Ron and his late authoring partner, George Foster, were trying to start a tourist railroad on the eastern end of Long Island, by renovating the old Sag Harbor branch of the LIRR. The road bed was basically clear, but no track existed. Motive power was to be former BEDT #12 and #16. A retired NYC caboose, a PRR parlor car, and an ex-CNJ observation (#97, "Havpalm") were collected as well. The jewel in the crown was to be the E6s, which the men thought could be had by negotiating with the PRR. The two men approached the undertaking with style and vision, yet, perhaps too visionary for the times. Little financial backing came forward, while plenty of "in kind" help and labor was offered. Without the cash, the "Sag Harbor & Scuttle Hole Railroad" did not bear fruit. Part of the promotion was a steam excursion on the LIRR using BR&W #60, which was only semi-successful in breeding interest.
The whole idea was ahead of its time. The parlor car was vandalized and scrapped, the other pieces sold off by various owners, and the only #16 remains on Long Island, in marginal display condition. Forty years later, both preserved LIRR G5's are in the hands of museums with hopes of operation, but neither have yet gotten to secure trackage rights, nor rebuilt the locomotives and support equipment.
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