So I know that the American Steam railroad. The owners of 1352 are trying to move her to get restored to operation. But my question is what happend to the attempted Restoration? Based on what I have read. She was pulled from a park. A shed with a pit were the running gear could be worked on was made. And she was put inside. A restoration started.... But never was finished. Fast forward to 2005. A quote fro the society upon opening the shed. ( we opened the shield to find a partially disassembled locomotive. The smoke box front was leaned up against the trunk of a tree. The locomotive had a tarp covering her bar boiler. Jacketing placed against the side wall. The pit was covered with water. And parts scattered everywhere). After some time the parts were found and the weeds were removed and the placed cleaned up. The before and after pictures are stunning. My question is what happens before 1352 was rescued again. Why was the restoration not completed. And I am going to leave you guys with a final thought. They want to move 1352. I,m happy with that. But what if they made her former home a second operations base. I mean it,s already cleaned up. There is a engine pit. The tracks are on the right hand side. So why not?
Like a lot of these"Projects with good intentions". They seem to garner some levels of publicity, and then fade away. To bring back one of these engines requires not only piles of cash, but support, Labor and 'Tools'. Both dependent on plies of cash.
You asked about Frisco 1352... The entire story of that "Project' would be quite a 'read'. I would suggest that sister engine #1351 would also be quite a tale of hopes and dreams...Not sure her current 'status' I watcher here go into the Memphis Fairgrounds Park, as a static display.
Some years later in the 1990's she(#1351) was removed from the Park, and eventually wound up at another static displayed Finner Train in Collierville, Tn. I have seen that the 'Dinner Train' is for sale, and one of its cars (a former D&H Dining Car(?) was removed for rehabilitatin somewhere on the East Coast(?). No idea as to the fate of Frisco #1351?
See link @ http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=89475
see also @ http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=421785
[This lasat picture is of the #1351 in a 'god-awful' light green color..I guess was an attemp that the Sou Rwy's apple green scheme, because she was parked on a siding off the NS' main line at Collierville,Tn...]
samfp1943 I would suggest that sister engine #1351 would also be quite a tale of hopes and dreams...Not sure her current 'status'
1351 is still on her siding in Collierville, in reasonably stabilized condition; God willing, she will not be going anywhere until funds are raised to 'do her right' and/or move her to an equally safe location as, say, part of the Central Station development project now getting underway. Ownership is as I recall similar to that in the 'deed of gift' for ATSF 3463 - to 'the children of Memphis'. Paint is back to (now weathered and faded) black with a rudimentary Frisco scheme, and the passenger car is gone (only the caboose remains). She is about 10 miles south of me here and I visit her often.
The dinner train is long gone, courtesy of one of Tom Powell's crash and burns (the trolley, apparently, is another). Only the ex-ACL business car remains at the station.
As you might imagine, there have been a number of proposals (some on the "clandestine" side!) to have groups paint or maintain the locomotive. Unfortunately, there are considerable places where lagging and insulation is clearly visible and, ahem, it is not legal to get this handled without expensive "professional" hazmat remediation (which would likely involve destruction of the cleading before a pattern could be made, etc.) As the situation has been explained to me, any work on the engine, even having the Boy Scouts paint the cab and tender or wash parts of the running gear, would require full abatement of the asbestos hazard. And the money and liability insurance are not presently there, either for MTM or Collierville...
A few years ago, a very elaborate and expensive ADA-compliant viewing ramp was constructed up to cabside on the north side of the locomotive -- this was subsequently taken down without a trace (and hopefully resides somewhere in storage). My understanding is that efforts are underway to coordinate fundraising for proper stabilization of the locomotive, and then some version of cosmetic restoration, but that nothing will be started until there are assured funds to 'carry it through'.
Thanks, Wizlish ! As I had explained, I was there when 1351 was moved into the Fairgrounds Park from Forrest Yard ( on panel track sections). The Caboose was added when I was away from Memphis. I was only able to participate slightly with the Memphis Transportation Museum actiovities ( Sentimental Journeys w/4501). When it was located at 'The Defense Depot', and out at Cordova. I knew a number of the guys involved in MTM. [as an aside, I wonder what happened to the BN 'Geep' that the Museum had/used at the Depot?]
Thanks, again for the update.
1352 will go to Cleveland (right next to 2100) when the funds are raised.
Is anybody concerned about the interests of "the children of Memphis"?
Tom
ACYIs anybody concerned about the interests of "the children of Memphis"?
In what respect?
I for one have enjoyed 1351 greatly over my childhood, even in her current state (she may be shabby, but she still has ALL her equipment; where else would you expect to find a complete Foam-Meter and valve pilot setup?), and when she is cosmetically restored I expect her to delight many more children than she has.
My apologies. I got the two engines mixed up and was thinking the Memphis engine was intended to go to Cleveland. In the words of Gilda Radner, "Never mind."
I wonder why can,t use her former home a second operations base? I mean it,s a idle spot right?
The BN unit was scrapped several years ago.
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