The subject heading came to mind when I read about a rather nebulous group (?) called the Western NY RR History Club, and its plans to restore Canadian National steam locomotive 6218. Then there was a rumor a few years ago about a movie production company that was supposedly planning to bring a Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy" back into running condition. Would it serve any purpose to tell some old "war stories" about dealing with enthusiastic but unrealistic railfans with wonderful ambitions but little in the way of money, managerial skills or property? Or should we let these sleeping dogs lie?

How about when they do have the means for the wild and unrealistic railfan dream?
I'm thinking of the repainting of 1 of the ex-New Haven RR FL-9s that are being rebuilt in its original colorful paint instead of the current "transit authority" scheme.

Bob, just to clarify Re 6218, that article was some kind of hoax, and it referred to a "Western New York Railroad History Club".

There is of course the Western New York Railway Historical Society, an absolutely legitimate group, and they were just as surprised by the hoax as everyone else (still hoping to find the source of this by the way)

This place is Railway Preservation right? Not Rumor Preservation or Armchair Preservation, correct?

Let's spend our time here discussing current railroad preservation projects.

Throttle valve seat angles? That's interesting!

That was not really a rumor, but more a ploy to raise financing for a movie. The local media fell for it though, and someone did pay to get the #4018 to be accessed for potential operation, even though it was never going to happen. I did hear the pitch or "treatment" for the script, from one of the producers, it was sort of like the UP's Challenger the time it had to help a stalled UP train that was stalling on a grade in front of it in the mid 1990's, only more dramatic and much less realistic. That's Hollyweird.

Back to preservation, etc..

Fantastic stories are nice to chuckle over, but giving them "air time" goes against my judgement. My concern is that repeating nonsense could detract from proposals which offer desired outcomes, but appear to be out of reach. We've witnessed some amazing rebuilds and preservation activities in 2012. I wouldn't wish to siphon off spirit for those endeavors.

Moderator Vote: No.

I think you are over-estimating the importance, impact, reach and influence of this board.

That being said, I see no good that can come from this. The world, including that outside of railway preservation, is filled with bad ideas, horrible proposals, and big hats with no cattle. I see more productive discussion on what is and what is not working in the real railway preservation world.

As the one who started this thread, I will listen to the moderator and some of the others who chimed in, and move that discussion be closed and placed in the "bad idea file". We should save "war stories" for the after-work-session bull sessions.