Back to the orignal question shall we?
1. This thing began in 1997, thus is in it's 3rd year.
2. There never was a movie. The guy behind all this had HOPES that he could make a movie, but there was NO movie. NO script, NO screenplay, NO studio commitment or involvment, NO cast, NO crew, and NO financing. Just high hopes.
3. NO restoration work of any kind was done.
4. The engine was moved a few feet by a diesel as a publicity stunt.
5. A serious, thorough evaluation of the physical condition of the locomotive was NOT done. Only a cursory visual examination and a study of incomplete records was performed. The information thus gathered was used to imply that restoration would be cheap, easy and quick, and was used in fundraising efforts.
6. Claims that agreements were in place to run the locomotive on several major railroads proved to be bogus.
7. Claims of major studio involvement proved equally bogus.
8. An undetermined amount of money was raised through contributions, merchandise sales, membership sales, and etc. There has been no accounting of where any of this money went. As far as I know, Age of Steam Museum did not get any of it. No money has been spent on the further protection or preservation of the locomotive.
9. Claims of where the restoration would be done and where the engine would operate change periodically.
10. Addresses have changed and telephones turned off; U.S. Mail comes back "undeliverable" and e-mails are ignored.
11. Some creditors have gone unpaid.
Other than these few nit-picky things, it's a great project and should be a huge success. I can hardly wait.