This past weekend, I found myself in Elkhart, Indiana, home of the National New York Central Railroad Museum. With some time to kill on Saturday morning, I drove into town and toured the museum. At only $3.00 admission, it was a bargain. Some of the exhibits inside of the freighthouse are really interesting, and well put together, especially the exhibits about the impact of the railroad on Elkhart.

Outside, the NYC E-8 was really well presented. It is parked next to the freighthouse platform, and some of the car body panels were replaced with plexiglass, so you could see the steam generator, prime movers, and other interior parts. A platform was built up to the cab, which you could enter and sit in the engineer's seat. Overall, a well done ane executed display. The only item I felt was lacking was some more signage, and maybe labels for the controls of the locomotive.

I also say NYC 3001, the 4-8-2 outside, looking in okay, but not great shape. It sure would look better with the smoke deflectors. Other equipment was in various states of preservation, including a South Shore heavyweight Interurban car, and a GG1. Overall, while it wasn't IRM, or the B&O museum, it was a nice local museum with some interesting displays.

david.wilkins@bardstown.com

Hello David

I was curuius as to the condition of this engine, so it was nice to hear your report. I saw it from the "Capitol" earlier this year while we were holding for a CSX freight around 10PM-ish. Not knowing where we were exactly, it was quite a suprise to be looking out my Superliner window into the darkenss and see a NYC 4-8-2, headlamp lit, sitting on an adjacent track...

Dave Crosby

bing@epix.net