With the earlier thread about the Stone Mountain 0-8-0 I started wondering about the FEC 0-8-0 under restoration in Florida. I went to the website http://www.fec253.org and it's gone. Have they gone under or just forgot to re-up the domain?

Could the recent sale of the FEC to a shortline conglomerate have anything to do with this? FEC under its previous management was a railroad not afraid of its heritage or history, and had supported the FEC 253 group's efforts.

Hope someone from the 253 group chimes in with an update.

Howard P.

According to some information I found searching the internet, this group also had a number of other pieces of equipment at the Florida East Coast's Hialeah Yard:

FEC caboose #806

"White" boxcar (no other identification)

Passenger coach #3607

"Fort Ribaut", a stainless steel diner

FEC steam crane, number not specified

There was also a note stating that the group had been contracted to restore some clerestory roofed heavyweight passenger equipment:

Open platform observation "Seneca Valley" which was described as once running on the 20th Century Limited.

Central of Georgia Combine

Southern RPO

Perhaps the group got "bogged down" in trying to restore these 3 passenger cars. Whatever, I agree that it would be nice to find out the current status of the restoration of FEC 0-8-0 #253. If the effort has been abandoned, then perhaps find out if the equipment, including the 253, is going to go to a museum somewhere.

Les

I too searched the internet.

A steam engine that has sat in a park for 35 years doesn't get restored overnight, or with just volunteer labor, or with just "friends of" type donations. It takes big bucks nowadays.

The group here in Louisiana that restored SP745 sought out Transportation Enhancement Act(TEA) funds(these have been used alot for depot renovations.....using them for restoring a steam engine was an innovative use of them). These funding projects are submitted to the state, prioritized, approved, dispersed, etc. Some of the funds may even go to support the sponsoring organization(who is managing the project), afterall, if the organization goes, so does the restoration project. The group restoring SP745 got almost a million dollars, but it took years, and several successive grants. The "master rebuilder" who was contracted with had to relocate here, major parts had to be removed and shipped elsewhere to be shopped.....it takes big bucks, as well as all the volunteer labor and efforts.

After searching the internet, I found that the Steam Locomotive Association is trying to obtain funds for phase II of 253's restoration from the Division of Historical Resources(within the Florida Department of State). They applied for $92,700. The Florida Historical Commission ranks each project......those ranked 1 thru 53 are recommended for funding. The 253 project ranked at 68........so that means that the Florida folks are having as much fun as every other historical restoration project. They may be competing with a historical sacred indian burial ground for funds.

Hopefully, the organization behind the 253 restoration is strong, and will trudge on, trying to raise the priority of their project for state funding, trying to recruit sponsorships, solicit donations, apply for other grants, increase membership and keep them happy(if the choo choo doesn't chug soon enough, some people lose interest). A restoration project pretty much needs a full time staff member(or an insane group of dedicated volunteers). Grants usually allow a certain percentage to go to the "managing" organization of the project, which can be used for this staffing purpose.

The FEC has new owners but I don't think the management has changed. Who else has a "round end" business car?

And FEC 253 was a real basket case; I saw it before it was shipped to Florida.

They have two FEC wrecker cranes; #3377 and 765157(65157). They were able to restore 3377 to working order:





The above two images came from the website at:

http://pages.prodigy.net/fec253/

Their website,
http://pages.prodigy.net/fec253/
which has a link to a newsletter from last year, says they have already gotten about $250,000 in grants.

She looks great, and their description of the work that has been done, sounds substantial.

She looked pitiful the last time I saw her out at Texana Tank Car in Nash, TX(picture from there happens to be on website). I'm a big KCS fan and I will miss her being at Spring Lake Park, but THIS IS MUCH BETTER!