At the Greenville, Pennsylvania roundhouse in 1980, before acquisition by the Henry Ford Museum. Anyone heard what might happen to this facility now that CN owns the B&LE?

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... x?id=71961

I believe this is the engine that was cosmetically restored by IRM in Union before being shipped to Henry Ford and a relatively modern 4-4-0 was sent to IRM as part of the deal.

Bob Kutella

Bob:

The caption on the photo, if anyone checks it out, says that the 154 is an 0-8-0. For the record, the locomotive is in reality a 2-8-0.

This is one of those trades that worked out well for both museums. Ford had other 4-4-0's and IRM had none. IRM had other 2-8-0's and the Ford had none. Plus, the 4-4-0 traded, was built late in the American Standard era and hardly used. So she is a great candidate for restoration to service someday by IRM if they should ever decide to go that route. Perhaps her limited tractive effort has kept her from being considered up to this time.

One other thing, the Ford Museum had a very nice steam locomotive collection. It certainly could have rested on its laurels. But someone at the museum recognized the fact that it was missing an important element; the most common steam locomotive type in American railroading...the 2-8-0. I applaud their decision to rectify that omission. It's too bad the folks at the Smithsonian are not similiarly awake.

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana)