I have lived in Texas for over 20 years. I rode on the TSRR, and got to see UP 844 in person when she came in 2010. I have been a fan of steam locomotives for a long time. Here is my take on everything.
Frisco 1522
I never got to see her run....was in school 6 hours south of Houston when she ran from Fort Worth to Houston and back in 2001. From the moment I bought the DVD from Pentrex and watched it, I "fell in love" with 1522. I was deeply saddened to hear she was put back into retirement.
ATSF 3751 is still operating to my knowledge. Frisco 1630 is running on the IRM.
SP 4449 and 2472 need to go back into regular service, especially 2472.
With the UP restoring Big Boy 4014, 3985 and 844 on routine excursions, and MILW 261 running, why not bring back 1522 and T&P 610? If i had the money, I would buy all the parts necessary to restore them, and then find an entity to do the restorations.
Steam locomotives were the mainstay in railroading for over a century. They are part of our history. Great efforts should be made to restore them.
I saw a video on YouTube of railroad action in Utica, NY. In it was a clip of former NYC 0-6-0 on a flat car. To have an 0-6-0 restored to operation would be awesome! Come to find out, she was hit by a runaway railcar.
Final Thought:
Steam locomotives deserve to be operated, not stored to gather rust and to rot away.
I'd like to share this interesting image of Frisco 1522 and BN 1506. The link is below.
Can anyone shed some light on the origin of this image?
ROBERT WILLISONWith that said, I always been an advocate of tieing or rotating more steam locomotives Thur Steamtown. Steam town had reported how thier attendance was increased last year when # 765 was in town and even now # 26 is back in service. Seems like a win win if the numbers work for both parties.
You mean to send their engine away from them to the east? And to a gov't facility, no less? Surely, sir, you jest.
One of the preservationists' biggest enemies have always been preservationists.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
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