Today's brief was great news for the 470 RR Club and the restoration of the Maine Central #501. Having seen the poor condition of this engine in Bellows Falls in the Fall of 1983, it was great to see the preservation efforts to stabilize the engine in the mid-1980's.
The 10K will definitely help and is a lot of money, but how much will be required to restore just the boiler on this engine? 100K or more?
Good luck 470 RR Club! It is great to see New England engines starting to get some attention.

hubbard5004@msn.com

This is great news! What is the condition of the other Maine Central Consol at Steamtown? Another piece of Maine Central hardware that deserves major attention is static display Pacific, #470, from whence the Club got it's name. This locomotive is a horror, vandalized to a hulk and heavily weathered by the unremitting New England climate. The city of Waterville which is supposed to care for it, needs to put it under cover, behind barbed wire, or indoors in a Museum style pavillion were she can be stabilized and slowly restored to something that resembles the high-speed stepper she once was.



glueck@saturn.caps.maine.edu

Hello all

The 519, a nearly excact 2-8-0 at Steamtown is, like all of the collection there, in "mediocre" condition. That being in much better shape than the 470 and not as nice as the 501. Still one of the more presentable engines at Steamtown.

Now for my question... The 519 here has a tender (non stoker) that came apparently from another engine. The MEC 500 series consolidations have a relativly high mounted boiler & cab. The tender on the engine has an elevated coal pocket bottom plate. Careful inspection reveals that the coal pocket slope continues below the "new" bottom plate for about 2 more feet to the "old" bottom plate. My assumption is that the tender came from an older engine with a much lower cab. I'm wondering if the 501 has this as well.

Dave Crosby

bing@epix.net

As far as we know,501 has its original tender.519's tender could be from any number of locomotives on the MEC roster,or even from some other road.It may be that the tender behind 519 is the last one the locomotive worked with,but may not be the one sent from Alco.
Brian


RyPN Timetable
bhebert@rypn.org

What is the possibility of getting the 470 under cover? Is there a history of bad blood or issues with this town? To me, if your club is named after the locomotive, wouldn't it make sense to try and get it stabilized and taken care of first before breaking in on another? (And no, I'm not trying to be mean, I'm asking a question...)

TJ

> This is great news! What is the condition of
> the other Maine Central Consol at Steamtown?
> Another piece of Maine Central hardware that
> deserves major attention is static display
> Pacific, #470, from whence the Club got it's
> name. This locomotive is a horror,
> vandalized to a hulk and heavily weathered
> by the unremitting New England climate. The
> city of Waterville which is supposed to care
> for it, needs to put it under cover, behind
> barbed wire, or indoors in a Museum style
> pavillion were she can be stabilized and
> slowly restored to something that resembles
> the high-speed stepper she once was.


Port Huron Museum

tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

Good questions TJ.I'll try and answer them,but remember that even though I'm a 470 Railroad Club member, my opinions are not necessarily those of the 470 Railroad Club.

First,the MEC 501 has been undergoing its rebuild over a number of years now. A little here,a little there.It is also the only steam locomotive owned by the 470 Club.
MEC 470 is owned by the town of Waterville Maine, and is on display there next to the tracks and yard that it once ran on.The locomotive had been maintained well in past years, but those folks don't visit the 470 much anymore I guess. 470 is quickly deteriorating due to the elements, and local miscreants who try their best to physically rip parts off and cast them about. When I visited the display last summer, I found people climbing all over the engine. Kids were having fun squeezing under the drivers and brake rigging and making their way up into a secret fort they've built within the frame/crosshead area. Later I saw these kids again and this time they crawled down into the tender and began kicking out loose rust through holes in the side sheets.
I approached these two kids, and explaned that they were not helping old 470 by trashing it.I also explaned to them the reason why 470 is in that park and what it represents as far as railroad heritage. They seemed to get it...at least for the moment. I recall looking over my shoulder as I was leaving, and saw the boys trying to make the bell ring by throwing ballast stones at it.Ironically, one of the kids said that his grandfather used to run 470.
The town of Waterville hasn't done much to help. As far as I can see,all they do is cut the grass.
The 470 Club is sypathetic to 470s needs and would be happy to see at least a clean up and fresh paint.
I think it comes down to resposibility.Who's responsible for the engine? The town of Waterville is, but they don't seem to want much to do with 470.
The 470 Railroad Club should take this opportunity to approach the town of Waterville,and request help for #470. I doubt if the town would spend a penny to help the locomotive,but would most certainly approve of a fundraiser to benefit the display site.A cosmetic make-over is badly needed, but can be done after the engine is under cover and out of reach.That's what she really needs.Stabalize what's left and then make her look better.
Why hasn't the 470 Club done this yet? I don't know. My feeling is that the club members are aging and don't feel up to the long drive to visit the locomotive. Besides what can they do when they get there besides take pictures?
Even though the 470 Railroad Club hasn't done anything with 470, that may change after 501 is up and running.With 501 running, it will make the 470 Club look experienced and capable of tending to 470s needs.
I just hope she doesn't have to wait long.
Hope this helps.
Brian Hebert



RyPN Timetable
bhebert@rypn.org

Thanks Brian! I better undersatdn the issue now. Is there a bumper crop of younger people coming up in the 470 Club that might consider your suggestion a real possibility? I would be happy to put my money where my mouth is on this one: if someone can come up with a good cosmetic restoration plan, I would be more than happy to chip in some cash on it. However, if the town of Waterville isn't interested, how successful that may be I do not know. Would a letter writing campaign to the community be a better route?

TJ

> Good questions TJ.I'll try and answer
> them,but remember that even though I'm a 470
> Railroad Club member, my opinions are not
> necessarily those of the 470 Railroad Club.

> First,the MEC 501 has been undergoing its
> rebuild over a number of years now. A little
> here,a little there.It is also the only
> steam locomotive owned by the 470 Club.
> MEC 470 is owned by the town of Waterville
> Maine, and is on display there next to the
> tracks and yard that it once ran on.The
> locomotive had been maintained well in past
> years, but those folks don't visit the 470
> much anymore I guess. 470 is quickly
> deteriorating due to the elements, and local
> miscreants who try their best to physically
> rip parts off and cast them about. When I
> visited the display last summer, I found
> people climbing all over the engine. Kids
> were having fun squeezing under the drivers
> and brake rigging and making their way up
> into a secret fort they've built within the
> frame/crosshead area. Later I saw these kids
> again and this time they crawled down into
> the tender and began kicking out loose rust
> through holes in the side sheets.
> I approached these two kids, and explaned
> that they were not helping old 470 by
> trashing it.I also explaned to them the
> reason why 470 is in that park and what it
> represents as far as railroad heritage. They
> seemed to get it...at least for the moment.
> I recall looking over my shoulder as I was
> leaving, and saw the boys trying to make the
> bell ring by throwing ballast stones at
> it.Ironically, one of the kids said that his
> grandfather used to run 470.
> The town of Waterville hasn't done much to
> help. As far as I can see,all they do is cut
> the grass.
> The 470 Club is sypathetic to 470s needs and
> would be happy to see at least a clean up
> and fresh paint.
> I think it comes down to resposibility.Who's
> responsible for the engine? The town of
> Waterville is, but they don't seem to want
> much to do with 470.
> The 470 Railroad Club should take this
> opportunity to approach the town of
> Waterville,and request help for #470. I
> doubt if the town would spend a penny to
> help the locomotive,but would most certainly
> approve of a fundraiser to benefit the
> display site.A cosmetic make-over is badly
> needed, but can be done after the engine is
> under cover and out of reach.That's what she
> really needs.Stabalize what's left and then
> make her look better.
> Why hasn't the 470 Club done this yet? I
> don't know. My feeling is that the club
> members are aging and don't feel up to the
> long drive to visit the locomotive. Besides
> what can they do when they get there besides
> take pictures?
> Even though the 470 Railroad Club hasn't
> done anything with 470, that may change
> after 501 is up and running.With 501
> running, it will make the 470 Club look
> experienced and capable of tending to 470s
> needs.
> I just hope she doesn't have to wait long.
> Hope this helps.
> Brian Hebert


Port Huron Museum

peremarquette@hotmail.com

The 470 Railroad Club has just elected a new President, plus membership is growing. There are enough hands to help.
If anyone wants to become a member of the 470 Railroad Club and help out with club activities,just write to them. Membership dues are $15.00 a year.

470 Railroad Club,Inc.
P.O. Box 641
Portland,ME 04104-0641

E-mail:neilsj@prodigy.net

Or follow the link below to the 470 RR Club Website.



470 Railroad Club Website
bhebert@rypn.org