Let's give the AoSR staff the opportunity to get it moved first before we worry about overhauls and operation.
Operating this locomotive will present some huge operating problems. This is the largest non-articulated steam locomotive in the east...maybe in the country. It is HEAVY and has very high axle loadings. It was a drag-era locomotive and her running gear is not balanced for operation at high speeds. I have often joked that this engine has likely not been run faster than 30 mph in its life.
It may not be possible to operate this locomotive due to bridge loading numbers and its overall weight. The B&LE (the 643's home road) was a heavily-built, heavy-haul railroad, built to withstand the weight of these monsters pulling heavy ore trains. Other roads where this locomotive could possibly run may not be so robustly designed.
