I was in Chicago a few days ago and visited the Museum of Science & Industry for the first time. Regarding the steam locomotives on display there: I know the John Stevens and the Rocket are replicas, but what about the York? A musuem employee said it was the genuine artifact, but it sure looks like a replica to me. (Checking my sources, Conrad's book says that it's a replica, so that's what I'm assuming for now.) I found it somewhat alarming that the signs on the Rocket and the York make no mention of the fact that they are replicas, leaving a musuem visitor to think they are the real thing. Does anyone know when the Steven engine, Rocket, and York replicas were constructed, and who did the work? How long have they been at the museum?

By the way, the museum's new model railroad is very nice, but I can think of better railroad-related projects to throw $3.5 million dollars at.

Jeff Terry

jterry618@msn.com

The 1st "John Stevens" replica was constructed by the PRR Altoona Shops in 1928; its 1939 counterpart is on exhibit at the RR Museum of PA in Strasburg. See "A Tale of Two Replicas" published in Milepost, the journal of the Friends of the RR Museum of PA in 1994.

K.R. Bell

> I was in Chicago a few days ago and visited
> the Museum of Science & Industry for the
> first time. Regarding the steam locomotives
> on display there: I know the John Stevens
> and the Rocket are replicas, but what about
> the York? A musuem employee said it was the
> genuine artifact, but it sure looks like a
> replica to me. (Checking my sources,
> Conrad's book says that it's a replica, so
> that's what I'm assuming for now.) I found
> it somewhat alarming that the signs on the
> Rocket and the York make no mention of the
> fact that they are replicas, leaving a
> musuem visitor to think they are the real
> thing. Does anyone know when the Steven
> engine, Rocket, and York replicas were
> constructed, and who did the work? How long
> have they been at the museum?

> By the way, the museum's new model railroad
> is very nice, but I can think of better
> railroad-related projects to throw $3.5
> million dollars at.

> Jeff Terry


http://rrmuseumpa.org

> I was in Chicago a few days ago and visited
> the Museum of Science & Industry for the
> first time. Regarding the steam locomotives
> on display there: I know the John Stevens
> and the Rocket are replicas, but what about
> the York? A musuem employee said it was the
> genuine artifact, but it sure looks like a
> replica to me. (Checking my sources,
> Conrad's book says that it's a replica, so
> that's what I'm assuming for now.) I found
> it somewhat alarming that the signs on the
> Rocket and the York make no mention of the
> fact that they are replicas, leaving a
> musuem visitor to think they are the real
> thing. Does anyone know when the Steven
> engine, Rocket, and York replicas were
> constructed, and who did the work? How long
> have they been at the museum?

According to my notes:

A replica of Stephenson’s “Rocket” (1829) was built in 1931 by the actual Stephenson works in England, still in business at that time. A replica of John Stevens’ pioneer locomotive of 1825 was built by the Pennsy in 1928, and a replica of the “York” (c. 1831) was built by the B&O for their centenary in 1927. These have all been on display in the hall since the 1930’s.

I haven't been to MSI for a couple of years, but it seemed to me each of these three was clearly labeled (somewhere) as a replica. Maybe they've changed the signage considerably. Seems a little odd.

> I found it somewhat alarming that the signs on the Rocket and the York make no mention of the
fact that they are replicas.

I was also at MSI last week and had to spend about five minutes looking at the signage on the York to see where it was identified as a replica. It's there, but buried in text--moreover, the other information I had to wade through was not too informative.

The real issue to me is that perhaps MSI has an overly broad mission. Until the recent donation of a historic clock collection, the transportation area was the only part of the museum that dealt with a large number of historic artifacts. The Exhibits Department must present multiple disciplines of purely scientific knowledge, cutting edge technology, industrial knowhow and the ever-popular "blockbuster" shows. Even with MSI's resources, thats a tall order.

As to the cost of the Museum & Santa Fe layout, it's really rather modest given its popularity and its prominance on the main floor. Think of it as an advertising expense--the cost per "hit" is rather low. Its also low cost relative to other projects at MSI. Relocating the U-202 submarine this fall will cost $35 million. The new manufacturing exhibit to open later this year involves a computer-controlled, robotic assembly line that will manufacture trinkets to the visitor's personal order. That can't be cheap to build, even if provides cashflow over its life. All that expenditure and MSI will still have only the third-largest attendence of Chicago's cultural institutions.

Reauthorization
fred_ash@bankone.com

Fred's comments sure put the cost of the new model railroad here in perspective compared to the other exhibits in a major museum. He also points out some of the real problems in labeling exhibits. And by the way, the submarine is the U-505.

Museum of Transportation
rdgoldfede@aol.com

Kurt, any idea of the origin of the Pennsy cab and backhead at the Museum of Science and Industry? Off a K-4, a G5, or what?

glueck@maine.edu

This seems as good a place as any to put a plug for one of my favorite books: "U-505" by Daniel V. Gallery, Rear Admiral, USN (ret.). I think the Museum may still sell copies. This is a parallel history of the U-505 and the jeep carrier Guadalcanal, from their commissionings through the capture of the sub. Contains both stark terror and side-splitting humor, and good writing. Gallery became a humorous novelist after the war. The final chapter details how the money was raised to stuff and mount the boat; good reading for would-be museum fund-raisers.

The origin of the PRR cab was gone over on this list a while back, without resolution. My recollection of published news is that it was from a 2-8-2.

Incidentally, the sub was fired up at the Museum in the 1950's. Wonder what an in-line 9-cylinder M.A.N. sounded like?

Aarne Frobom
The Steam Railroading Institute
P. O. Box 665
Owosso, MI 48840