How was the scrapping of a running steam locomotive allowed to happen? I read the account on Steamlocomotive.com but how could METRA have not allowed someone to inspect the locomotive? "METRA asked Richard Jensen to move his locomotive, but was unwilling to assist him in pushing the locomotive 150 yards to the Iowa interstate. Metra also refused to allow an inspection of the locomotive which would allow Richard Jenson to have someone else move it."

I'd say take it easy. The incident regarding the GTW Pacific getting scrapped is always a touchy issue.

I don't see the need to rehash this issue. It's been thoroughly discussed on this list and many others. Yes, it was tragic that the locomotive was scrapped, but that was a long time ago so let's move on.

"Running steam locomotive"?

...Surely you did not intend to use this term to describe 5629 in her last few years...she had been sitting in that same spot outdoors with no care , for long enough for her coal bunker floor to rust out, depositing her load of coal (intended for use on a cancelled fantrip) between the rails....

Lets just say Metra was far from the only guilty party.

Jeff

Same old, same old.

1. Collector (individual or nonprofit) buys way more equipment than he can handle. "One step ahead of the torch, victory!"

2. Lacking storage space of his own, he obtains "temporary" ad-hoc storage from others. "Just until a future situation I haven't even started thinking about!"

3. Gets overwhelmed by the demands of maintenance. Gets stuck at impasse. Gets frustrated.

4. Being frustrated sucks, so he loses interest. "No, I'm still interested, just busy!" Not on this.

5. Storage owner notices lack of activity and asks about plan. Our "hero" blows off the conversation (and doesn't even remember it). But the storage guy does.

6. Storage owner now realizes he's being imposed upon, that "our hero" has no plan, and simply intended to fleece off the storage owner forever. Now he's cheesed: "No, No, No, No, let me ask you a question. When you came pulling in here, did you notice a sign out in front of my shop that said Dead Steamer Storage?"

Now that the owner is standing up for his rights, he's painted as the "bad guy". Which is wrong: He's the only real hero in this, because on good faith, he lent the collector time to set up something more permanent, which the collector had in fact promised to do, but blew off. The collector is the actual bad guy.

No one will ever admit that, so it'll just keep happening. Browse recent RyPN topics to see a half dozen. And the beat goes on...

Ahahhahahahahahahahahhaaha. Funniest thing I've read here in a long time.

No different than the two, very good condition, IC tenders that were scrapped two months ago. Another Dick Jensen initiated endeavor, Would we like to talk about the mass of spare parts that were also scrapped years ago? If he had not arrogantly kept all of his toys in the sand box.....much would still be around.

To be a little more fair about the scenario as described, there was also, as I recall, a medical condition (serious injury from a fall) that hampered Jensen's actual physical ability to take action. Now, admittedly, you shouldn't be putting yourself in a situation where illness precludes the ability for someone else to act on behalf of you or the loco/car/etc., and there were other ways for Jensen to have acted that might have saved 5629 (remember, C&WI was also being uncooperative towards potential rescue overtures), but I think it's a little unfair to cast this completely as negligence.

The lesson here: Remember that you're not immortal or invincible. If you really do care about that steamer/caboose/station/photo album you own, make arrangements for its continued existence after you're gone or unable to work on it anymore.

I agree with ADM's sentiments. Folks need to plan ahead for disposition of equipment, collections and artifacts. I have too many sad stories of collections that have been lost because of this. I am sure that ADM has seen the same at the Md Rail Heritage Library. Perhaps "schmoozing for collections" or a similar estate planning workshop is appropriate for a future ARM Conference.

Wesley

Maybe it's the monthly zombie outbreak...

Well clearly, we're not learning the lesson...

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30205 Childrens Museum
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31575 NWP coaches
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31517 Pemberton
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31533 CN boxcabs
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31502 Brookins/Trolleyville
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31476 sustainable preservation?
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31413 F-units cut up
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31432 ALCO plant
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3513&start=15 Diners on D&H and NYC
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31378 CGW SD40s
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31363 Where to put an F40PH
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31287 USS Olympia
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31296 Delta Queen
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31231 wood coach
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30997 yet another F7
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30963 Alco plant switcher
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30740 Steam crane scrapped
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25621 Alcos in distress
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29063 Privately owned big steamer in ??? status
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30540 MORE Alcos in distress

This, without even mentioning Boonton, Colonie, or several of the other infamous "borrowed property" dead-lines that havent' boiled over yet.

Oh and I also forgot the "nonprofit museum on government property with no alternate site lined up while relationship deteriorates" situation...

Not to pick nits to Robert McDowell's reply, but your two of your references- "Alcos in Distress" and "More Alcos in distress" do not belong on that list...

Both of the engines referenced in those posts still survive (one in active duty still) and BOTH have homes with some respectable entities already identified. The transfer of ownership will happen when it is most advantageous, tax-wise, for the railroad to make it happen and when it feels the operating Alco needs to be de-accessioned.

Matt Bumgarner

In the same vein, I don't beleive the Brookins/Trolleyville collection belongs on this list either.

The Trolleyville operation was a very well run and sustained operation for many years, on private property, following the sale of the property, the collection was moved to downtown Cleveland for the future opening of a museum/operation on the lakefront. That never materialized in large part due to the economic realities of the last decade, and the collection was parted out to a number of very responsible museum groups.

The parting out of the collection was truly something of a model for deaccession and cooperation for the future. IRM clearly taken the lead with their work on their former Trolleyville cars, several of which will likely be part of next Monday's annual July 4th Trolley Pageant. Many other cars are under restoration/operation as well, notably (at least to my personal interests), the ex Fox River/Shaker Hts car in Ohio.

Almost nothing from the collection will end up having been "lost"

While not a locomotive, I would add Stewartstown Railroad in distress.

If you are talking about the caboose and passenger cars that were stored at the Boonton, NJ station on the former DL&W, over the last few months they have all been cut up and carted away. The only thing left as of yesterday was the floor, frame, and trucks under one of the heavy weight cars on the station (eastbound) side of the platform.

This is not to be confused with the URHS storage / rehab yard in Boonton.