If you were given $5,000,000 to restore a train it would be....

[Redwood Chopper]

That's a toughie...sometimes my mood dictates different answers. I love big steam, but $5M would typically just get the job done, and not cover long-term care or preservation. I think an endowment of a worthy rail preservation institution might be the better approach, so more could benefit, not just one "artifact" locomotive, car or structure.

That said, if I had to pick a steam locomotive today, and even tho' I'm a diehard Westerner I'd go for that New York Central "Mohawk" just because it's as close to an NYC J-class as we'll get unless someone springs for $50M to replicate a Hudson.  I'd love to see an SP Cab Forward run before I die, but seeing as how there's only one and not enough money obviously available for its operational restoration and long-term fueling, and a semi-unfriendly UP to running anything other than their own steam power on former SP routes, I have a feeling that will go unsatisfied.

 Someone has already beaten me to restoring the last Milwaukee Road 'Skytop' Olympian Hiawatha sleeper-lounge-obs, "Coffee Creek." That's my ultimate dream private car. 

 

 

 

 

[De Luxe]

 I would try to restore the T&P 2-10-4 # 610 back to operational condition. But the question was to restore a whole train, not just a loco. I don´t know how many T&P "Eagle" streamliner cars have survived, but it would be great to restore a complete consist, that could be pulled by the 610. I think that for an Eagle consist you need a baggage, a RPO, a coach, a "Planetarium" dome, a diner, a sleeper, and an lounge observation. So at least 7 cars are needed for this project. It would be great if excursion trips could be organized across whole Texas from New Orleans over Dallas / Fort Worth to El Paso over the old T&P line. But I don´t know if 5 Million $ would be enough for a complete operational Eagle restoration together with the 610.

[tstage]

As a New York Central fan, it would have to be the L-3a #3001 that is now sitting at the National New York Central Railway museum.  It's rather sad that no Hudsons or Niagaras even survived the cutting torches for us to enjoy looking at.

Tom

[zzzzzz]

Hello, My name is Andy and I live up in the PNW. I just thought you would like to know that this thread of yours is an outstanding place to engage in interesting, fun and light-hearted dialog and read what others think. This thread’s actually fun (not tedious) to read through. It’s not loaded with page after page of material that has been copied and pasted from other threads in an attempt to “stay on top”. Or worse yet, material that has already been posted to the same thread, then copied and repeated! Very interested in hearing what others would like to see restored and operating again. Very impressed with the knowledge that thrives here, from all over the country! I am one of those "silent types" who does a lot of browsing, but very little talking. So, just let me congratulate all of you for the material that has kept me interested for the last several years.

 

For my part, I think that a person would have a greater likelihood of being able to afford to run something not too big, small enough to venture off the mainline, but big enough to pull a few restored heavyweight cars.

There are a number of 2-8-2’s sitting around the country rusting away. Maybe a 2-8-2 able to run around 45 or 50 mph, pulling restored 1920’s era baggage car, heavyweight coach and lounge car with an open platform. Being able to venture off the mainline would afford the opportunity to operate on some of the country’s short line railroads if permission could be obtained.   

 

[AltonFan]

There's this tendency among those contemplating projects like this to want to restore the huge engines of steam's latter days.  The problem is, many of these engines were HUGE, and often were limited to certain territories.  A lot of times the "latest and greatest" got early retirement, because they were unsuitable for anything but mainline service.

My thinking has been that restoration projects should center around moderately-sized engines that can be used on secondary lines.  2-8-2s and 4-6-2s would be better choices than 4-8-4s, 2-10-4s, or a Big Boy.

[richhotrain]

I don't know how much it would cost and whether $5M would cover it, but definitely the Santa Fe Super Chief including an ABBA consist.  Then, Amtrak would run it from Chicago to LA.  Since the trackage from Dearborn Station is no longer there, I'd settle for a departure out of LaSalle Street Station.

Rich

[Phoebe Vet]

I tend to think forward rather than back.  I have no desire to return to "the good old days".  I would use the money to put together a modern train that would address the needs of today and tomorrow.

[daveklepper]

But some of us have good reason to believe that 50-year old Budd domeliner equipment meets the needs of the tourist and other long-distance traveler better than anything since.   The equipment on the California Zephyr and the Super Chief and the El Cap was as pleasant to ride for several days as Horizon and Superliner equipment today if not better.   The Canadian still gets good reviews.

[selector]

AltonFan

There's this tendency among those contemplating projects like this to want to restore the huge engines of steam's latter days.  The problem is, many of these engines were HUGE, and often were limited to certain territories.  A lot of times the "latest and greatest" got early retirement, because they were unsuitable for anything but mainline service.

...

Dan, you are right.  I had not looked in this thread for quite some time, and don't even know if I have offered an opinion earlier...probably, but can no longer recall.  But, it's funny you should say what you did because when I saw the 'rejuvenated' thread from the welcome observation preceding yours, I thought that $5M is not pocket change, and not even for refurbishing a steamer.  So, I was in La-la Land thinking about some of my favourites, and what came to mind was the mighty Allegheny.  I know there is at least one, and I would walk ten miles barefoot over broken glass just to get close enough to hear it lift a 7000 ton coal drag, let alone see it.  I don't know what it would do to modern Class 1 rails in the eastern hills at 40 mph working near to capacity.  It probably wouldn't be good.

Got any tweezers?