I was in Oyster Bay, NY and noticed a banner proclaiming the LIRR passenger station as the future home of the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum. I quick run to Google shows that this is the successor organization to the LIRR 35 steam locomotive group. Like many of these websites, this one is out of date, especially concerning work on the 35. Can anyone provide an update?

was wondering that myself the other day when i checked their site. Isn't theere another LIRR steamer getting restored? #39? can't find anything on it either.

There are two surviving Long Island Rail Road G5's steam locomotives. Both were retired in October of 1955 and placed on display in 1956. Both locomotives were removed from their plinthes around 1975, in hopes of restoration to operations. What followed was a strange twisting route of personalities, misunderstood restoration agreements, etc. LIRR #35 was left partially disassembled on a siding where vandals had a field day on her. Some very history aware railfans got her stabilized and formed The Friends of 35, which has since joined forces with the town of Oyster Bay, to form The Oyster Bay Rail Road Museum. LIRR 39 eventually wound up in the custody of the Rail Road Museum of Long Island. OBRM has a site which once formed the end of the Oyster Bay terminal yard, and includes the rails where the last steam locomotives stood on their last operating day. This includes the original turn table, being restored at this time. OBRM also has the Oyster Bay station building, and has done a remarkable job of rebuilding and restoring it as well. Eventually, you can expect to see President Theodore Roosevelt's ghost striding in and out of it! #35 is disassembled and has been inspected by a locomotive boiler expert who has presented a fullevaluation to the OBRM board. No active restoration is underway on this locomotive, but eventually, plans include reassembly and operation.

RMLI is located in Riverhead, Long Island which another section in a freight house in Greenport, Long Island. They have disassembled #39 and have restored the tender, much of the running gear, and much of the frame. The boiler remains at a contractor's site where it is waiting for red tape to clear from the county of Suffolk, which holds much of the purse strings. There is a variety of estimates of how much money full restoration will require, but for right now, progress appears to be halted.

Both organizations have a nice collection of equipment, but funding, workers, skilled personnel, time, and did I mention funding (?) get in the way of restoring burgeoning collections. I think it is safe to say that the few people who get actively involved in railroad collections are fighting a battle to prevent deterioration of the items already in hand.

Financial and material donations to either group will hasten the day you see another Pennsy designed steamer hot and under it's own power.