Well, enough "flaming the flamer".
Seriously, though, it takes a person with deep pockets, indeed, to store a serviceable locomotive with the clock ticking on its 15 year FRA ticket. Most locomotive owners want to operate enough make the 1472 service days run out at the same time the 15 year clock runs out. Seems to me that even R.J. Corman has to justify the $500,000 it takes to prove to the FRA that the locomotive's boiler is still safe.

He doesn't have to justify anything to anyone, other than any investors he has. He can let her run the clock out, use her sparingly, or not at all. It's his locomotive, and more importantly, he's being a responsible caretaker of her, and now building a structure to let others view her.

Plus, where do you get the idea that it costs $500,000.00 to do an inspection? If the locomotive is well taken care of, and no major issues need to be addressed, I would be that the actual figure is much lower.

I figured I'd get hammered, and I have.

Sure, R.J. Corman Railroad Group is not a historic preservation entity, and the simple existance of a steam locomotive warrants praise, and I respect Mr. Corman for his accomplishments. My simple point and opinion is that I'm feeling quite frustrated that a rather "new" locomotive that has no history to any American railroad is marketed as "Old Smokey" to the general public, and quite successfully as well, but I guess I simply have difficulty swallowing the Chinese concept.

I have talked with Mr. Corman at his residence, but it was not a place nor time to express any of my opinions, and I'm sure that my opinion doesn't carry any consideration.

There have been many, many discussions about many things on this board, including many concerning management of organizations that have been way more heated than this topic. Whatever opinion I may have about various entities probably isn't any more or less volatile than other's opinions in those types of discussions. One of the recent discussions of management has been KRM. I have had positive and negative experiences and those experiences have shaped my thoughts. I'm sorry if I come across too negative, and think that whatever negative comments I have stated are from bad experiences related to specific topics.

Point taken, and I'm off of my soapbox.

QJ 7040 was the first one I got to drive, with a sister, 51 mixed loads and empties, and an occupied waycar along for the ride. I'm going to try to attach a foto of her on that glorious occasion (but it may not take) --- it was part of my first Chinese steam feature for RyPN, although I didn't mention getting to drive at the time.

MY POINT IS: I for one, am glad she wasn't cut up, and I am also glad to see Old Smokey being kept in running shape.

I think I've posted this unpopular opinion to other discussion groups already, so I'll have to elaborate some more --- YES, I would like for time to stand still and QJ 7040 to be forever preserved in operating condition with the exact same appearance she had when I drove her, especially with somebody else paying for everything, taking all the responsibility, and doing all the work. However, since that isn't happening on planet earth, I'll settle for playing with my HO model of her.

I think she looks pretty nice all fixed up for RJ Corman.

Time to share a tiny grievance- Does anybody else grit their teeth when they see a fairly modern steam locomotive, such as the QJ's or a U.P. Big Boy, dubbed "Old Smokey" or some similar affectionate idiocy?

Of course I grit my teeth, while I grin and bear it....

I was amazed at how little smoke and how much steam could be made with a little scoop and the worst coal I've ever seen. It looked like coffee grounds, and had to wet it down so it wouldn't just float out the stack, and it was pretty much the same on all but one of the other Chinese steam lines I visited in 2005 and 2006.The guys showed me the timing of their swing and when to step on the butterfly button, and before I could go round the grates even once, somebody tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to the quivering steam gauge and then to the empty toadstool behind the assistant driver. I bet she really fires great after a fresh Jinzhou 701 overhaul, and with a tender full of GOOD coal.

For the sake of comparison, I'll attach a foto of QJs in the Daban scrap yard, taken the same day I drove Old Smokey, when she was still dolled up as QJ 7040.

I certainly do. It gives me some indigestion. What gives me even more indigestion is:

1. People on this forum pontificating that they know better how to manage another museum's (of which they are not involved with) collection;
2. People on this forum pontificating that private railroad companies such as CSX or RJ Corman should do, x, y and z; and
3. People on this forum complaining that certain cosmetic restorations aren't the right shade of gray, when they aren't involved in the restorative process.

The affectionate idiocy of naming one's locomotive "Old Smoky" really that bad when you consider it in context. At least they own something and take care of it.

Just saying that a 15 year inspection costs big $$$, regardless of how well the locomotive is maintained. Milwaukee 261 is just coming out of its 1472 day inspection and the bill is in the $300-500K range. This is a well taken care of locomotive that had no serious boiler problems but did have some wheel work done. Soo Line 1003 is just coming out of its 1472 and the cost was in that range, also. Large locomotives....large 1472 day bills.