Re: 278 Damage

All,

A good friend of mine contacted the NPS about the condition of the 278. Here is his response:
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Good Morning,

The park is currently exploring options to repair Locomotive Engine 278, and we are hoping to having a funded project that will take place over the summer.

Repairs to the #278 Engine are made more difficult for a couple of reasons. First, the locomotive is not owned by the park. It is owned by the City of Montrose and is on loan to the park. This means that any large scale repairs require coordination between the park and the city of Montrose.

More significant is that routine maintenance to prevent the need for major repairs is hindered by how it is displayed. While the trestle prevents damage from tampering or vandalism, it also prevents safe access for our facilities staff to do repairs.

Again, we are working through the process to receive funding in order to move the locomotive off the trestle and give it some much needed TLC. If all goes well, we are hoping this can happen over this summer.

Let us know if you have any other questions!

Thanks,

Ranger Jaron

Jaron Boerner-Mercier
Park Guide - Interpretation
Curecanti National Recreation Area
Phone: (970) 641-2337 ext. 204

Rob Lenicheck