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[Ham549]

While at Steam town I found a Steam locomotive that had been cut into sections so you could see how it worked. Now it may just be me but I find this to be a bad way of "presrving history". The Trolley Museum there was just as bad they had a huge hole in the floor to show the cut up motor on the truck. Can't you find moters at dumps that aren't historic to show how they work? It is sad when people who don't care run this stuff.

[Anonymous]

I must say that we have buildings FULL of equiptment all over the United States. So we cut and paint one or two here and there to show the people visually what makes em tick.

I rather have a rusted locomotive touched up and painted a variety of color and cut to show the "Guts" along with either videos or diagrams to assist people to learn what happens inside a steam engine or electric/desiel locomotive.

At least it will serve well as a teaching tool instead of something that is to be looked at as a desperate canidate for a restoration or junk yard.

People care. It is about money. A engine that has been cold 50 years probably will take a million dollars or more to bring to life. What museum has a million clams around?

If you are going to see a museum, you might as well learn the technology. What better to learn it by viewing the innards of some machines?

[Ham549]

Buildings full of equipment! I volunteer at a museum and they would love to have some of this stuff. Also when I was in steam town my step dad who is fairly smart had trouble understanding what was going on. Only I knew what was what because I have seen Simple CGI animations on the workings which helped me to understand what I already knew.

[TomDiehl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Ham549

Buildings full of equipment! I volunteer at a museum and they would love to have some of this stuff. Also when I was in steam town my step dad who is fairly smart had trouble understanding what was going on. Only I knew what was what because I have seen Simple CGI animations on the workings which helped me to understand what I already knew.

The key here Ham is the statement "helped me to understand what I already knew." You need to remember that this is a forum comprised mainly of Railfans and Model Railroaders. We, as a group, already have a better knowledge of railroads and railroad operations and equipment, both current and historic, than the average person. Steamtown was developed as a national historic site for the purpose of interpreting and preserving the history of steam railroading in America. In plain English, to explain to the average American (and trust me, we're not average) what a railroad does, how it works, and the historic background. There has been great discussions about the cutaway steam locomotive, as well as the concept and execution of Steamtown's other displays. I have used this display many times during the shop tours to explain the inner workings of a steam locomotive and have found the general public will understand things a lot better if they can see a physical example of what you're trying to describe.

We need to face the fact that all steam locomotives that still exist will not, someday, be returned to service. The 0-6-0 that was cut open for the display would have needed it's boiler replaced, due to so many eroded areas in the barrel. It was also too small for operation in excursion service here at Steamtown, plus we already have an 0-6-0 on the active roster that is undergoing major boiler work. We also have a Pacific and a Mikado operational and another Pacific under restoration for the excursion use (the Pennsy K-4 does NOT belong to Steamtown). While many groups would ""love to have some of this stuff," the fact remains that maintaining even a stuffed and mounted steam locomotive in presentable condition is a huge money pit.