Still a fresh display at Augusta, Georgia, August 15, 1959:

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?j ... /ga302.jpg

Isn't it under cover now?

I saw her a couple years ago. She is not just under cover, but in a climate controled building. The museum is in downtown Augusta. She is nicely displayed. My only complaint is very poor lighting and a few manaquin dressed in period clothing hiding some of her drivers.
Eric

I think all of us could put up with poor lighting and a few mannequins if other cities with neglected park engines did the same thing.

Sorry, I didn't mean that as a big criticism. The museum has done a great job with the engine especially considering that the museum is not even a railroad museum. It is devoted to the history of city of Augusta. The museum curator was great and the big their should a lot of southern hospitality.
Eric

Erik,

It was not intended as a criticism. I only wish that more cities would find a way to better preserve their park engines. I shall definitely look up #302 when I visit Augusta.

I was also recently in Augusta on business, and had the opportunity to peruse Georgia 302 and its companion Southern coach. Nice confines, and the engine appears in very good cosmetic shape. Yes, the display area is dark - almost as if to evoke a nighttime platform experience.

Hey, they're blessed with the ability to display the equipment in a controlled environment - how many of us would <love> to have that?

Museum as a whole is very nicely done, with a very friendly staff. Also, Norfolk Southern runs down the middle of the street adjacent to the Museum, and maintains a siding right to the Museum's front door!

In addition to the climate controlled conditions these two railroad artifacts rest in, the dark setting allows for virtually no deterioration of the paint nor the fabric on the seats of the coach. For long term preservation of anything painted, coloured or dyed such conditions are most necessary.....how nice it would be if it were more available to our industry. Though you are very correct, it makes for a sort of night time station effect.

Has anyone here been to the USAF museum at Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio? This sounds very much the way their WW2 aircraft are displayed. It's a royal pain to get a photo, but at least the artifacts are there and well cared for.
I'd love to see a good photo of the engine where it is now, but after a long internet search I couldn't find anything. Could someone post one here?

A quick search on Google found this page:

http://trains.nute.ws/2-8-2/Georgia302.htm

These are about as good a selection of images as you could get, considering the display layout there.

Merry Christmas, all!