This came to my attention today. Interesting...


"Chris Weiser and Karl Schaeffer have signed a contract to fund the re‐creation of Rio Grande Southern steam locomotive 36. The work is to be done by John Braun at Mammoth Locomotive Works in Palisade, CO. This will be a full size operating steam locomotive which will look exactly like RGS 36 as purchased by Otto Mears from the Denver and Rio Grande RR on 11/27/1891. At that time locomotives were still colorful and shiny rather than dull and dusty as they would later become. It is part of the heritage of Ridgway. It was a small 4‐4‐0 built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA and released 1/9/1880. It was D&RG 93 the Roaring Forks before Mear’s purchase. The RGS 36 was the smallest locomotive Otto Mears bought. It was used for pulling his private car San Juan and for pay train work. It was later used as a helper, but it was a small passenger locomotive better suited for fast passenger service than a slow drag freight. It was eventually sold to a RR in Arkansas and probably scrapped by 1916.

"The new one will be stationed at the Ridgway Railroad Museum in Ridgway. Construction is expected to start May 2015 and be completed May 2017. We expect to operate it at the RRM on compressed air frequently and occasionally on live steam on a short demonstration track. We hope also to take it to various narrow gauge railroads as invited. This will be a major addition to the RRM and will add greatly to our mission of education and preservation about the local railroads. It will create many opportunities for museum members to learn how to operate (and maintain) a steam locomotive."


More deets at:
http://ridgwayrailroadmuseum.org/RGS36.pdf

There is already a long thread on this project over at the Narrow Gauge Discussion Forum, where it has been met with some skepticism:

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,278145

-Philip Marshall

You could tell those guys the earth is round and still be met with some skepticism...

Telling someone the Earth is round is demonstrably true, with multiple layers of proof involved. No skepticism is warranted.

This is an announcement of a projected event. Skepticism (though not necessarily cynicism) is warranted. There have been, after all, a few plans that didn't pan out over the years in this field. I would hardly call what I see on that forum "skepticism," only reasoned consideration.

The earth is an oblate spheroid.