LOL, can't believe this game is continuing here, this guy is obviously like the old MGM cartoons where a character has dollar signs pop up in front of his eyes (along with an "ow-oog-ah" horn sound effect) when he heard about the crowd funding for the Port Arthur engine.

I don't see it that way at all. I see a railway enthusiast who purchased a steam locomotive, did his best to preserve it within his means, is now making arrangements as to what happens to it once he's gone and wants to re-coup his invested time and effort. No different than someone who restored an antique car, building, aircraft, ect. It's his private property, he can do anything he pleases with it or ask whatever price he wants. Just remember that he did put up for sale, giving anyone and everyone the chance to buy it and he did not just arbitrarily sell it for scrap.

I think that is exactly what he is wanting us to do. Start a crowd funding and see how far we can get. Would he take what ever amount raised? That's a good question and hard to predict.

Al Crisp would know how serious he is about cutting up 5361? This loco belongs running on the mainline of Steam Town or some tourist railroad in Virginia or Canada.

Robert

I agree she would be ideal for Steamtown. The only issue is that SNHS already has a Canadian engine slated for restoration.

Well, Another one on the roster can't hurt.

I prefer not to see 5361 scrapped even if that means she becomes like the CNR pacific at TVRM.

I wish we could write him a check and be done with this damn circus and know 5361 will live to see 2020 and beyond.

Reality is there is no organization in the North America that has the resources to do anything about the situation.

Robert

Well, if you had a group like the Tri-State RHS or Anthracite RHS which jointly own the Lackawanna F3 ABA group at Steamtown, you could feasibly operate the 5361 out of SNHS without it officially being part of the park. This would leave them open to fundraise independently but you still need to get the 100k asking price plus the moving cost covered before you get to dollar one.

Deleted

Has anyone reached out to the Age of Steam Roundhouse? They have a Canadian Pacific G5, so it's not against their code to buy Canadian steam.

The AofS Roundhouse makes good sense. Its only example of a 2-8-2 (McCloud # 19) is of a logging/short line type engine. The CP Mike is an example of a main line, heavy duty, freight locomotive. l would think that the folks at the Age of Steam Roundhouse are already well aware of the Depew engine.

Les

actually they have three Canadian steamers. I thought of them as well, but they might have enough to take care of already.

From what the owner has told me, AOS has come out and looked at the 5361. The current asking price may have deterred them.

Jerry Joe looked at it in the Ohio Central days. The price was too high.

AoS has 1551, 1293, 1278, 96, and 6325 in terms of Canadian steam. It would be a pity to see a loco get cut up especially after good condition. TVRM also has a 4-6-2 not a Mikado.

Forgive my being completely cynical, but......

.... is there anyone out there--ANYONE AT ALL--that can make an economic case for going after this locomotive, with all the expense of hauling it out of there, relocating it, reassembling it, and maybe restoring it to operation even if the price were free????

Strasburg? Doubt it--they still have LIRR 35 and CP 972 in the queue.

Grand Canyon?? [looks at SP&S 539 of similar size sitting on display on their station platform]............. nope.

Steamtown? Nope.

Western Md. Scenic? Let's......... just not.... go there for now, OK?

Seriously, who ya got????

Now, let's factor in the supposed asking price......... you might just as well propose getting a second UP Big Boy under steam.

There are only three hopes for this loco's survival, in order of likelihood:

1) One of the excellent "diplomats" in this field can calmly, discretely, over the course of much time, negotiate with the owner (or his heirs if need be) to come to more reasonable, feasible terms for donation, sale, etc. to a worthy home. (Or, for all we know, start up a bogus "scrap company" and outbid the others for the metal, then drag it elsewhere for restoration....)
2) Some party with more money than sense acquires the loco as part of a grandiose, bigger plan such as a new steam excursion operation or amusement attraction.
3) some slobbering foamer wins some gigantic lottery drawing and proceeds to meet the owner's price and terms, and for all we know strike a bargain with the Strasburg or whomever to restore it.......

There's one other hope: Inertia.
Those of us who have been around long enough wrote off as "impossible" the two West Va. Northern/Preston 2-8-0's in southwestern Pa. where they languished for about 50 years under owners hostile to other preservationists.......... until a couple "diplomats" arranged their rescue to the West Va. RR Museum (nothing happening, but they're somewhat safe from scrapping for the time being).......
N&W 475: the story was similar until Boone & Scenic Valley rescued it.

And a LOT of us have been playing this "waiting game" with another noted Northeastern RR property for decades now.......

CP 5361 came into Depew NY on her own driving wheels decades ago.

Recently NS moved a N&W 2-8-8-2 after it was interchanged from the Union Pacific who removed it from the Museum of transport in St Louis so it could be moved temporally to Roanoke.

This big N&W mallet type also has friction bearings does it not?

Who is to say the NS would not work with us to move 5361 on her own wheels as long as the new home is on NS rails someplace?

Canadian Pacific did volunteer to move this engine once before also.

Robert