Re: Trashing Silver Plume Depot

Arnold-
I know you don't care for Shays. A lot of people I know down me for liking them...especially diesel-folk. People must understand that (aside from the fact I, or we, think they're beautiful unique engines) they were built to serve a purpose. Chessie 614 couldn't make tight curves and 8+ percent grades. They were built for logging and did it well. Ironically, many people never even saw Shays before the 1960s tourist-railroad boom because they were isolated in the forests where few people ever saw them.
As for Railstar-the Belfast & Moosehead as mentioned has only been owned by them for 2 or so years. The previous operators brought in the Swedish dismal that runs there. The Davenport #16 at Erie Canal Village is a real Davenport; however it was heavily 'disneyized" by Mr. Willock being that it was originally a saddle-tank locomotive just like the Porter (now 2-4-0) counterpart also in the collection. However, it is still a Davenport, and Erie Canal Village is not an amusement park at all. Do you see a ferris wheel, a carousel, and a egg-scrambler? Its a living history museum similar to the San Jose Historical Museum which I was a frequent visitor to; they didn't have a steam railroad, but they had historic trolleys which were for many years a fixture to San Jose. A neat 2' gauge 'park train' (owned by the amusement park next door, but an equally interesting establishment) took passengers from a station at the outside gates to the museum, that didn't change its status. The historic buildings were relocated or replicated and put into a historical park such as the Village. I haven't been to Rome, but plan to go eventually.
Should I take a poll here of who would go out of their way to go to Georgetown to ride a European 'deezul' over the loop with its honky horn, fumes, and noise?? If only a nearby line could be used for direct competition over this...like Central City " />...too bad it was built over.
If you want to go historical; then the #71, #60, and #9 would be the only things really close to historic for use on the Loop. The grades give the Shays a good workout. Though I'd love to see them back on the West Side...the only way that would happen is if the GLR owners got involved with that project...very unlikely. I always thought the #8 if never used again, or the #2 Heisler, would make a nice display addition for the MORT or whatever its called now in Sacramento when built. They've got industrial locomotives such as the old Homestake engine from the BJWRR as well as the CP #233 which was a suburban commute engine in Oakland. A West-Side (or Pickering) geared engine would really add to this place when finally built.
Worst Case Scenario: A Swedish steam locomotive and German diesels on the Devils Gate viaduct with tweety one-noe whistles and horns. Not a pretty sight.
Unfortunately I'll never have gotten to seen what WAS at the Loop. I wish I did. Some friends of ours went way out of the way just for a last ride behind one of the Shays.
Any word on the #346 at the CRRM and the storage arrangements there for the GLR equipment?
Keep Steaming,
Ed Kelley