The K4 tender is no longer at Steamtown and the various parts that used to be all over the place in the roundhouse look to be packed neater and ready for shipment.

still a restoration in plannings? Good to see things happening.

Amen! Get her rebuilt by competent people and rise again from her wreckage.

I'm sad to report that I have recently learned that one of the industrys most accomplished professionals who had been involved in late stage discussions regarding his leading the restoration efforts on the running gear side ( with another well known pro in discussions for the boiler side) has, out of the blue, just been told that his services will not be used.

Most disturbing of all is that one of the two "managers" in Altoona that headed up the 1995-2008 fiasco is still heavily involved!!

Insanity....... doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result!!!

Too bad.


Ross Rowland

Boiler should be leaving in the next month or so. We may move 565 over there for us to work on her. But the roundhouse if going to be full over the winter with the engines with the asbestos removed will be stored inside until they are painted.

Given the state of the economy and the diminished contributions being experienced by many other groups with long-running and delayed restoration projects, I am surprised that they would consider proceeding with the K4 project at this time.

PC

http://www.trainweb.org/horseshoecurve-nrhs/K4s_p27.htm

you had me doing some grinding searching, Ross, perhaps to see about supporting or debunking your concept, that site covers a lot of its ongoing restoration work.

I believe their funding is causing a slowdown of the work so its do as you can do it as you go. 765 really went that same route, it was lucky to be in very good condition however. We will keep watch and keep us updated on the progress.

Here she is as seen Sept 5th, 2010 in the Roundhouse:

/Mitch

Is this really that difficult from a management end? There are but a handful of vendors who would be considered well qualified to do what needs to be done, right? One of them, very well qualified, is much more conveniently located but okay, consider them all, taking into account transportation and so forth. Let the qualified, interested vendors bid or simply pick one, whatever is legally required, write a big down payment check, and get on with it. Or make plans for when the money becomes available.

Maybe this restoration *is* rocket science but managing it isn't if you delegate the details to those who have the skills to do it properly, on time, and on budget. I personally would not have a clue how to make this a fully compliant boiler. But even I, with no knowledge, could probably pick out a good vendor or two, and sign a purchase order and a check leading to a happy conclusion.

So long as the check isn't on my account!

Steve

Depends on who the manager is, and what red tape they have to cut through...and what finances they have access to....

Do not underestimate the number of ways it is possible to screw things up.

There are railfans out there who have "a little knowledge", and believe what they have is "all the knowledge".

This is the opposite of science, of course; guess that's why we call them railfans, not scientists.

AMEN!

Altoona Mirror article on the Railroader's Memorial Museum:
http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/543460/Back-on-track.html

Mike Tillger

Said article should be read, and read repeatedly, by any potential rail preservationist who believes the answer to raising the funds to carry out said project lies in raiding the public coffers.

Public money is often the anti-matter to "Git-'er-Done"........

Well, it might be if it wasn't about removing obstacles to being able to use two public sector grants which were held up, and including a partnership with a state supported university.

I'm not too proud to take funding from either public or private sector donors, and would prefer to get some from both so the imposition is spread around.

dave