All I know is the more I look into this, the more the replica seems to be the answer. Being a Curator first, the probable destruction of most of what remains of the original object (even if the majority of the technology is 1910's and 20's instead of 1878) to make an operating loco is not palatable to me.
A replica, however, based closely as possible (with obvious considerations for safety, costs, etc.) to the original seems the way to go. The best of both worlds then exists: the ability to still study the original artifact while enjoy and appreciate (and operate) and close fascimile. Not that I currently have the fortune to pull this off, but the possibility does exist, given the right circumstances.
TJG
> I will reiterate what I said in my post of
> January 2nd:
> "As a base line on 2Â’ gage costs, I
> offer the following. Last year we built a 2Â’
> gage unpowered Thomas replica for Edaville,
> for considerably less than $150,000. This
> included all design work, roller bearing
> axles, drivers, tires, rods, frame,
> equalizing, and superstructure. To have a
> working steam locomotive would require the
> addition of cylinders, main rods, valve
> gear, boiler, and refinements to the frame
> and superstructure to make working water
> tanks, etc. To have a steaming 2Â’ Thomas?
> Perhaps triple the above figure (wild
> guess).
> The cost of these items is hard to judge
> before the first example is completed. The
> V&T Lyon replicaÂ’s cost is driven
> considerably higher due to our clientÂ’s
> insistence that it be an exact duplicate of
> the original as far as possible, requiring,
> for example, many castings of parts that
> could be fabricated more economically
> today."
Port Huron Museum
tjgaffney@phmuseum.org
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