I'm going to chime in here to mention that Kip Hagen's obituary from 2013 is still online: Harold Hagen Jr.

The obituary concludes with these lines:

Sorry to diverge from the current (depressing) topic, but if the NYC Mohawks are included in this discussion as pieces we should get behind, then it’s a darn shame that the C&NW Atlantic in St Louis doesn’t get the attention it truly deserves.

Nothing against MOT. They’ve done a fine job in keeping their stuff in mostly good condition. And their cosmetic jobs on some of their other pieces also look great.

I’m sure that the MOT has a plan to fix up their first ever piece at some point in the (hopefully) near future, maybe after the Aerotrain restoration.

But darn, It would fit in so well at a place like the IRM operating on their mainline. Makes a lot of sense given their proximity to a former C&NW line, and their amount of C&NW equipment.

Yes, Kip Hagen was the one exception to the rule as far as I can tell. He had both local roots and I believe wanted Steamtown to be more than just a Jobs Corp.

Darn shame he left us so early. IMHO- Ross Rowland

Maybe is time to donated the leadership into private hand like yours national railway preservation society (for example)

In Canada Exporail (aka Canadian Railway Museum) is onwed by the Canadian Railroad Historical Association not by my federal government.

I am Canadian and is a shame to see CPR2929 CNR47(run in Montreal) and 3377 use like spare piece all 3 rusted at Steamtown

At this point in this thread and with all the contribution options afforded by the various communication media, I respectfully submit that it is obvious that the question should be "Organizations we should get behind". If the local organization does not have the management skill to pull off a restoration, maybe it is better for rail preservation to find a group to donate your resources to that is not as local but which is better managed (better plan, better plan execution, and more transparent as to successes, setbacks, and how the money is being spent).

I lived on long Island for the first half of my life and follow the activities of the two LIRR museums.

I saw the LIRR#35 and the LIRR #39 when they were in the parks. They would have been better off going to the museums as static displays.

I do not think I will live to see them back together; much less in steam!

Sad and disappointed,

Ted66

39 certainly has a good chance of steaming in the next five years, if you can wait that long.

35's status is... confusing. Some places say that it's being restored to operation, others say it's being cosmetically restored with some parts being made ready for an eventual return to service.

Kip was 2nd generation NPS. He spent most of his career at WASO (NPS-speak for Washington Office) and requested Steamtown to go home. Unfortunately he took a heart attack way too young.

Phil Mulligan

While I hope you are correct, I'm curious why you would think so.

As of January of this year, the Railroad Museum of Long Island has raised $243,828, after 8 years of dedicated fund raising. $103,000 of that came from a bequest from one individual. As of 2021 they would need to give Strasburg $1,329,709 with that number going up 5% each year. Unless something changes drastically, they keep getting further from the goal. The setup of the agreement also makes them ineligible for getting many grants.

Since Strasburg says they will have the locomotive operational within three years of payment, for 39 to be operation in the next five years means RMLI needs to raise $1,222,177 for it in the next two years.

While certainly not impossible, it would likely require a wealthy white knight to get the job done.

Oh, I had heard much differently. The numbers don’t lie, however…

We could just buy lottery tickets! Might go faster that way.

Allow me to view LIRR 39 from another angle: I think this is a locomotive everyone who ever loved the Pennsy steam design should get behind. Here's a beautiful locomotive with a guaranteed future, ready to be rebuilt by the finest steam shop in America, located in one of the most elegant vacation environments in the mid-Atlantic states.
Rebuilding and competent operation of the G5s benefits Strasburg RR, RMLI in the long term, preserves a PRR steam design in operational condition, and potentially could involve longer excursions. I think rebuilding the G5s would transfuse encouragement in the K4s 1361 project as well.

It's not a matter of "cheerleading". It's a matter of operational preservation of a great design, from a great railroad(s), in the right time, at the right place.

Of any great project, Arthur C. Clarke wrote: "There are three stages. 1) It can't be done. 2) It can be done, but it will cost too much. 3) I always knew that was a great idea."

The only reason LIRR G5s #39 won't get rebuilt is if we back away from the greatness.

"While certainly not impossible, it would likely require a wealthy white knight to get the job done."

I am aware of a large testamentary bequest given for the purposes of restoring an certain elderly SW1.

You just need somebody with a sense of whimsy, no heirs or one looking to send a post mortem message to said heirs.

according to their Face Book updates, 35 is being restored to static, with extra work being done with an eye to possible return to steam sometime in the furure.

It's interesting to note PRR G5s 5741 was leased to the LIRR at one time. It even had a big LIRR tender (110P82a). When it went back to PRR it left the big tender with the LIRR and got a proper PRR tender (70P82a?). In 1955 it was on PRR's New York Division.

With LIRR 39 in the Strasburg Shop, 5741 is across the street in Rolling Stock Hall at RRMPA, still with the proper PRR tender.

Phil Mulligan

I think if you talk to most people from Long Island who are knowledgeable about G5’s, the will say the big tenders are the proper ones. The low sided ones just don’t balance visually.

The tender 5741 had while on Long Island was from LIRR 21. This tender wound up with 35 at the end and is preserved with it. Unfortunately the tank is a bit like Swiss cheese and would need to be replaced if an operational restoration were to happen.