I might point out, when people say, "The price is too high." they likely mean the total price of acquisition and moving it to a new home. From the cost estimates being bandied about in this discussion, the $100,000 asking price is only about 25% of the projected total cost, which means even if the loco was FREE, it's still too expensive.

Meanwhile, the owner has likely had years of grief about "pissing family assets away", where there will be nothing left for his surviving heirs. We don't really know what the family dynamics are or what his net worth is, but I suspect it's safe to say we are not talking about Bill Gates. I can't really blame him for trying to cash out by any means possible, especially if his heirs are elderly and the estate small.

Which just goes to show that locomotive ownership as a rich man's game will definitely separate the men from the boys, so to speak. This whole thing is just a replay of the sorry Dick Jensen story, where the care and feeding of his stable eventually overwhelmed his modest means.

If this locomotive is truly a Canadian cultural icon, then I would expect a Forces Canada helicopter to swoop in and spirit it away, but I'm not holding my breath. Otherwise, it's just so much locomotive shaped scrap metal.

Al crisp here; I looked at scrap prices today and my reckoning is he might if real lucky and the pollution and ground clean up do not wipe them out get 15 to 20 thousand .A lot of the old iron would be useless to the recyclers. That does not include either moving it to cut it up or hiring an 80 ton crane by the hour to boost the bits over the bush. That is about 260 per hour plus travelling. Also the steel needs to be trucked and weighed and sorted. I know what he has spent and it is a lot more then that. It was a hobby, albeit an expensive one. Goodness knows I have spent way more then it's worth on my model trains and we always joked the basement is worth more then the house over it.
I am holding off calling the guys at CP til tomorrow. The main man was away so give him a day to catch up. As for the Feds here dealing with them from a local level as I have friends there, is touchy-----sort of. We had our own Anthony Weiner little Pecker Gate and guess what it was ever loved Tony Clement[YUKK!!} I do not expect anymore government involvement beyond people who know people putting a good word.
If anyone knows the ins and outs of crowd funding please let me know. Organizing is my thing not raising money. Cheers AL

In order for "crowdsourcing" to work, you need several things:

• Adequate, well-grounded leadership
• A game plan, including where it will go and proof they're cooperating with you
• Someone in charge with some demonstrable track record of experience and success
• An attractive, sympathy-raising target/plight

These aspects are critical in why the lightning-quick fundraiser for L&A 503 in Port Arthur had what success it did.
If I were to start up a fundraiser to, oh, I dunno, get PRR 2-8-0 7688 out of the RR Museum of Pa. to operate, I would get nowhere, and don't deserve to get anywhere, save for a few random contributions from clueless idiots. I would have NONE of the four attributes I just listed above. Museum can't give her up; don't have a RR to run her on; don't have the $$ to restore her; 7688 is already safe and sound; etc.

The CP 5361 has been "out of sight, out of mind" for most railfans and public for decades. There is no sympathy for its plight, at least not enough to matter, sadly. Absent any viable economic incentive to rescue her, it comes down to Mr. Moneybags walking up OR a change of heart of the owners combined with fundraising to cover the high cost of rescue.

See also: B&LE 643.........

In my usual spirit I figured "what the heck?", and I sent a detailed email to P.M. Trudeau and received this:



RoyalwithCheese is probably right. However, I would like to explore this idea anyway.
The railroad did modernize/build Canada, so maybe there is a soft spot for an old 2-8-2?
I will update once I receive communication (if I do) from Mr. Rodriguez.

I believe that the most unorthodox ideas have the potential to be solutions.

As of last night, this has seemed to blow up on facebook. I saw several different posts in many different railfan forums.

Time will tell if it has any impact at all.

I don't blame the guy for trying to get what he can out of the locomotive. But two things are telling here:

-He will get paid per truck once it is scaled at the scrapper is the current story. Not typically how this goes. I have sold several large items and was paid up front an agreed upon price based on best guess weight. I know I came out ahead once, and the scrapper the other time. Could this be an attempt by the owner to prevent a similar 503 incident, where the loco can be purchased after the fact from the scrapper and kept whole?

-That he has the scrappers lined up supposedly. This basically says one of two things- He is trying to light a fire a la 503 to get the money or at least close to what he wants for it- OR he knows he isn't going to get his asking price, and just needs it taken care of. If it is number two, why wouldn't you accept an offer even $1 over scrap price? The only times people are against making money is principle, ignorance, or spite.

I hope she can be saved. I wish like many others I have a bottomless bank account. And yes, the purchase price is just a small part of the total cost of ownership/ moving, restoration, a place to call home. But savings in one area only make it easier to cover all areas.

At the end of the day, it is his property. If he wishes to ask a billion dollars or turn it into razorblades, that is his right to do so. I know there has been much discussion over the whole historical artifact owned by an individual vs. what it means to the rest of mankind, but in the end, it is his locomotive.

Sorry, I can resist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXzauTuRG78

Robert

Doesn’t this engine weigh around 334,000lbs? Various unprepared prices are 100-160 a ton. I seem to recall maybe I’m wrong but some CP engines had a higher nickel content in the boiler. Could change the salvage value plus minus. If the jewelry was sold by whomever salvages it that would be added value. Bell, whistle, builder plate, gauges, headlights, and other accessories all these items would sell for many thousands of dollars. What’s the compressors and or lubricator worth as a core? Realistically maybe the complete engine is worth $50,000-65,000. Just because most Rail preservationists are broke doesn’t mean the engine isn’t “worth” that much to its owner. Has anyone come up with a counter offer thats not “it’s gonna cost too much to move” ??

Deleted

Just for future reference, I wouldn't post somebody's phone number publicly unless given permission. Never know what that may lead to.

The former owner of the 5361 was a group called Ontario Rail. They have become the South Simcoe Ry. http://www.steamtrain.ca/ Not sure if they could do anything?

Robert

Great work!

Please message Al Crisp.

I contacted Al Crisp.

I am hoping NS3322 has some luck.

Robert

Thanks Robert, I am also wishing you luck.

I am also trying to contact a certain car company that purchased a rather large train station in Detroit over the summer. Rumor has it they want a steam locomotive to put on display...

Thanks.

Robert