@mlaughlinnyc posted:That is the best looking 259 I have ever seen, and it's running. The missing handrail and three journal boxes would be easy to replace.
I don't know where you live, but here in California I regularly see them in fairly good to mint condition for $100 or less.
This one I picked up in good mechanical order, but rough paint for about $35 with the cars.
The one on the left is the only one I've kept, it was my first complete "restoration", it's a late 259 that I painted like an early one, I might go back and repaint it gunmetal at some point as I have many early steam locomotives now. I paid $75 for it in about the same condition as the one above. The one to the right, is in almost perfect condition, with only some slight oxidation on the running gear & paint loss on the cowcatcher, ran perfectly, $50.
If people elsewhere pay that much regularly for beat up 259's, maybe I should open an Ebay store