Seven pages of 1970s-'80s photos at Steamtown in Vermont here:

http://bandafan.rrpicturearchives.net/a ... 326&Page=1

Mostly special events (photo freights) with CP 1246, plus a bunch of the Big Boy move to Pennsylvania.

Carl Weber is one of NAUG's engineers, and is also a regular instructor in our Engineer For an Hour program. He's a real good photographer, too.

Based on these photos and my own memories dating back to when Nelson Blount first brought his fledgling collection to Pleasure Island Park in Wakefield, Mass. back in 1959, on through the days at Bradford, Keene and North Walpole, NH, and of course Bellows Falls, I would have to say I preferred those days to what is (not) going on at Scranton nowadays!

They've spent millions of tax dollars to create an "antiseptic" train "experience" inside the old roundhouse/shops complex, where you watch steam trains on TV monitors, while the real thing, for the most part, stands cold, dead and rusting outside in the yard. In fact you have to search to find anything about Nelson Blount, without whom there would be no Steamtown today.

The ongoing rebuilding of the Pennsy K-4 and Boston & Maine 3713 may or may not be completed in our lifetime. Grass in my front yard grows faster. If this is the best they can do, it clearly is not good enough. Nelson would roll over in his grave if he knew what has become of his engines.

I agree to some point, Steamtown needs more live steam and a little of the gritty feel would be good too.

But after throwing many public dollars down the toilet I think the K4 has turned a corner. I still think there should be an investigation into past monies spent on the K4 and people made accountable in a criminal court if needed. I think they have a handle on things now.

I think it has always been understood the B&M pacific was a long term project. They keep plugging away and I am sure one day we will all get to enjoy seeing her in steam.

Steamtown has some interesting plans for 2006 and the trips to Jim Thorpe are a welcomed addition to the line up. Running a variety of trips is a good thing, variety is the spice of life.

Was UP 4012 painted just prior to the move from Vermont?

Wesley

The problem, now as it was then, is that Bellows Falls is off the beaten path and not too close to any major metropolis. Sure, it's right off of I-91, but it dosen't have NY or Philly just a "short" drive away. (Of course, the big mall in Scranton also helps).

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Bellows Falls and the surrounding areas, and I'm over there quite often, but I live close by and have family over there. The area just isn't the same sort of vacation area it used to be (at least not to the non-skiers, and even THEY are just driving through.

You could say that North Conway, NH is out-of-the-way, also, but you have tons of shopping outlets there to keep the non-railroaders in the family happy, as well as a whole bunch of other tourist stops surrounding the area (Crawford Notch, Heritage NH, Storyland, Mt. Washington, The mountain slides near Bartlett, etc.) It's a far cry from Bellows Falls.

So, even in "modern times", I don't think BF would cut it as a home for Steamtown. That's just my opinion, though, and to be honest, it would make me really happy to have my points proven wrong. I love the area too much, and I always have.

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Chip O.

I'm not aware of any painting of the Big Boy in Vermont before shipping to Scranton in 1984, but I know it was painted by Irv Behle in 1991, and by Steamtown's shop forces in 1995. After asbestos removal, it will probably get a fresh coat.