MEC 470 in need of restoration

I think the million dollars or so would be the least of their issues.

 

1) Who would they contract to overhaul it, and where would the work be done?

 

2) If and when it was finished and FRA certified, where would it run and what sort of equipment would it pull?

 

3) Since nobody can actually make money operating a steam locomotive, how would they fund the maintenance, fuel, lubrication supplies and crew expenses?

 

 

It sure is a great looking Pacific though!

She is a pretty thing. Best of luck to all involved.

I visited the No. 470 around 1960, a few years after her retirement. It was unfenced and anyone could climb on. I cannot recall the exact amount of vandalism it had suffered but I am pretty sure all gauges were broken or missing. However, the most insulting injury was seeing the result of someone defecting in the tender.

 

The park engine concept of putting these locomotives on a plinth was, in part, based on fuzzy logic. Somewhere along the lines of "Gee, wouldn't it be nice if..." The cheapest execution was to plant it outside. (who has money for a building, right?) The people pushing for this would raise interest and money by telling adults "It's for the kids."  Unfortunately, when put in place, usually no money or thought was given to long term care at all. In time, with no champions, they often became eyesores and were removed.

 

Steam locomotives, for all their size, weight and strength are in reality, fragile mechanisms. They need care and are best stored, inside, at room temperature. Only by doing that will they stay in a perpetual state of good condition.

 

Honestly, if you had a precious classic car, say a Corvette, a Porsche or a '55 Bel Air or even a DeLorean, would you park it outside all year and expect it to be pristine forever?

 

Don't misunderstand. I am very grateful for all the park engines and the people who had the vision and expended the effort to do save them.  Otherwise we would not have a special group of former park engines, the grand trio of Lima Ladies, the No. 1225, the No. 765 and the No. 4449.

 

I just wish I or we had a organization to inclose and save all of the park engines we have in the United States.

 

Once a No. 470 donation website is set up, I will gladly contribute if only just to get her  cosmetically restored and inside.

I am an aviation buff, but wish we could put a fraction of what we spend on aviation preservation into a few select steam locomotives.  For instance, the cost of flying that shuttle all over California would probably have purchased and installed an FRA compliant boiler in our ten- wheeler.

 

The world was a much different place 50-plus years ago.  I suspect there was a fair amout of civic pride involved in a community getting a park locomotive back then.  Memories of steam was still fresh in the minds of the public and getting one was likely viewed as an asset.

 

The locomotives weren't forced on the communities, they wanted them.

 

We can say now that perhaps the communities were somewhat naive in thinking a steam locomotive would make a good Jungle Jim, be as maintainence free as a stone or bronze statue or have the foresight that a coat of paint would be needed every now and then. 

 

Granted, the way some park locomotives are left to rot in the weather is indeed sad. 

 

It costs to build a shelter, move the locomotive to a museum or even have it cut it up.  Nowadays, it will usually be an injury lawsuit that eventually forces the decision. 

 

Nothing is easy.  The logistics of moving a locomotive out of a park are usually more complicated today then when they were installed and the tracks the locomotive came in on may no longer be there.  Even if there is a rail line nearby, the local railroad may not want to get involved or tie up it's line.

 

Rusty

Conway Scenic would certainly be a potential buyer, and the shops in Lincoln, NH could probably restore it. I was just at Conway Scenic this past weekend and was lucky enough to see their steamer running Friday evening. This MEC steamer would make a great companion to the one they currently have.

I 2nd Jumijo's idea, if feasible, the Conway Scenic is a profit organization. Great to see Steam running up in the mountains to Bartlett,NH on the ole Maine Central lines Mountain division. Especially awesome to see Steam running in the Winter snows up there ! Many of my family members including my Grandfather ran the Mountain division on the MEC years ago.

http://www.conwayscenic.com/in...me.photoalbums_steam

Only in a world we live in today would a static sitting steam engine be considered "Dangerous".  I don't like the way that steam engine is looking at me, lol.

 

Remember when a million dollars could restore an engine to operation vrs simply bring it back to the state it was in cosmetically when it was parked? 

 

You would think the Conway Scenic would jump on this opportunity though simply to build on it's roster while adding a new display in an effort to attract more visitors.  As for restoring to operation - I got the impression the 0-6-0 was more then adequate for the railroad as anything larger? might require more maintenance on the trackwork.  That's an answer I got some time back but that assumes a rocking 0-6-0 does not create it's own maintenance issues.

 

Sad that the state /county would be willing to give up a part of it's heritage - identity in a sense.  Just brings them one step closer to being "anytown, USA".

 

/Mitch

It's called "attractive nuisance."   Some little darling crawls up on a static locomotive, falls off, breaks an arm or leg and the parents sue because their precious child wouldn't have climbed on it if the locomotive wasn't there...

 

It's why Frisco 2-8-2 #1352 was removed from Kansas City's Swope Park back around 1979.

 

Rusty

>>the most insulting injury was seeing the result of someone defecting in the tender.

 

Did they defect to the People's Democratic Republic of Waterville?

"I vont to defect to the USA!"

Since its become an eyesore for them I will gladly allow it to be parked in my front yard......

Things are looking up for the 470. The city is (at long last) doing something about it, and several groups have responded to their RFP. Now we'll wait and see what happens.

 

Stephen

Thanks for the heads up Steve, we do not get any Waterville news hear in the midcoast, so even us locals were still waiting for a story, do you have a link? Galo 3rd.

I always thought the Maine 470 club owned this Engine and was going to restore it.

http://www.470rrclub.org/membership.html

Galo, Maine is huge, so I'm not surprised. Here you go...

 

http://www.kjonline.com/news/o...tive_2012-11-10.html

So far no news about the fate of 470, and that is not "good news".

Sadly the guy that owns the Conway Scenic is a cheap SOB(From what I've been told) 7470 is a year or two away from it's 15 years and it may not be overhauld due to the price. 

 

On the other hand the Conway Scenic could be contracted to do the rebuild but where would she run????  If in fact in the posted article that it is indeed the Conway Scenic that is the NH interested party that would be a pleasant surprise but I have my doubts

You are thinking of 501 which sits in North Conway which is cosmetically restored.  This group has it's head up it's !@# as they failed with 501 getting her back on the tracks.