I heard from one of the people giving a shop tour that SMS is buying it, but that was quite some months ago.

Strasburg has been helping SMS with their 0-6-0 number 9, and has provided at least a rear flue sheet. Perhaps you heard one of the people on the shop tour speaking about parts going to SMS?

Contrary to what is widely believed and often repeated there never was an ICC ban on camelback locomotives, although there was one in some states and a Canadian province. See the definitive article by Gregg Ames in Railroad History #219, the journal of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, fall-winter 2018. Copies of this back issue can be ordered at rlhs.org.

Had ICC banned camelbacks in 1948, CNJ would have had to discontinue almost all of its commuter service and much of its local freight. Only the 4-6-2's, 2-8-2's and some 0-6-0's were end-cab engines.

CNJ was in bankruptcy at that time and was not in a position to replace that many steam engines or upgrade their track to use the heavier engines in local service.

Phil Mulligan

#1187 is headed to Age of Steam Roundhouse per a report from WANDLE (John B. Corns) over on that site that handles orders for trains.

When I was a teenager back in the early 2000s I took a trip to the Strasburg Railway with my parents. We got the shop tour, when we got to that locomotive the tour guide said that they went to the board of directors to see if they could do a cosmetic Restoration and the board of directors said they could do a full-on working restoration. Went again in 2014, again took the shop tour, when we got to that locomotive the tour guide said the exact same line.

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Folks,

I grew up with the Long Island Rail Road and later commuted on its Diesels pulling steam-heated PRR cars.

I saw both the LIRR #35 and #39 when they were static displays in the park and the carriage museum.

I know this is a minority opinion; but I think they should have remained static displays in the railroad museums that now own them.

I have also been to the Strasburg Railroad and think they are the finest steam powered tourist railroad in the country; even if their Conductor's jokes are stale!

Those tourists pay to operate the finest steam restoration shop in the USA. Think of the work they did on the #346 and RGS #20 for the Colorado Railroad Museum just for a start.

Ted Miles, CRRM Member

From the train today.

Slightly off topic:

Ted: My father was the LIRR civil engineer who put 39 on display in 1956, and advise the 35 placement the next day. Personal opinion, but neither locomotive was going to last where they were originally located, and 39 actually might have been scrapped in place had it been left alone. Moving them was all that could be done to preserve the G5's. Both locomotives fell prey to political fingers in the pie, and both had interference in restoration by lack of planning. THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW. Both 35 and 39 have been partially rebuilt and can be completed by Steam Operations Co. and Strasburg RR., (respectively), but people have to get behind the projects with funding. I do not know how much outstanding money is required to complete either locomotive, but I do know that these two PRR beauties are long overdue for completion, and both deserve better fates than to be distributed as parts.
If anyone wants to see a glorious PRR/LIRR G5s in steam, this is the time to get behind those funding appeals.

Regarding RDG 1187, this is the best outcome for the sweet little camel that anyone could hope to achieve.

Richard: I highly agree with you. I would love to see one of the two brought back, but it won’t magically happen. With enough people behind the projects, funds could be raised and the locomotives brought back into steam.