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rock island

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  • Member since
    December 2007
  • 47 posts
rock island
Posted by jr 611 on Thursday, February 28, 2008 10:27 AM
could a ri 4-6-2 be restord and how much it would cost to restore one
please help the cb&q 5614
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Nanaimo BC Canada
  • 4,117 posts
Posted by nanaimo73 on Thursday, February 28, 2008 10:53 AM

There are three of them listed here, that is not bad.
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?line:CRI&P;country:USA

Some steam engines cost over a million dollars to return to operation. It would be very difficult for the locomotive to earn that kind of money and pay for the restoration.

Dale
  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Over yonder by the roundhouse
  • 1,224 posts
Posted by route_rock on Thursday, April 3, 2008 2:36 PM

  Jr the one in Peoria is being looked at for restoration,bu I have no new news on it.I have my name in the hat to help and hopefully run her for them,but not holding my breath.

  One of the big problems with them is they are hand bombers and no mainline railroad is going to allow a small steamer with a human coal bailer out on their line.Now the proposal is to ask the Peoria area railroads to run it (if and when)and supposedly Iowa Interstate has said it would entertain the idea.We all know their feelings on steam so it looks ood if you can get the funding.

  The one IRM owns is still in pieces awaiting to be reassembled and put on display.

  Havent checked the 905 site in a while either but hope this helps.

  Best bet for a Rock Island piece of motive power would be an old GP from UP or whatever you can get your hands on!But if you ever get the money JR I will pas on the contacts you would need to get the 886 running again.

Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Elgin, IL
  • 3,677 posts
Posted by orsonroy on Friday, April 4, 2008 9:57 AM

 jr 611 wrote:
could a ri 4-6-2 be restord and how much it would cost to restore one

Yes.

$1,000,000 to rebuild the engine.

$1,000,000 in annual insurance.

$20,000 per trip for passenger car rentals.

$??? to find someone to run the engine.

$??? to find someplace to run the engine.

I wouldn't hold my breath about RI 887 ever moving under her own power again. She's land locked, and moving her would cost over $50K. The WoT museum doesn't have anyplace to restore her in, so it'd have to be moved to an outside facility for restoration. And unless the T&P is interested in running her she's got nowhere local to move (and lots of people ar lining up to take a scenic railroad trip through Beardstown these days!)

Ray Breyer

Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943

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