Have we heard this before?

What engine? This is extremely vague. Looking up online, I assume you mean this one? http://railga.com/ondispl/maconloco.html

OK......we have somebody saying they can raise the money for it without having any idea what it will cost or what needs to be done, a machinist who probably has never restored a steam locomotive before, Not sure if there's a boilermaker in Macon who knows locomotive boilers any more, and if they do restore it where will it run?

That said, damn good plan otherwise.........I do know of some talented people in the area who might be able to pull something workable together.

I think they might find it better and more productive to work with the Savannah museum people in a mutually advantageous partnership that to try to go it alone with minimal understanding of the complications involved. If they don't like what Savannah proposed, talk to them about something better for all involved.

dave

He's citing a report at Trains.com's Newswire saying, among other things:

Savannah has no business being involved, whatsoever. Their "cmo" has no experience in rebuilding or preserving steam beyond having spent 650k for a contractor to rebuild an 0-4-0 and currently over 1 million and counting on a 2-4-2. As a bench mark for a lack of understanding of industrial preservation I refer to his repeated public statements and letters to the mayor detailing how the boiler is being destroyed by corrosion because "the protective laying of sheet metal and insulation has been removed". Last I checked dry steel occasionally wetted by rain is happier than steel perpetually wet via the water held by asbestos.
Interested in preservation? Do not blindly support someone who's need to hear his own voice played a large part in the locomotive still sitting in the park. His persistent spilling of mouth drool regarding a "likely restoration cost of 2 million dollars" cast enough doubt into the mind of B.R. Anderson to make him take no action.

Well, actually, Jason......while it does belong to Macon, Macon seems to have a momentary passing interest in doing something other than letting it rust, but has a lack of qualified vision to develop a workable plan to allow for that to happen, and if they had a plan, would they still want to do anything once they learned the cost? Would their level of interest then evaporate? I think so........

I didn't know there WAS a CMO in Savannah any more. And, the 0-4-0T was running before they restored it although it did need some firebox work, and the 2-4-2 is privately owned and not a museum owned artifact, which does make you wonder about priorities. But think about it - doesn't this prove that the Savannah museum is willing and able to spend a lot of money achieving preservation goals on other peoples stuff? Doesn't this fit in to what Macon currently wants to have done while solving their problems? All that's needed is a plan for sharing with Macon rather than moving permanently to Savannah. This is nothing but logistics, and perhaps (and hopefully) an operating plan agreeable by some local shortlines.

So, let's say Macon goes to Savannah and says OK, you can sponsor the restoration provided we share in the use of the locomotive afterward, and it lives in a shelter we will build in Macon and runs X trips on Y shortline from Macon during Z intervals........and, by the way, we want to have a voice in choosing the expert guidance to oversee the restoration. Good work is done, Georgia becomes much more interesting and preservation is also served.

If BA is wiling to listed to foamers mouthing off, he's not equipped with the critical knowledge base required to run a working steam program. That was a nonstarter from the get go........and that expired bit of history has no relevance to the present situation.

I know you had some personal investment in that plan, but it's time for you to try to pull another one together - if you can get the right combination of people on board, whether that be Savannah, SERM, The Atlanta Building Department or whoever. The ground is always shifting and the challenges never end. Good luck.

dave

Since this is a forum about the Central of Georgia RR, I'd like to add my 2 cents. An engine numbered 451, (4-8-4) was retired in the early 50's. After the remaining engines were scrapped, the engine was stored in Macon in the early 1960's. There are two stories after this. One says the engine went into preservation in Columbus, and was scrapped there, while the other says the engine was scrapped at Macon. Such a shame. 3 more years, and Mr. Claytor was to add it to the southern steam program. In fact, Mr. Claytor has mentioned the 451 in many speeches, and meetings. Also, restoring 509 would be great. Great engine, and is a very husky 2-8-0. It is worth it to restore that engine.