News Wire: Railroad out of money for 2-6-6-2 restoration, stops work

[Brian Schmidt]

CUMBERLAND, Md. — A lack of money is forcing the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad to stop all work on restoring Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 No. 1309. “A lot of our visitors have the idea that we should throw all of our money into the ...

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2017/11/17-western-maryland-nov-17-update

[Overmod]

Folks on RyPN have been predicting this since the first ‘financial crisis’ over how the grant payouts would be made.  I am not looking forward to the mood over there for the next few days.

This is a colossal shortfall to reveal at this point in the work, and although I expect to see the ‘pay on satisfactory completion’ excuse trotted out by them, it does not really explain why so much remains so critically undone at this point.

[Firelock76]

Fact of the matter is the thing was in worse shape, much worse shape than they realized it was.  To use an old cowboy saying in it's last years at the C&O it was "Rode hard and put away wet."

They've come too far to stop now, it'll get done eventually, just not as soon as they thought it would.

I could say they should have focused their efforts on the 2-8-0 but that would be "Monday-morning quarterbacking" on my part, which I always considered unfair.  Hindsight's always 20-20.

[oltmannd]

What a shame.  I was looking forward to making a trip to see it.  Restoring steam is not a hobby for those with shallow pockets, apparently. 

[kgbw49]

Not to throw stones, but just a what-if - perhaps B&0 2-8-2 4500 would have been a more manageable project from a financial standpoint. At the same time, it would not have eliminated needing the pusher up the grade, which 1309 is supposed to be able to do.

I recall a quote from Ed Dickens, I believe, regarding the cost and manpower requirements of restoration of the Big Boy being the equivalent to doing two 800s at the same time, or something like that.

I would imagine similar requirements apply in the 1309 restoration.

Or if they want to lease another plucky 2-8-0, the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in Wisconsin has a 1929 2-8-0 - KGBW 49.

All kidding aside, we'll get out the checkbook for the good cause that 1309 is.

[BaltACD]

Projects - railroad restoration or otherwise are always much, much more involved and difficult to pull off than the originators of the project EVER ENVISIONED.  The difficulties result in misspent monies for ideas that ultimately would not work as the project progresses - work arounds to overcome problems that happen along the way.

This video is episode 1 of 16 on a project to install Toyota running gear in a original British Motor Corporation Mini - the project was started in 2013 and has been on going ever since and still is far from completion.  It is indicative of what happens in projects, be they restorations or operational changes.  One needs persistance, skill and humor to survive.

[Shadow the Cats owner]

My boss as a 70th birthday gift to his father is restoring the first OTR truck the fleet had.  He had to find it as it had been traded in which he did.  He is having a full frame off restoration done on it.  He asked a couple drivers that have done the same for some muscle cars they have what to budget he was told whatever your told double it for extra stuff they find when they tear it apart.  It was finished yesterday the total bill came right at 2 grand less double the original estimate.  

[ROBERT WILLISON]

Shadow the Cats owner

My boss as a 70th birthday gift to his father is restoring the first OTR truck the fleet had.  He had to find it as it had been traded in which he did.  He is having a full frame off restoration done on it.  He asked a couple drivers that have done the same for some muscle cars they have what to budget he was told whatever your told double it for extra stuff they find when they tear it apart.  It was finished yesterday the total bill came right at 2 grand less double the original estimate.  

 

...nice what kinda of truck was it? Any pics?

Thanks

[daveklepper]

Does it get driven for any reason?  Or just sits.

[Shadow the Cats owner]

I'll have to ask permission for pics.  He is totally retiring at the first of the year and the truck is going to be parked in his barn at his property.  He has slowly been transferring stock in the company over to his son over the last 10 years.  Now as of the first his son will own 70% of the company the first owners brothers families own the other 30 percent.  This family is very private anymore why about 15 years ago one of the brothers and a founder of the company was killed in a rollover accident involving a truck.  Well the guys ex wifes family ripped him in the paper for being a horrible human being for not supporting his ex even though he paid for all her cancer treatments for years after they divorced.  So they pretty much refuse all requests for anything to get posted after that.  I can tell you this much however the truck is going to be a gem.  It maybe will make the Walcott Show this year.

 

I talked to the bosses father and no pictures will be allowed. Why you ask this truck was driven mostly by his dead brother the one killed in the accident I mentioned. Well after his funeral the bad blood came out in full force. Imagine an estranged part of your extended family suing you personally for causing your own brothers death. Then when they lost in court the cause was a load shift in his tank trailer. They started dragging your entire family thru the mud. Then as part of the estate they get their hands on the 1st truck in the company's history and sold it to a scrapping company against the dead brothers wishes. What my boss started out with was just the frame and the vin plate on the door. The rest had to be sourced and put together. 

[ROBERT WILLISON]

Shadow the Cats owner

I'll have to ask permission for pics.  He is totally retiring at the first of the year and the truck is going to be parked in his barn at his property.  He has slowly been transferring stock in the company over to his son over the last 10 years.  Now as of the first his son will own 70% of the company the first owners brothers families own the other 30 percent.  This family is very private anymore why about 15 years ago one of the brothers and a founder of the company was killed in a rollover accident involving a truck.  Well the guys ex wifes family ripped him in the paper for being a horrible human being for not supporting his ex even though he paid for all her cancer treatments for years after they divorced.  So they pretty much refuse all requests for anything to get posted after that.  I can tell you this much however the truck is going to be a gem.  It maybe will make the Walcott Show this year.

 

I talked to the bosses father and no pictures will be allowed. Why you ask this truck was driven mostly by his dead brother the one killed in the accident I mentioned. Well after his funeral the bad blood came out in full force. Imagine an estranged part of your extended family suing you personally for causing your own brothers death. Then when they lost in court the cause was a load shift in his tank trailer. They started dragging your entire family thru the mud. Then as part of the estate they get their hands on the 1st truck in the company's history and sold it to a scrapping company against the dead brothers wishes. What my boss started out with was just the frame and the vin plate on the door. The rest had to be sourced and put together. 

 

totally understand,what kinda of tractor is it?

[Shadow the Cats owner]

68 KW Conventional that was first used to haul grain and gravel around this area.

[Overmod]

Might look something like this

only better...

[CandOforprogress2]

Its another "See I told you so moment".

[seppburgh2]

That's a BIG 10-4 there good buddy!

[BaltACD]

Overmod

Might look something like this

only better...

Looks mighty polished to have been the 1st tractor of a business that was founded on hauling grain and gravel.  Suspect in the interests of economy in trying to start the business there would have been more paint and less polished aluminium - that is if we are having an exact restoration rather than a show restoration.

[ROBERT WILLISON]

Looking good!!!?

[BaltACD]

Update on the 4014 rebuild from the head of the UP's Steam Program.

One knows full well, WMSR is dealing with many of the same situations in rebuilding and restoring 1309.  Dealing with high pressure steam is not something one wants to do on a shoestring budget. 

[kgbw49]

This locomotive is, in effect, a double Prairie. I recall a quote by Ed Dickens of UP Steam saying something to the effect that restoring the Big Boy was going to be like doing two 800s at the same time.

Hopefully the 1309 operating costs, if they ever actually get this unit reassembled and operational, won’t tip the annual operating budget in to the red.

It is probably too late to lease or acquire a beefy Consolidation such as one of the other LSI units out there or a Mikado such as Frisco 1352 in Cleveland. One of those may not have been such a financial stretch for an organization with a limited revenue budget.

[BaltACD]

kgbw49

This locomotive is, in effect, a double Prairie. I recall a quote by Ed Dickens of UP Steam saying something to the effect that restoring the Big Boy was going to be like doing two 800s at the same time.

Hopefully the 1309 operating costs, if they ever actually get this unit reassembled and operational, won’t tip the annual operating budget in to the red.

It is probably too late to lease or acquire a beefy Consolidation such as one of the other LSI units out there or a Mikado such as Frisco 1352 in Cleveland. One of those may not have been such a financial stretch for an organization with a limited revenue budget.

WMSR still has the 734 - however, it can't be used account having exceeded its inspection (MAJOR) dates and needs nearly as much rebuilding and repair as the 1309.