one of my dreams is to restore a locomotive however i know how difficult it would be so if you are apart of a group can you give my pointers on how to form a group and how to acquire a locomotive i have my i on the Cb&q 5614 or Sp 4460 but make it look like a WP 4-8-4 and have one of the pull ex California zephyr cars like the 261 group did with the Hiawatha do you think this is even possible

John,
A brief and partial list of things to keep in mind, speaking from experience:

- You must have the support of whom ever owns the locomotive- Why would they want to restore the locomotive? Where will it run? at the museum? If the desire is to run it on something other than private land, there are a great many things that must be taken into account. If you're trying to acquire a locomotive, well, I can't help there, because I've never tried that.
- You must have a lot of free time for the years it will take to restore the locomotive and probably live nearby, since you will be spending a lot of time working on it- probably for free.
- You must have adequate funding- you can trade some time for money but any locomotive like you listed still will only start in the 6 figures and could run into 7 figures without batting an eye. Fund raising is often a big chore and can require much time and planning.
- You must be persistent- when the work slows down because enthusiasm is in a lull, you may be the only source of labor for awhile (HINT: this can be discouraging, but keep plugging away). If you are the project manager on a large locomotive, you will most likely have others to help (otherwise you won't even get off the ground), but on a small locomotive, funded by a small museum, you may be the chief cook and bottle washer.
- You must have deep and reliable technical experience to draw upon. Whether this is you, one or more folks on your team, or friends, mentors, etc. from outside your group, SOMEONE MUST have sufficient available technical understanding of the mechanics of steam locomotives and the plethora of appliances that accompany them. Remember, locomotives are large pieces of capital equipment and are complex machines that cost a lot of money. There are also laws and rules governing the operation and maintenance boilers. It is often said that safety rules are written in blood. You must be able to work safely and with care. If you have never worked on steam before, volunteer with or work for a group that operates steam for awhile (years) before considering taking on project like restoring a locomotive from a museum or park.
-You should have an indoor facility in which to work. Working outside can be miserable in inclement weather and and greatly impede your efforts.

More than a few locomotive restorations have started with a bang and ended with a fizzle and a whisper. Lack of any of the above can easily lead to this. Proper organization of leadership, efforts, money, and enthusiasm can yield good results. Also, beware of politics within organizations. They can work for and against your cause, and most organizations are usually afflicted with politics to some degree or other.
To speak to one of your particular questions- how to form a group- start by talking to people in your area with the same interests as you. In describing this concept, you need to paint a picture in their minds of how the project will work and what the goals are. You need to persuade others that your dream is attainable and rewarding in some capacity that appeals to them.

I'm sure I'm leaving out some important things and others can fill in what I've neglected to mention.

I don't want to squash your dream, because it is dreams like this that can turn into reality if the necessary steps are taken and conditions are right. Don't bite off more than you can chew. An important part of project management is breaking the job down into bite size pieces- small manageable tasks. Start small. If you don't have any appreciable steam experience, find a group that operates steam near you and get involved. Don't be afraid to start at the bottom. Be safe. Be careful. Be patient. Be respectful. Be enthusiastic, but don't let that cloud your judgment and common sense. Listen to what those who have been around steam for a long time have to say- don't try to show how much you think you know. Learn from their experience. Working on and with steam locomotives is a well established trade with a host of generally accepted methods for doing things, so don't try to reinvent the wheel.

If your dream is one that is shared by others, patient and careful planning and lots of hard work and money can make it happen. Start small, be patient, dream big, but be thoughtful, strategic, and most importantly, be realistic.

Adam

The best advice I ever got on railway preservation was that, you do not enter into it without starry eyed romanticism, but without the bitter knowledge of sordid truth you will not make it work. The advice above is all excellent, above all try your hand on someone else's project and get the feel of things, and start making contacts.

Think about the long term. Once you have got the thing going, what then? How is the next overhaul going to be financed, how is the future care of the locomotive to be provided for?

Faith, properly directed, can move mountains, and it can make the wheels go round, so hang on to the dream. You may like to see this: http://youtu.be/G4JDEnVSqac - if I have got the reference right it shows the first trials of a 2010 new build locomotive.

Tim

Before you need a locomotive you need to have the need to have a locomotive - some basis for it to recover its restoration / construction and operating costs and set aside funding for the next one. build the business plan first, then worry about what will pull the train.

dave

well an idea is to work with the union pacific and its 844 and have the crew help out if they could or the 261 group which would be be the best because i wont to model my group after them maybe i could even use thare shop even like the sp 4449 and the sp&s 700 do and to learn i coald wark with them to learn steam

If you are able to work with the Friends of 261 then, you should start there and get experience with steam. After working there ten years or so then you can start on your dream.