Ralph Corey, Public Affairs Officer at Steamtown National Historic Site issued a press release announcing that due to increasing operational costs, Steamtown will no longer use steam power on a regular weekly basis after 2003. In 2004, the park will operate several Soviet-built diesel locomotives which were purchased at auction after sitting idle for several years.

Corey said that “Given the pressures in the current environment, it should come as no surprise that the NPS has had to seek innovative new ways to reduce the costs and everything had to be considered. Our cost reduction efforts included significant staff changes-including reductions, longer furloughs and promoting one person to Assistant Superintendent. Still these changes weren’t enough to reduce operating costs, especially given the rapid increases in liability insurance. We commissioned a survey to explore the needs of our visitors. To our surprise 85% of our visitors were indifferent to the type of locomotive used, indeed a significant number couldn’t tell the difference”. Corey then added “This is historically authentic. American railroads dieselized in the 1950’s for the same reason. The savings will be used to improve the park. We will plant more trees and install more baby-changing stations. Steam will still be used, only on special occasions.”

Asked why the NPS didn’t consider acquiring older American-built diesels, Corey responded “We considered American diesels, however we had the opportunity to obtain total control of newer locomotives for less expense. Moreover, many NPS staff expressed a long-held admiration for the Soviets, their work and craftsmanship, so we took advantage of the opportunity. The only significant downside will be purchasing new metric tools and installing European style buffers on our coaches. We think that this may have an additional benefit - reducing international tensions between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.”

April Fools. (Well, at least most of it is)

Awww, I thought for a moment the Soviet Diesels in the Port of Houston finally found a home....

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

> Ralph Corey, Public Affairs Officer at
> Steamtown National Historic Site issued a
> press release announcing that due to
> increasing operational costs, Steamtown will
> no longer use steam power on a regular
> weekly basis after 2003. In 2004, the park
> will operate several Soviet-built diesel
> locomotives which were purchased at auction
> after sitting idle for several years.

> Corey said that “Given the pressures in the
> current environment, it should come as no
> surprise that the NPS has had to seek
> innovative new ways to reduce the costs and
> everything had to be considered. Our cost
> reduction efforts included significant staff
> changes-including reductions, longer
> furloughs and promoting one person to
> Assistant Superintendent. Still these
> changes werenÂ’t enough to reduce operating
> costs, especially given the rapid increases
> in liability insurance. We commissioned a
> survey to explore the needs of our visitors.
> To our surprise 85% of our visitors were
> indifferent to the type of locomotive used,
> indeed a significant number couldnÂ’t tell
> the difference”. Corey then added “This is
> historically authentic. American railroads
> dieselized in the 1950Â’s for the same
> reason. The savings will be used to improve
> the park. We will plant more trees and
> install more baby-changing stations. Steam
> will still be used, only on special
> occasions.”

> Asked why the NPS didnÂ’t consider acquiring
> older American-built diesels, Corey
> responded “We considered American diesels,
> however we had the opportunity to obtain
> total control of newer locomotives for less
> expense. Moreover, many NPS staff expressed
> a long-held admiration for the Soviets,
> their work and craftsmanship, so we took
> advantage of the opportunity. The only
> significant downside will be purchasing new
> metric tools and installing European style
> buffers on our coaches. We think that this
> may have an additional benefit - reducing
> international tensions between the U.S. and
> the U.S.S.R.”

> April Fools. (Well, at least most of it is)


james1@pernet.net

I'll bet if all that really happened, 85% of the public probably would not notice, just like the story says... If you told them that 16-wheel Russian diesels were steam locomotives, they probably would believe that also..

> Ralph Corey, Public Affairs Officer at
> Steamtown National Historic Site issued a
> press release announcing that due to
> increasing operational costs, Steamtown will
> no longer use steam power on a regular
> weekly basis after 2003. In 2004, the park
> will operate several Soviet-built diesel
> locomotives which were purchased at auction
> after sitting idle for several years.

> Corey said that “Given the pressures in the
> current environment, it should come as no
> surprise that the NPS has had to seek
> innovative new ways to reduce the costs and
> everything had to be considered. Our cost
> reduction efforts included significant staff
> changes-including reductions, longer
> furloughs and promoting one person to
> Assistant Superintendent. Still these
> changes werenÂ’t enough to reduce operating
> costs, especially given the rapid increases
> in liability insurance. We commissioned a
> survey to explore the needs of our visitors.
> To our surprise 85% of our visitors were
> indifferent to the type of locomotive used,
> indeed a significant number couldnÂ’t tell
> the difference”. Corey then added “This is
> historically authentic. American railroads
> dieselized in the 1950Â’s for the same
> reason. The savings will be used to improve
> the park. We will plant more trees and
> install more baby-changing stations. Steam
> will still be used, only on special
> occasions.”

> Asked why the NPS didnÂ’t consider acquiring
> older American-built diesels, Corey
> responded “We considered American diesels,
> however we had the opportunity to obtain
> total control of newer locomotives for less
> expense. Moreover, many NPS staff expressed
> a long-held admiration for the Soviets,
> their work and craftsmanship, so we took
> advantage of the opportunity. The only
> significant downside will be purchasing new
> metric tools and installing European style
> buffers on our coaches. We think that this
> may have an additional benefit - reducing
> international tensions between the U.S. and
> the U.S.S.R.”

> April Fools. (Well, at least most of it is)


ryarger@rypn.org

It was my understanding one major factor in the change was the presence of the D-L shop in Scranton.

During WWII, the Soviets had replicated the US Army Alco RSD-1's that operated over the trans-Iranian Railway.

Since the ex-Soviet diesels are, in effect, Alco 539's, the D-L's South Scranton shop can provide technical advice and assistance in their care and maintenance.

From the same demented mind that brought us the surviving NYC Hudson in an Illinois scrap yard a couple years ago...

http://parkengines.railfan.net

rjenkins@railfan.net

> An interesting whine, subtle, yet not understated. Slightly bitter finish though.

Superheater@rrmail.com

> From the same demented mind that brought us
> the surviving NYC Hudson in an Illinois
> scrap yard a couple years ago...

Richard,

VERY well done; my boys will love it! (We have the book in the picture, the original edition, and the video tape. I also made a wooden one for their wooden railway.)

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a


Surviving World Steam Project
james1@pernet.net