Another 4-8-4 Restoration (Dixie #576) - Trains Magazine

The situation for park engines is certaily varied - 

Some park display steam engines are possessed by local groups or bureaucrats like they were - personal property.  At least until it comes to putting any substancial money in them - then they are a political burden.  Like Grand Trunk Western GTW 5632 Pacific on display in Durand, MI.  Or the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad C&0 2700 Kanawaha 2-8-4 sitting at the station in Dennison, Ohio - both railroad towns.

Some are targets for vandals and scrappers that steal every part not welded on.  Like when Buffalo, NY scrapped the totally vandalized C&0 2701 the other Chessie Kanawha 2-8-4.

Some are given away with the greatest haste to anyone regardless of the future that might transpire for them.  Consider the great fight over the gigantic Santa Fe 3460 class "super hudson" 4-6-4 in Topeka, Kansas. 

Some are lost among the weeds and shrubs with time.  The Maine logging locomotives rusting to absolute junk in the woods - with collector groups claiming their remains.  Or whatever is left the last New York Central 0-6-0 switch engine in northern Indiana. 

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Few city governments understand that the only way to assure the continued existance of these remaining park display locomotives is to put LABOR into them - and the MORE labor the better!  IF this can be accomplished by RUNNING them then so much the better.  Because the only way for a steam locomotive to survive is by INFUSION OF MONEY - and the "fan trip operation" is the way to get the MONEY spent on them.

Why - because of the nature of the all steel construction of  - the boiler shells and - the complex internal firebox with its machined "stays" - which functions as a heat engine whose integrity is entirely destroyed by rust.  Also the engines - drive wheels, rods, and cylinders also SUFFER after time and neglect - AND require extensive disassembly and machine shop service.

THIRD - the collectable accessories, BRASS GAUGES, WHISTLE, BELL, ETC of park locomotives are often stolen for scrap or for sale to collectors and are difficult IF IMPOSSIBLE to replace.

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The fan trip community however well intended is often WRONG in the approach it uses for potential restoration projects.  That, "You have got to let us have that locomotive bcause its famous and we want to see it smoke and hear it toot!" to quote Elkhart, Indiana mayor Dick Moore. 

Wrong in the sense that the approach instead should be - "It's gettin RUINED just sitting there in that park!"  A locomotive needs to be RUN - or it will eventually need more and more expensive repair and eventually becoming only historic junk! 

YOU - "Mr. Mayor and City Council - And you will be responsible through neglect for this rotting locomotive here in town - until its and eyesore and a public safety concern!  

Yes they really need to be extremely grateful for preservation thru operation groups that want to preserve locomotives.  It is a fact that most cities don't know what they are ever going to really do with their park engines. 

Think of the last surviving New York Central passenger engine NYC 3002 sitting outside with its boiler cover entirely removed sitting in the rain.  They paint the outside, but what about the inside - check those firebox stay caps!  Rusting internally to scrap!

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PARK ENGINES - SAVE THEM - Restore them to OPERATION if you can - for the sake of PRESERVATION!  Yes,"On the road for a while!" - is a cost but at least they are being USED as they were designed to be USED - for actual WORK - accomplishing something constructive for the people and the peoples memory of THE GREATNESS OF AMERICA - They can be used again for what they were built for - TRANSPORTATION.

Restoration and fan trip operators - the professional business approach is the logical one - maybe the local town needs to be considered in the overall public relations aspect.  Is the locomotive a favoite town pet? on display? - a beautifully RESTORED LOCOMOTIVE would be even more celebrated.  Restoration operators remember an adopted locomotive needs to spend some time "VISITING ITS HOME" not just out on the road - to give the local community its part of the celebration and some of the public relations fruitage.  

The local mayor - the local town folk - the caretakers - NEED TO BE COURTED, for the fame and also for the money and the attention that operation and restoration brings.  They need to be included in the package of VIP perks and get in on the fun of cab rides, dignitary visits and the selling of the souviners, or the making of speaches.  Consulted in some politically correct fashion for the greater good if not GREATER public relations such civic events can spawn.

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THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON A LOCAL COMMUNITY SHOULD NOT BE ENTIRELY DELIGHTED TO HAVE THE MONEY, TIME AND ATTENTION SPENT ON THE OPERATION AND RESTORATION OF ITS VERY OWN PARK LOCOMOTIVE - thru a legitimate business presentation - or simply to get the town park maintaince burden off their back.

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Its the railfan getting grabby, possessive, and juvenile, and the rail fan preference for machinery over people skills or lack there-of that scares off the approval of most projects.  Half rebuilt locomotives and failed restoration attempts and damage all future efforts. 

The careful, public relations, financial and mechanical preparation of the project are the key components along with good internal group control and discipline.

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It is my opinion that, every potential steam restoration group needs to start off with superior inter personal skills before it acquires the required mechanical and financial strength.

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Hopefully Dixie 576 will move out from under its shed into the limelight to run again - TO CELEBRATE THE SOUTH - and preserve it, even if only for a little while!

Doc