Article from the Lynchburg News-Advance--the Kiwanis Club of Lynchburg has undertaken to restore the much-abused Kanawah in Riverside Park.

Students helping out in train restoration
eledbetter@rypn.org

> Article from the Lynchburg News-Advance--the
> Kiwanis Club of Lynchburg has undertaken to
> restore the much-abused Kanawah in Riverside
> Park.

Well, after only 40 years they are finally doing something about it. I'm delighted that it's finally getting some attention. It was a disgrace when I saw it 30 years ago. In any event I'm glad they are going to try and stabilize it.


kevin.r.gillespie@verizon.net

As good as this sounds, these projects sometimes have a way of dying out pretty quick once people find out all that's involved. While I believe that volunteers really can make a difference to such locomotives, they do need some guidance on what to do and not to do. Proper cosmetic restoration of a steam locomotive is more than a "boy scouts with paint brushes" project. It is incredibly dirty, difficult and sometimes dangerous, and can take several years if done mainly with volunteer labor. With that in mind, I personally hope someone with the proper credentials in our field will get involved, at least as a consultant. For a novice group, it would be money well spent.

ryarger@rypn.org

With that in mind, I
> personally hope someone with the proper
> credentials in our field will get involved,
> at least as a consultant. For a novice
> group, it would be money well spent.

I have the same concern. I am going to call the group today and try to get a sense of where they're at. At the very least, I want to make sure they have a copy of Conrad's Displayed Steam Locomotives--Their Care and Maintenance.


eledbetter@rypn.org

They can find the Steam Locomotives--Their Care and Maintenance online at the link below.

Roger

> With that in mind, I

> I have the same concern. I am going to call
> the group today and try to get a sense of
> where they're at. At the very least, I want
> to make sure they have a copy of Conrad's
> Displayed Steam Locomotives--Their Care and
> Maintenance.


Steam Locomotives--Their Care and
belpaire@aol.com

Sorry, corrected link below

> They can find the Steam Locomotives--Their
> Care and Maintenance online at the link
> below.

> Roger


Steam Locomotives--Their Care and
belpaire@aol.com

I wish them all the best. In the meantime, reading the article I saw this quote: "“It’s local. It’s historical. It’s hands-on,” said fourth-grade teacher Gigi Sweeney, a driving force behind the project. “The kids can actually see a result of their work.” She said fourth-graders will take a field trip to the train and all students will have the opportunity to help with the renovation on one Saturday in the spring."

I don't know what "work" is envisioned for 4th-graders to do for the restoration, but if little Johnny or Suzy falls, and the parents sue....What a sad reflection on the world. I'd like to get my son (first grade) likewise involved in a different project, but the current litigation climate pretty much precludes it.

You make a very good point with regard to children of that age, however I think there are very tangible areas where these youngsters can make a difference. 1) School kids can draw the locomotive as it sits today and draw comparative pictures of what a Kanawha looked like when operational; 2) A poster and letter campaign to city government and the storefronts around Lynchburg will be far more effective in raising the city's awareness of public interest than a hundred letters from old farts like us; 3) Around the base of this particular locomotive are decades of old leaves and dead branches all of which can be raked out by youngsters and bagged for removal by fathers and mothers who are acting as chaperones. Involvement of youngsters is a powerful force in raising the public conscience. Let the kids do the initiation, have the press/media follow it, and I'll bet a coat of paint follows, applied by city workers or contracted personnel. Should any of our Virginia bretheren decide to come forward with a more in depth restoration plan, I'm guessing it will be viewed positively, rather than viewed askance.
Thinking on it, involvement of school children was one of the reasons so many steamers were placed in parks to begin with! Whoever the teacher is who started this, I think we owe them some real recognition.



glueck@maine.edu

Very good ideas for involving children....

> You make a very good point with regard to
> children of that age, however I think there
> are very tangible areas where these
> youngsters can make a difference. 1) School
> kids can draw the locomotive as it sits
> today and draw comparative pictures of what
> a Kanawha looked like when operational; 2) A
> poster and letter campaign to city
> government and the storefronts around
> Lynchburg will be far more effective in
> raising the city's awareness of public
> interest than a hundred letters from old
> farts like us; 3) Around the base of this
> particular locomotive are decades of old
> leaves and dead branches all of which can be
> raked out by youngsters and bagged for
> removal by fathers and mothers who are
> acting as chaperones. Involvement of
> youngsters is a powerful force in raising
> the public conscience. Let the kids do the
> initiation, have the press/media follow it,
> and I'll bet a coat of paint follows,
> applied by city workers or contracted
> personnel. Should any of our Virginia
> bretheren decide to come forward with a more
> in depth restoration plan, I'm guessing it
> will be viewed positively, rather than
> viewed askance.
> Thinking on it, involvement of school
> children was one of the reasons so many
> steamers were placed in parks to begin with!
> Whoever the teacher is who started this, I
> think we owe them some real recognition.


ryarger@rypn.org