I don't think Mr. Young owns Lionel anymore.

I am sticking to her being displayed with 2839.

Seriously, how does a "so called" museum send a "central artifact" out of it's collection to a location where the old girl never operated? If they are indeed running a salary machine and not following their mission statement they could be due a visit from the IRS to review their tax exempt status.

California, huh? Hmmmm...

<rumor mill stoker ON>
Jay Leno has quite a "collection" of vehicles, some steam powered.......
...And didn't Kevin Costner want to build a steam railroad someplace in Montana or Wyoming?
<rumor mill stoker OFF>

Jeff

How is it that just a few weeks ago, NRM effectively stated that negotiations with the Sandberg group were over and 261 would return to the museum--- then, with nothing more than an obscure internet listing on an obscure railroad equipment broker's site, for a very short time, the locomotive is suddenly "sold"???

If a museum does desire to de-accession an item as well-known and visible (and such an "important" item as NRM had stated), then would it not be accepted practice to make a wider and more publicised offering?

Seems to me that a "deal" may have already been made and the Sterling Rail listing was a cover story. I just received a brochure from Sterling (last week), listing all sorts of stuff they are brokering, and no 261 in there.

My guess is "Nethercutt". Too bad....

What is the real story at NRM? Seems like Dennis' surmise about a salary mill may be spot-on.

Howard P.

The Godfather of Grunge is still actively involved with Lionel, especially in its electronics.

Rob

I only wish I were in a position to share all of the fascinating behind the scenes details with all of you but I'm compelled to save them for my upcoming book which will devote at least one full chapter to the whole NRM/261 saga!! Sure will be interesting reading for all foamers!!!

To keep the book under the publishers imposed maximum of 999 pages I'll now be forced to reduce the 3 chapters devoted to the sad Scranton saga to 2!!

Such are the demands of publishing!!

Ross Rowland

are you sure it won't be a small tagged reference in the bibliography on page 999.995?

Better publish fast, Ross.......then start fresh on volume II. Never a shortage of "interesting" stories emerging from this industry.

dave

the news is flashing around and our conjectures are right, from the milwaukee yahoo group.

.................


I just talked to a gentleman at Sterling Rail and he confirmed with me that it was sold to a private individual collector in California. He also told me that the plan is to get the boiler repaired and recertified and lease it back to the Friends of the 261.

This is great news! We will see how much of this actually comes true.
I hope the ole girl can get up and running again soon.

Michael Ostertag
Green Bay, WI

Tom -

Just to set the record straight, the Milwaukee Road DID operate to the west coast. And, according to the late Lloyd E. Stagner's book "The Milwaukee Road's Steam, Diesel and Electric Era 1950-1957", there were 4 class S-3 Northerns assigned to its Idaho Division as late as February 1, 1953. The Idaho Division ran as far west as Othello, Washington, so certainly an S-3 class 4-8-4 is an appropriate locomotive for preservation out there.

Les

Well I don't know what to think thats for sure. It shall be interesting to see how this plays out. The recent history of ownership of the 261 has definitly been interesting the last 4 months that is for sure.

Does Steve still want 261? Or would he like something new?
I hope there are no Strings attacheched to NRM Whatsoever if this is the case.

Gotta love the drive by attacks by an industry "professional"......

As I've said on another forum, if it's true, then kudos to the 261 group. Sometimes the good guys win one and prove you can fight city hall!

Dave Crosby

I was referring to California, alleged home of the reported the mystery collector in the wild internet reports burning up the networks.

If it is indeed true that #261 has been sold to a collector who intends to lease it back to the Friends group, the "deal" must have happened pretty quickly. A volunteer with the Friends group reports on the Chaski site that as of two weekends ago they were reassembling the locomotive for its return to Green Bay. He states that it would have been unlikely that they would have started to reassemble the locomotive if there'd been any hope of keeping the locomotive.

>From the Trains Magazine News Wire earlier this afternoon.

Regards,

CKD






Milwaukee Road 261 sold
By Steve Glischinski
Published: Friday, January 22, 2010



GREEN BAY, Wis. — Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 No. 261 has been sold through rail equipment broker Sterling Rail to a California-based collector, the company reports. The locomotive's present owners, the National Railroad Museum, had no comment on the possible sale.

The Minneapolis-based nonprofit Friends of the 261 leased the locomotive from NRM and operated it from 1993 to 2008. The engine is presently in the Friends' Minneapolis shop, having been torn down for its federally mandated 15-year inspection. When talks between the NRM and the Friends on a new lease stalled last fall, overhaul work on the 4-8-4 ended and plans were to return the engine to Green Bay for display.

While several stories have been floating around the Internet that the friends will rebuild and operate 261 for the new owner, that's not the case, at least not yet, says Steve Sandberg, the Friends' chief operating officer. "Our organization has been engaged in talks with several organizations about the possibility of leasing or acquiring other steam locomotives," Sandberg told TRAINS. "We have an obligation to our organization and to those we are in discussion with to carry those talks through and see what the outcome will be." However, Sandberg didn't completely rule out working with 261's new owner. "We are looking forward to talking with the new owner to see if there is an economically viable plan where we can cooperate," he said.

While the Friends has leased the 261 for 15 years, it's really not a party to the sale, and Sandberg says that he has not yet been formally notified that the sale has gone through. If or when a sale is completed, there are several business issues that would have to be resolved. For example, while the friends were required to carry insurance on the 261 under the agreement with the museum, if the engine were sold, the insurance would be the obligation of the new owner.

It sounds like 2010 could be a very interesting year for big steam. There was some talk years ago that the 261 folks were interested in a second steamer, well before all of this lease stuff came up.