Thank you for taking time to post all of this. I too have a collection of Locomotive & Railway Preservation, a publication I really miss. The photos and articles really provided inspiration for those of us just starting out in the preservation movement. The magazine provided examples and instructions (by many respected experts of the day) on many topics from how to replace boiler tubes to selecting hardwoods for various applications in passenger cars.
I too find myself "In the middle" when it comes to making restorition/preservation choices.
Richard Farmer