Ed's report

Great update, Ed. Some real information!
One thing that readers might womder is how the 497 was able to run with all of the front truck problems.
Unfortunately, cobbling locomotives together like this not that uncommon. We found a myriad of quick fix maintenance problems on the 844. Some of them REALLY scary.
I think that it is a great tribute to the designers of these magnificent machines that they are able to perform under these adverse maintenance conditions.
Ed deserves the support and praise of the fans and upper management for doing things right.
It is wiser to spend the money, even if it is a bit more expensive, to correct the problems the first time than to keep applying band aids and quick fixes and ultimately do more damage over the long run.
Rick Steele