Over on the Yahoo Group “Critters Listâ€

I would have to disagree. I would rather see the old girls sitting on a small piece of track at an under funded train depot on public display than to see it scrapped and becoming part of a ford explorer. This is history and it doesn’t need to be repaired to running state all it needs to do is be there for us all to see and remember. Cause I know there is not one person who reads or participates in this forum who will really say “hell it is just sitting there and not able to steam so I have no desire to go look at itâ€

And I see a source of power for tourist lines apart from either total replication or using up other historic power already in this country. If I were building a new insular tourist line, the odd narrow gage engines would appeal to me if I could get several and some cane cars or trucks to use as the basis of passenger haulers.

dave

Randy, with your basic points I will agree.

However, we should take into account that saving a locomotive can be looked at as 'better than nothing' especially if a historic locomotive with american railroad history under its belt is located in Cuba.

While unlikely, imagine if South Pacific Coast 4-4-0 #1, or the Felton (as I know the dispositions are not known for these engines) wound up down south? Can you honestly say that you would not jump at the chance for your own group to own one ? Even if it would just sit in a shed like SPC #47 has for so long, one wouldnt deny that SPC #47 is better as is now rather than continueing to accumilate dry rot in the desert.

It is one issue if a item meets your collection policy goals, But for many the Cuban locos are just a source of cheap "steam engines"

Yes, and that is where we are in definate agreement. One could also be said for the several engines taken out of central america. Other than perhaps the people who run or mantain them, is anyone paying attention to the history of said locomotives (be it american or not) or just playing 'dress up' (Randy, being a fellow Californian, one engine I am sure you aware of that is a good example: the 'AT&SF' 2-8-0 (?) in Los Angeles)

Which 2-8-0 is that?

It is actually in Clairemont, but it is a 4-6-0 (I was mistaken about 2-8-0 part). It is ex-Ferrocarril Coahuila-Zacatecas No. 6.

http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive ... splay=1430

It is (or was) painted as AT&SF, as I said.

While I hate to open such a can of worms, this somewhat reminds me of why many individuals and groups protest the federal involvement and funding to Steamtown. The argument being; with all the American-built locomotives rusting away in the elements, why is so much federal (taxpayer) capital is being pumped into the preservation of a collection consisting of mostly of equipment built and operated in Canada? I know this is a sensitive subject, though it is a good relative example in this thinking.

The photo at the linked site is when the locomotive was at "The Loose Caboose" Restaurant at the Claremont depot. Later when the restaurant closed the locomotive went to College Park. Then it went into private ownership.

At last report the locomotive is located on private property in Riverside county about halfway between Perris and Temecula. Several years ago I saw it from a public road about 1,000 feet away from its location.

Brian, not that it meets your restoration focus, but i wonder ifyour group would be interested in it considering how close it is to Perris.