Re: need steam advise

Hate to tell you but you better plan to truck the engine anywhere. In order to put roller bearings on the drivers, I judge you would need to find a press to push the driver off the axle. At those expenses it would be cheaper to rent one of the many engines that have been repaired and not hit the road in some kind of service, and then truck it to you line. I think you lost the battle, as all mainline railroads will not move friction bearings.
The reason this is the case is that no one, and no official of any railroad need to be skilled on how to service and maintain a safe condition of a brass bearing. There are no car inspectors who will have the authority to authorize it as being safe to move anywhere. If one line gives in and accepts the responsibility it puts the heat on other lines and they will not do it!!!
Find a big flatcar and plan to pick the locomotive up and load it, but watch out and don't drop the drivers.