I'm still in Lynchburg on vacation, heading to Raonoke later today.

Last Saturday I met with Bill Hodges, the project coordinator for the Kiwanis, and we had a long talk and took a good close look at the locomotive. This afternoon I am going to talk with Chris McBride, the Restoration Shop manager at VMT, who will most likely do the major work on the engine.

There is no change right now in the engine's condition. All work to date has been done on the Virginian caboose. However, they hope to start Chris working on the 2-8-4 in a couple weeks.

Plans for exactly how much to try to do for the locmotive are in flux--they depend largely on how much money can be raised. The Kiwanis decided to kick-start the project with 25k in their own money and some sweat equity to show the project is going to happen before approaching major donors. They are just about ready to kick off their findraising campaign.

I'll provide more detials and photos when I get back in the form of a Brief. For now I can tell you that the locomotive actually looks a little better up close than from 15 feet away. The boiler lagging was removed at some point (hurray--no Big A), and the old jacket destroyed or lost--the present jacket is an inauthentic reproduction made from thin roughly square aluminum sheets. I had a long discussion with Bill in which I advocated either leaving the fake jacket off, or having a new, more authentic jacket fabricated if the money can be raised. There is still a little bit of asbestos tape on some steam pipes, and the City of Lynchburg will be taking responsibility for remediating that.

The locomotive still has a surprising amount of her cab jewlery--valve handles, sight glasses, instruction plates, etc--it must have been fenced off very early on. There is also a lot of other nice jewlery still around the engine in the form of trust plates, instruction plates, etc. The firebox butterfly doors were so well hung that I could still open and close them. Oh, and regarding the phtograph of the school kids in the tender that someone expressed concern about, the stoker screw trough has a plate welded over it.

More detials after I talk with Chris and get home this weekend.

eledbetter@rypn.org

> Much has been said about the steam engine and the caboose, but what about the coach. It is one of only three or four un modernized, open window coaches from a fleet that once numbered a couple of hundred on the Southern. Is it too far gone?

Tim Andrews
Chattanooga, TN

tandrews@researchcouncil.net

It's a complete wreck--I would say too far gone.

All the windows are long gone, the side sills are really nothing but iron oxide at this point--I could probably have put my fist through any of the side panels if I wasn't worried about tetanus getting it back through the hole I'd made. The steps have literally rotted loose from the rest of the coach and are drooping down to the ground.

The Kiwanis got a rough estimate on scrapping it in situ but the cost was prohibitive (you'd need a rigger to lift out the parts--it's a heck of an awkward site). They are mulling over what to do, but one plan involves patching it with massive infusions of bondo, fixing the roof, and using is as an exhibit space.

I'll include notes on the coach and the Virginian caboose in the final report.

Any ideas of rolling the equipment back out to a better location in town?

ryarger@rypn.org

> Any ideas of rolling the equipment back out
> to a better location in town?

No, that would be well beyond the financial resources of this group. You would have to clear and stabilize the grade that was made to get the stuff in there (1/4 mile at probably 2-3%) relay panel track, and tie it in to NS's former Southern Railway mainline. Of course it could be done, but we're talking about a group with 25k in starter money.

The goal is to trim back the brush much further to reduce the humidity, and then erect a shelter over the equipment in situ.

eledbetter@rypn.org

> No, that would be well beyond the financial
> resources of this group. You would have to
> clear and stabilize the grade that was made
> to get the stuff in there (1/4 mile at
> probably 2-3%) relay panel track, and tie it
> in to NS's former Southern Railway mainline.
> Of course it could be done, but we're
> talking about a group with 25k in starter
> money.

Erik-

Could some cost be defrayed for the group by salvaging what is salvagable from the coach and selling it to other groups in need of these parts? Or, could another group (NCTM, Roanoke maybe?) salvage those parts in exchange for helping with the scrap cost? If the coach is toast, cut the losses --- not worth throwing good money after bad.

TJG

> The goal is to trim back the brush much
> further to reduce the humidity, and then
> erect a shelter over the equipment in situ.


Port Huron Museum
tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

"Could some cost be defrayed for the group by salvaging what is salvagable from the coach and selling it to other groups in need of these parts? Or, could another group (NCTM, Roanoke maybe?) salvage those parts in exchange for helping with the scrap cost? If the coach is toast, cut the losses --- not worth throwing good money after bad."

I have to agree with Mr. Gaffney.

You're not going to fix rotting side sills and drooping steps with Bondo. I like the idea of bartering the removal of the parts for the parts themselves.

By the way, I'm not familiar with these coaches. Are these six-wheel trucks or four-wheel?

It sounds like this coach would be a good candidate for an archaeological demolition – a term coined by the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel for thoroughly documenting the disassembly process and salvaging as many parts as possible. I have several links about this process on the linked website (see the links below the section on Central Vermont 4505).

Tom Cornillie


Historic Railway Equipment
altoonaroundhouse@umich.edu

> It sounds like this coach would be a good
> candidate for an archaeological demolition –
> a term coined by the Canadian Museum of Rail
> Travel for thoroughly documenting the
> disassembly process and salvaging as many
> parts as possible. I have several links
> about this process on the linked website
> (see the links below the section on Central
> Vermont 4505).

Hey Tom, when are you going to come up here to Port Huron and visit for Pete's sake? I mean, heck, if you are anywhere near Ann Arbor, were about 2 hours up I-94!

Great comments about the potential benefit of baggage cars to museum by the way. Obviously were big believers!

TJ

> Tom Cornillie


Port Huron Museum
tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

Inspite of the outer appearance, I am not convinced that this loco is beyond reclamation as an operable engine. It is in a bad spot, but the way out is still very much in evidence. I'm glad to hear that the cab is partially intact. That gives me good vibes about her innards.
I think that getting a local group like Kiwanis to take and interest, and to pour significant bucks into a project like this is an excellent precedent for local railway preservation. I can't wait to see the 2760 when she's refurbished.
The coach should not be restored. It's not even kindling wood; more like the remains of a termites lunch - after digestion!
The caboose, when rebuilt will be much like the proverbial hammer with two new heads and four new handles, but it's the original hammer! Better that than total loss.


glueck@maine.edu