Newspiece (sorry, don't know which paper), gleaned from the Sacramento Valley Railways list. A local model RR group spearheaded the move, but were not interested in properly preparing the journals for movement, telling me "those bearings were ruined long ago, and besides, it's only a cosmetic restoration". That was highly doubtful, as the engine was placed at the fairgrounds in 1956 in rollable condition and had not moved since.Roseville Celebrates Completion of Mighty 2252 Relocation Project Roseville City officials, local train enthusiasts, the RosevilleHistorical Society and community members gathered today at the newlycompleted display site for the Mighty 2252 historic steam locomotive tocelebrate its successful relocation to Downtown Roseville. The ceremony capped a year long, joint public-private effort to move thelocomotive-once part of an elite railroad firefighting unit-from itsformer display site at the Placer County Fairgrounds to DowntownRoseville.A highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling-and ringing-of a new brassbell that now adorns the top of the 71-ton locomotive by Roseville MayorGina Garbolino and the bell's donor, Larry Leedy, a Roseville residentand former Union Pacific employee. Leedy saved the bell from the scrapheap many years ago when another locomotive was retired from service andearmarked for dismantling. Although not original to the Mighty 2252, the authentic, 40-pound brasstrain bell is very similar to the bell that was once there. Other partsremain missing from the 2252, including the locomotive's front light,and city officials continue to hope that one day those parts will befound. Anyone who can help recover the missing pieces is asked to callthe Roseville Historical Society at (916) 773-3003 or the City ofRoseville at (916) 774-5271. The locomotive was moved by truck on Oct. 13, 2004 from the PlacerCounty fairgrounds to Downtown Roseville after a special "bon voyage"ceremony. The new display site overlooks Union Pacific's Roseville RailYard, home base for the Mighty 2252 for most of its 59 years of service.The locomotive was built in 1897 for Southern Pacific and was originallyused to haul passengers and heavy freight over the Sierra NevadaMountains. In 1929, the 2252 was outfitted to be a special firefightinglocomotive complete with pressurized water cannons that could shoot 300gallons of water per minute. The locomotive was dispatched to fightforest fires in the mountains and to protect the massive wooden snowsheds covering the tracks near Donner Pass. The Mighty 2252 stayed inits valuable role as a firefighting locomotive until it was retired in1956.After retirement, Southern Pacific donated the steam locomotive fordisplay at the Placer County Fairgrounds in Roseville, where it remainedfor nearly 50 years. As part of modernization plans for thefairgrounds, fair officials sought a new location for the locomotive.The Coalition for the Relocation of the 2252 was formed to keep thelocomotive in Roseville. The Coalition, the Historical Society, theCity, the City's Redevelopment Agency and the Fair Board all workedtogether to bring the 2252 home to Downtown Roseville. Project cost for painting the locomotive, the move and the new sitedisplay is about $125,000. Most of the money for the project has beenraised from donations by local supporters and businesses. Major donorsinclude: JMC Homes, Kobra Properties, NEC Electronics America, Inc.,Richland Planned Communities, Inc., Placer County Board of Supervisors,Signature Properties, Westpark Associates, Roseville Electric, TheRobert L. Doyle Family, HP, Norcal Masonry, Raymond & Aimee Flowers,Roseville Press-Tribune, SureWest, A. Teichert & Son, Inc. and UnionPacific FoundationRoseville Electric's contribution included a new, solar-powered lightingsystem that provides a beautiful nighttime setting for the Mighty 2252.The $17,000 solar electric system not only supports Roseville Electric's"green energy" initiative, but the dual photovoltaic panels and lightswere less expensive than the $25,000 cost that would have been needed tobring power lines to the site, Roseville Electric officials said. __________________________________________________

Saw 2252 last week (I live in nearby Auburn). Basically it was a repaint, and it now sits behind a fence a 5 year old could jump. I cant say I am that surrpised, but I hope they dont mind getting the bell stolen, because it will happen.