Today's posting about Maine Central 4-6-2 No. 470 gives a lot of doom and gloom, but it also offers a lot of potential to those in the area who would like to get their hands dirty correcting the wrongs. Look at it as an opportunity! Cosmetic restoration is well within the capabilities of volunteers, with proper direction from experts. I suspect much of the "vandalism" in the cab came from a careless asbestos contractor, who simply cut off anything that was in his way to get to the lagging. Too bad, but serious enthusiasts should have been involved beforehand and removed, mapped and labeled everything first.

As for 470's final resting place, there are several existing Maine Central roundhouses that would make a much more appropriate venue than a tin shelter in the park. I'm guessing Rockland, Maine or Bartlett, NH might be the best. Any other suggestions?

It would be great to see old 470 run again, but cosmetic restoration would be preferable than seeing it lay dismantled for 25 years while people try to raise money for repairs.

http://http://www.infoblvd.net/danno/8/
bobyar2001@yahoo.com

The 470 is in the sorriest shape I have ever seen for a park loco, with the possible exception of the Kanawha in Lynchburg, Virginia, and maybe even that one is in better shape. The Roanoke scrapyard locos are in better shape than the old Pacific.
My suggestion for an enclosure would be an illuminated glass sided building. The engine could be cosmetically restored and repainted then surrounded by a museum of railroadiana that would be a credit to the sity and the state of Maine.
As far as gloom and doom goes, I think it's time we confront the inevitable before the city councils do it for us. The 470 Club did an admirable job of trying to repaint her, and you can see what happened to their efforts. Today the loco is full of holes and in some places, you can see through her tender! The only way to make her even remotely presentable would be to contain her indoors and keep her out of the corrosive elements of man and atmosphere.



glueck@saturn.caps.maine.edu

Couple interesting (hopefully) sidelights:

1. About 3 years ago, the City of Charlotte paid a contractor to torch off all protruding items from the cab and backhead to make it "safe" for children. The SAL / Gainesville Midland 2-8-0 had run into town under her own steam in the '50s pulling revneue freight. It is nowhere near beyond operating restoration but now a lot further than if the city had not opted to convert it into a jungle gym.

2. Wirghtsville and Tennile 223 was in running condition when it was sent to the City of Columbus, GA. It rotted for years outdoors and was vandalized, not only by the usual suspects but by the city itself with the assistance of some railroad museums and tourist railroads that stripped off a lot of her appliances and fittings.

I posted a request / offer to purchase them back now that 223 is safely in the Roundhouse Railroad Museum a few months ago but none of the culprits has voluntarily come up with any of them.

No doubt many of you would be surprised if you knew who these museums were but I will not mention names here. Suffice it to say that no matter how much we may moan about what other do, we know better and are ourselves as guilty as any of them.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

Hi Bob!

Great ideas. She'd be at home in Bartlett, and I could even see her as a cosmetic gem in North Conway, though on the B&M side of town.

As long as she is taken care of...

Rob

> Today's posting about Maine Central 4-6-2
> No. 470 gives a lot of doom and gloom, but
> it also offers a lot of potential to those
> in the area who would like to get their
> hands dirty correcting the wrongs. Look at
> it as an opportunity! Cosmetic restoration
> is well within the capabilities of
> volunteers, with proper direction from
> experts. I suspect much of the
> "vandalism" in the cab came from a
> careless asbestos contractor, who simply cut
> off anything that was in his way to get to
> the lagging. Too bad, but serious
> enthusiasts should have been involved
> beforehand and removed, mapped and labeled
> everything first.

> As for 470's final resting place, there are
> several existing Maine Central roundhouses
> that would make a much more appropriate
> venue than a tin shelter in the park. I'm
> guessing Rockland, Maine or Bartlett, NH
> might be the best. Any other suggestions?

> It would be great to see old 470 run again,
> but cosmetic restoration would be preferable
> than seeing it lay dismantled for 25 years
> while people try to raise money for repairs.


inlinebob@aol.com

In my opinion the C&O 2700 is the most vandalized locomotive in the U.S. Although most of the parts are still accounted for, and probably could still be reassembled, she is by far in worse shape than the 470. The good intentions of dismantling for restoration only to give up do not excuse leaving the locomotive in that condition.


Tod Engine Foundation
rick@todengine.org

> In my opinion the C&O 2700 is the most
> vandalized locomotive in the U.S. Although
> most of the parts are still accounted for,
> and probably could still be reassembled, she
> is by far in worse shape than the 470. The
> good intentions of dismantling for
> restoration only to give up do not excuse
> leaving the locomotive in that condition.

The 470 appears to be a very typical park display locomotive. No better or worse than many remaining in parks today. At some point it will be worth nothing but scrap. I am sure that with enough money and effort she could steam again. The only question remains - when is a capable group with money going to step forward and do something about it. Let's see some Yankee inginuity! There has got to be some of it left in New England....or am I wrong?


hubbard5004@msn.com

Nothing really irks me as much as when someone mentions returning a derelict park engine to steam again. Why? Because we cannot even put a coat of paint on this locomotive or other park engines, yet some goofball will start talking about a complete restoration. How about talking about just arresting the deterioration? How about talking about cosmetic restoration? Why is the answer to everything a full restoration to steam?

The 2700 should be a grim reminder that this isn't always the best answer. She is a monument to the shortsightedness of people who dreamed that impossible dream.



Tod Engine Foundation
rick@todengine.org

> Nothing really irks me as much as when
> someone mentions returning a derelict park
> engine to steam again. Why? Because we
> cannot even put a coat of paint on this
> locomotive or other park engines, yet some
> goofball will start talking about a complete
> restoration. How about talking about just
> arresting the deterioration? How about
> talking about cosmetic restoration? Why is
> the answer to everything a full restoration
> to steam?

> The 2700 should be a grim reminder that this
> isn't always the best answer. She is a
> monument to the shortsightedness of people
> who dreamed that impossible dream.

Rick,

Cool down buddy! How many large New England steamers RUN in New England? I count zero.



hubbard5004@msn.com

> Rick,

> Cool down buddy! How many large New England
> steamers RUN in New England? I count zero.

Sorry about that Paul. I guess my nerves have been on edge since about 10 am this morning.

Tod Engine Foundation
rick@todengine.org

The 470 needs help.As a member of the 470 railroad club,I can tell you folks that the 470 is near and dear to the hearts of all northeastern railfans. We can help this engine.If anyone is interested in forming some work sessions to help the 470, please e-mail me or contact the 470 club.

Brian



Conway Scenic Railroad
bhebert@rypn.org

I believe that the C&O basket case in Lynchburg is 2760. She looked 25 years ago. I can only imagine what she looks like today. Probably about the same as #2707 which I saw at Illinois Railway Museum this past Saturday. At least 2707 will be cosmetically restored when IRM gets to her. It's a great museum.

kevingillespie@usa.net

> I believe that the C&O basket case in
> Lynchburg is 2760. She looked 25 years ago.
> I can only imagine what she looks like
> today. Probably about the same as #2707
> which I saw at Illinois Railway Museum this
> past Saturday. At least 2707 will be
> cosmetically restored when IRM gets to her.
> It's a great museum.

The 2760 is a showpiece compared to the 2700, which is in Dennison, OH. Imagine a 2-8-4 that you could look from the smokebox clear through to the coal bunker of the tender, no rods, no piping, no tubes or grates, appliances etc. There is no cab floor so I had to stand on the mainframe to get up in the remains of the cab. I was in Fort Wayne a few years ago and tripped over her mainrods lying in the weeds, two truck trailers were loaded with parts nearby. Its a boiler and frame on wheels. Everything else has been removed.

Tod Engine Foundation
rick@todengine.org

Rather than wait for others to pick up the crusade and since I was the one who wrote the brief, count me in. I will drop a personal email to you with my phone and address.
Who else will pick up the challenge?

glueck@saturn.caps.maine.edu

I read an article on the 2700 a while back. From what I could gather, the group that was restoring it was leasing it from the town it was donated to. Is that correct? If so, which town owns it? If that's incorrect, who owns her now?
-Christopher Zahrt


zahrt@ecn.purdue.edu

I don't live in Maine, but count me in too. I'll email my info as well. What are the chances of getting her moved somewhere else?



sjhussar@aol.com