Maybe it's going to join the 2839 in static display at Nethercutt Museum

.

HAHA.... though, the 2839 does look good out there, at least when I saw it.

Seems to make perfect sense.... the Museum seemed pretty hard up for cash and lost the big prize in their bluff.

As it was stated earlier, I personally, can not imagine someone buying the engine with the intention of leasing it back unless they were looking for a l o n g term return on their investment or... were extremely charitable. Not likely... though I suppose possible. Another possibility would be someone having the cash up front to make the purchase thereby allowing a sale long term to the Friends - assuming the Friends are still interested.

Question would be - what did the museum sell it for.

It would sure make an interesting peice, operating or not, at a NW Museum.

February should prove quite interesting!

/Mitch

Potential balderdash alert:

1) The "slide show" that illustrates the "for sale" listing includes a photo of the tripleheader with the Chinese locos front and center. Why would a competent sales force use the "wrong" photo to sell a "million-dollar" artifact?

2) Any museum that would sell an artifact as central to its mission statement (no matter how ambiguous or broad) as the 261 is/was would be SO guilty of violating its charter or mission statement as to totally eliminate any shred of credibility it had left among its field and peers. Think about it: IF the sale of 261 is proven, AND you had a historically significant piece or collection of Midwestern or Wisconsin rail history or rolling stock, would you even dream of handing it over to these folks now?

Sterling reviews all potential sellers and postings before its allowed posting up it seems.

If the photo's were posted by the NRM, hooboy, that tells me more about the abilities of NRM. omy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9ZuUHmd6xI

but 261 is way in the back

This indeed a very interesting turn of events. We are so used to bad things happening in this business that good news like this is more than a breath of fresh air...if this proves out to be true, what an injection of positive can do attitude this is for our industry! More may be in the works....

In fairness, if the sale helps keep the engine running whether through leaseback to the former Friends or some other group or the new owner runs it that means it's out educating people about steam in a way no static display can do. And perpetuating various skill sets. That does help the mission of the museum. I don't think anyone would complain if Sandberg & Co. were the buyer. Museums do de-access things all the time for various reasons including fundraising. If you can raise funds and turn an artifact over to someone who can do it better justice than you can it's hard to find fault with that. And look at what happened to most of those ex-GTW 0-8-0's that were donated to IRM.

But still, good riddance to NRM.

That would seem to shoot down my uneducated guess of a CB&Q Hudson.

Steve would dearly love to have a Burlington locomotive in the shop. The problem, as I understand it, is that those Burlington locomotives, which might be available, would be very expensive to move to a shop facility (on the order of $250,000).

It has been my impression in recent years that NRM is nothing more than a vehicle to provide salaries for the staff. If this is true, it doesn't do anything to dispel that notion.

I shot an email to Sterling asking about the buyer and the response.

Good Morning Lynn..

It has been purchased by a California collector.

Bob

Robert Mertz
STERLING RAIL
A division of STERLING AUCTION SERVICES, LLC.
(License #16399)
23823 Hot Springs
San Antonio, TX 78258
PH: (210) 545-3600
FAX: (210) 545-3610
Email: rwmertz@sterlingrail.com
Website: http://www.sterlingrail.com/

Well, that narrows it down and give us the info we need, eh?

So it went to some who collects California? ;-)


I am still perfecting my Niel Young rumor. He is scheduled to be on the last Conan show tonight. And the next Lionel catalog is due within 6 weeks. So tonight on NBC he announces Some breakthrough model technogy and slips in that he has purchased #261 and it will be touring the US to promote Lionel in 2011 under the trusted hands of Steve.

That's my story and I am stickinf to it! LOL!

Rob

Sorry about the typos. Cold thumbs today!

Hmmm, I dunno Rob...my money is on Michael Gross ;-)

Stephen