Bob2, I agree, Fabens is a nice airport, when I was working on my pilots license back in the 70's I did many touch and goes at that airport. Back at that time, there was a BF109 sitting on a trailer, waiting to be put back to flying order. The engine you mentioned that was revived, is the 3420, I was one of the members of the group that restored it to running condition, it is a 2-8-0 with a short Vanderbilt tender. I was lucky enough to have been able to run it on more than one occasion, most times I was the fireman. It is now on display again because the group doesn't have the money to have a new set of flues put in. The front sheet needs a lot of work, also the fireman's side needs some work done on the main rods in the form of the rod bearings. Unfortunately, the employees of the copper plant have removed some of the parts off of the engine. I doubt that it will ever run again. Besides that, the UP probably wouldn't allow it on the mainline as they were not receptive to our requests to run the engine before it started going to pot, it is very unfortunate what has happened to it.
Hot Water, when I spoke with Ed Dickens, he didn't elaborate as to what they were going to do to the engine, based on what you have stated, I fully agree that they will not let anyone around it. However, I will try one more time.
