Just wondering will the #'s 35 and 39 ever get back running on the rails
The Strasburg Railroad has one of them, due to be restored and (I think) back in action in 2014. Sorry, but I don't remember which one. That's the good news. The bad news is you'll have to go to Pennsylvania to see it run, the LIRR has a "no steam" policy.
Trust me, you'll have a ball in Strasburg!
Strasburg has #39.
35 was slated to be 'done over' by a major restorer in Alabama when the recession dried up major funding. I would expect that when the economy, or grant opportunities, resume, so will restoration work on the locomotive. As a detail, the cylinders and valves were checked and lubricated every year, and in general, motivated people have kept the locomotive in reasonable shape.
It is odd that there is no mention of this project on the restorer's Web site, or anything later than 2011 on the museum's #35 page (and the 'follow our progress' blog cuts off not too much later).
The locomotive is owned by, I think, Nassau County, and lives at the Oyster Bay museum that was founded by Friends of the #35, so is in no danger if the restoration goes wrong. So the 'no-steam' policy means that the engine will have to live away from home whenever she is run...
The Strasburg will restore the 39 to operation, but it will take several years and also depends
on fund raising.
I was at Strasburg poking around behind the shop during mid-june. #39's boiler is parked east of the shop building on a couple of trucks with a big chunk of the firebox outer shell cut out. I do not know if the running gear is even at Strasburg yet. Also east of the shop were the boiler and drivers of CP 4-6-0 #972, Reading camelback 1187 and a 2-8-2T logging engine which sat at Landenburg jct. on the Wilmington & Western for years. N&W 475 was the only engine in steam that day. 89 and "Thomas" were in the enginehouse, while 90 was being prepped for painting after apparently a recent overhaul. 31 was in the shop, semi-torn down, I guess for class repairs. I assume they are still focusing attention on restoring RGS 20 for Colorado as well as keeping their own fleet running. My guess is LIRR 39 is a ways off.
Guess I'll work from the existing topic rather than create a new one, I can clarify many of the misconceptions and questions that are evident here.
Both Long Island G5's are indeed on the path towards operational restoration.
In the case of #35, I'm fully aware that online information surrounding the project isn't the most reliable, so I'll explain where the restoration presently is. The locomotive IS owned by Nassau County. The Oyster Bay Railroad Museum is responsible for her care, and any decision making that doesn't involve the sale or destruction of the locomotive...I assure you that neither is planned. Steam Operations Corps (Scott Lindsay's company) of Mussel Shoals, AL will be doing the bulk of the restoration, all prep work in Oyster Bay has been completed. Once a couple of (government related) funding bugs are worked out, the locomotive will be sent down there, minus the boiler to be sent at a later date. The long term plan for the locomotive is to convert it to oil firing, and operate it on the (small) museum property, which includes a turntable. In other words, she'll be a "non-static" display, if you will. Anything beyond that remains to be seen.
#39 is on a somewhat different path. The Railroad Museum of Long Island had already contracted the Strasburg RR to restore the boiler and firebox, which is presently in Strasburg, as explained. The original $800,000 grant was exhausted a couple of years ago, and work ceased. In March of 2013, the two parties agreed that Strasburg will restore the entire locomotive, and operate it for 48 years. Strasburg will fund $1,086,000 of the project, while RMLI has to raise $900,000, in addition to the costs associated with moving the rest of the locomotive (which is still at the museum site in Riverhead, NY) to Strasburg. As you'd imagine, this is not exactly easy for a relatively small museum. Around $13,000 has been raised to date through a 100% grassroots effort. The tender had been fitted with an oil tank in anticipation of operation on Long Island, but will now be removed so the engine can be coal fired on the Strasburg.
I am a member of both of these organizations, and have intimate knowledge of both restoration projects. If you're looking for someone to seek information from, I'm probably your guy.
Bottom line is...get the word out, and help get some steady donations coming in, particularly for #39.
http://www.rmli.us/RMLI/Engine_39.html
http://obrm.org/engine_35.htm
Take care,
~Ronnie
nyc#25 The Strasburg will restore the 39 to operation, but it will take several years and also depends on fund raising.
Surprise, surprise.
When isn't funding an issue? (and don't say Union Pacific)
Just as a quick followup, the RMLI portion of the #39 funding is now over $103,000.
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