamtown National Historic Site. The group has the money to fund their foundation, and even was able to coax a Steamtown engineer to be their COO.. they send a proposal to the Steamtown Superintendent. Now the management staff meets with the superindendent. They reject the plan to work with the outside group- why should they sign on to something that- IF it doesn't get done EXACTLY right, will draw howls and screams from outsiders. The superindent closes the meeting with "So what your saying is, if I work with this group I'm going to have to put up with the same cr*p that Kip Hagen put up with 25 years ago, for stuff I'll have no control over? Next item on the agenda.." |
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| Author: | rypnorg [ Thu Apr 14, 2005 8:28 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Meanwhile.. A Look Ahead...Steamtown 2030 |
As this is essentially a continuation of the K4 1361 discussion, it falls under the newly-announced 30-day lock on this topic at RyPN. See "K4 Consolidated Thread" for details. Erik Ledbetter RyPN Associate Editor RyPN Board Member |
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