Finally some good news to report! Calmer heads have prevailed; I just received the following email from the Dunsmuir, Ca City Manager:
"Good Morning, All.

I've also been contacted about plans to remove the fence from around the locomotive and I'm sorry to say that the City can't allow it as it would be an insurance risk. In terms of preservation and the other topics related to preservation of this important part of our history, I'll leave that up the experts.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Todd Juhasz
City Manager
Dunsmuir, CA"

Hmm, not so bad news in my opinion!!
David Dewey

Great news.

In other jurisdictions, I even phoned the risk management department of the relevant city and explained the situation to them. They were too gutless to overrule another city bureaucrat, no matter how stupid.