Well said, Greg. I can't imagine how discouraging and offensive "I hope they don't fully restore this engine" sounds to the people who've put tons of work and effort into the 223 this far and the efforts to get the locomotive a better home.
michael Wrote:
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> The list:
> 1. Improving the grounds at Antonito which include
> cosmetically restoring 494 and 495.
> 2. a building covered storage for newly restored
> cars
I could be wrong, but there already is a covered railcar shed in Antonito? And the covered tent the historic car fleet is being/was restored in I'd think would count as a place to store them as well.
> 3. Building a indoor museum to display and explain
> some of the equipment beautifully restored by
> Friends. Right now there are no real exhibits on
> the C&TSRR. While the C&TSRR has done a phenomenal
> job with the Friends on keeping the line
> historically accurate, there's no actual museum.
The entire C&TS is a living museum. Having the opportunity to operate restored pieces of equipment and projects out and about is way better than letting it all just sit in a normal museum.
> Is the point of restoring a pile drive just for
> foamers to enjoy and to be hidden from guest
> seeking to learn some history?
I myself could be classed as a foamer, and yet I haven't seen Pile Driver OB yet with my own eyes, as I'm sure is the case with many others. I've seen footage of it, though, including when it was on display and operated for the public to see at the CRRM. Wasn't closed off to railfans AFAIK. On the C&TS, many published photographs and video of the events to the public, if they expressed the interest, they are free to go do some research and see footage of it operating.
> 5. Restoring a K-36 or K-37 to have an additional,
> useful locomotive in the fleet.
Let me remind you that nine of the original ten K-36s are still in existence, and of those nine, only one is not operational. There are eight K-37s still in existence, two are operational, and one could be operational.
Out of the 17 large Ks still in existence you mention, there are only three C-16s left in the world, and #223 is also one of the only surviving locomotives built by Grant. No locomotive, under those circumstances, is operational. As Kelly pointed out, #168 and the entire Historic Car Fleet are just as much of a show pony as what you've made #223 out to be, and its pretty hypocritical of you to support one and call the other a waste of time.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2020 10:09AM by Joe Weigman.
