This is what I posted to the Mayor's Blog:
The Locomotive looks wonderful now, but will soon be vandalized and damaged if it doesn't have a protective surrounding; at the very least a tall fence, but more ideally an enclosed shelter to keep it from the elements. Locomotives in service were not left outside, they were kept in enginehouses (often a Roundhouse) when not pulling a train. You have a treasure there, do not waste all the time and efforts of all those volunteers and allow it to be damaged by vandals & thieves because you don't give it necessary protection.
As a former City Curator, I speak with experience with the two locomotives that were under my jurisdiction.

Hope it helps.

Thanks David. Appreciate it.

Here is the quintessential C&0 2701 Photo. The Caption reads:


http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3675172

Yesterday was the official hand off of the locomotive to Guelph Museums; it is now their third site within the city. Guelph Mayor Karen Farbridge was at the event and cut the 96ft ribbon on the locomotive.

Note the bagpiper. There was also a guitar player there. I think they traveled back in time and kidnapped Neil Young for the event...

The mayor didn't mention the fencing issue in her speech, but the problems posed by the North side fence (it being a mere 6" away from the locomotive preventing us from doing anything on that side) came up in the speech by the Manager of Guelph Museums, although she has yet to explain what decade or century that will be resolved.

More photos from yesterday.

Locomotive looks great. And ouch it's close to the CN ROW. I'd be very surprised if CN wouldn't require a fence/barrier on the ROW side at least. (Then again how about that near disaster when 4014 arrived in Cheyenne.) And boy the close proximity of the current fence to the loco is a real hazard. I was a boy once and certainly would venture down that narrow passage. Is there a way to close off the gap? I suspect that the debate and resolution to fence off the finished product will take some time.

She looks ready to fire. So does the locomotive!

You're all to be commended. Keep a log of the graffiti and vandalism as it occurs. You shouldn't have to wait very long, I'm sorry to say.

Interesting, never thought of that gap as being a hazard, for certain sections you can in fact walk between the locomotive and the fence. It would be hard to close off because there are also several places along the locomotive you could crawl under to get to that side.

That site was picked by a City Engineer. Don't know what he was thinking. But a couple of observations about the site.

First off I realized that if someone is standing next to the locomotive, they may instinctively try and stand on the edge of the concrete base, versus all of the uneven gravel on the site. If said person is not really paying attention to their surroundings while admiring the locomotive, that edge will in fact lead them head first into the pipes from the blow-off valves that project from the side of the locomotive!

There were some young children at handoff yesterday, and that was educational in itself. I watched a young toddler run up to the back of the tender where he became fascinated with the brake hoses and everything else back there. AND OF COURSE he instinctively heads STRAIGHT FOR the jagged rusty jacket over the steam heat connection (which is still covered in asbestos!). Luckily I was there to tell his parents to watch out because the locomotive is NOT a piece of playground equipment and contains many hidden dangers! Otherwise 6167 might have claimed her first casualty right then and there.

At that exact moment though, I happened to be talking with another gentleman who was actually on his way to having lunch with a City Councillor and I asked the father of the child if he could pose his son near the jagged metal so that the other gentleman could get a picture of that to show to the City Councillor!

We have been talking about making replica number plates for CNR 6167 for quite some time. Recently a rather nice wood pattern just happen to appear out of the ether, now making such an endeavor much easier.

Is anyone on this board interested in purchasing a replica plate? If so PM me.

The ballpark figure from our conversation was in the $200-$300 range (most likely closer to $200)

Cheers,

Joe

Here is the pattern that recently appeared out of said aether.

An opinion piece I wrote for one of the Guelph newspapers regarding the fence.

http://www.guelphtribune.ca/opinion/locomotive-restoration-all-for-naught/

I was just thinking that the locomotive is 15.5 ft high. A 6' fence still leaves 9.5 ft of locomotive to be seen. In fact a 6' fence wouldn't even reach the top of the driving wheels! (which are 6' in diameter)

This article appeared on the front page of the newspaper, and was written by one of the paper's top reporters. At least the media are interested in the plight of 6167 and giving it exposure.

http://www.guelphmercury.com/news-story ... tive-6167/

Also updated my website to discuss the current situation.

http://www.trainweb.org/j.dimech/

I sent the following email to Ms. Shuttleworh, maybe others can join in.
Joanne,
As a former city curator, who was in charge of two display locomotives, I whole heartedly agree with Joe Dimech that at the very least a TALL fence should be placed around the locomotive for its protection. The idea that people should be able to walk up to the locomotive and touch it, even sit on it for a picture, is just going against standard museum practice. For a related example, how many automobile museums allow their visitors to touch the automobiles? Are you allowed to walk up and touch Michelangelo's "David" ?? Of course not--far too much is spent to preserve these artifacts to allow them to be damaged "by love" or by vandalism. Think of the fence as an outdoor velvet rope; granted, not as artful, but as effective, if not more effective.
I believe you will find that just about everyone in the railroad preservation field will be in favor of a fence--that speaks volumes for its necessity. Please listen to those of us with experience in this kind of display; we are not speaking from idealistic ivory towers, but from on-the-ground, hands on (excuse the expression!) experience.
Save the locomotive, put up a fence! (Ideally an enclosed shelter, but isn't likely to happen.)
Sincerely,
David Dewey

Thanks David!