Love big steam engines, but you have a good point. However if you weight long enough things might start to happen again. It has been proved many times here in the UK and some of you may have herd that SP&S 700, which I do not think has pulled a long distance excusion since 1990 is on track to tack a train from Portland to Spokan and back next year some time. I only whish I could be every where at once so I can see these things!
So no lets get back to the NG and stop speculating! 497 looked nice in the snow didn't she, and those Garretts are doing well in North Wales!