May 28, 2014 St. Louis Museum of Transportation and Virginia Museum of Transportation to trade historic locomotives NORFOLK, VA. – The Museum of Transportation, St. Louis, and the Virginia Museum of Transportation are in discussions to bring Norfolk and Western Y6a steam engine #2156, currently in the St. Louis museum, back to its place of origin at Roanoke, Va., on a five-year loan for display at the Virginia museum, in a transaction facilitated by Norfolk Southern. In exchange, the Virginia museum will send to St. Louis a Southern Railway diesel General Motors EMD FTB unit to complement the St. Louis museum’s FTA demonstration unit. “This will reunite the last surviving Y-class locomotive, one of the hardest pulling steam locomotives ever built, with the J-611 and the A-1218 in Roanoke, where all three were designed and built by Norfolk and Western,” said Molly Butterworth, cultural site manager for the St. Louis Museum of Transportation. ”In return, our historic FTA, built in 1939 to demonstrate to the rail industry the efficiency of diesel power, will be reunited with its complimentary B unit.” “We are thrilled to welcome the Y6a home again,” said Bev Fitzpatrick, executive director of the Virginia Museum of Transportation. “We’re grateful to the St. Louis Museum of Transportation for this opportunity to reunite three powerful sisters of steam in their home town.” The Museum of Transportation, a St. Louis County Park in west St. Louis County, Mo., houses what has been recognized as one of the largest and best collections of transportation vehicles in the world. With over 70 locomotives, half of them "one-of-a-kind" or "sole survivors" of their type, the Museum has one of the most complete collections of American railroad motive power, and its collections of automobiles, buses, streetcars, aircraft, horse-drawn vehicles, and riverboat materials are constantly expanding to reflect the ever-changing nature of transportation. The Virginia Museum of Transportation, Virginia’s official transportation museum, is home to two of the most powerful steam locomotives in existence today: the N&W Class A 1218 and the N&W Class J 611. The Museum attracts visitors of all ages from across the U.S. and around the world. Through exhibits, artifacts, and an outstanding collection of rail equipment, cars, trucks, airplanes, and more, the Museum tells the story of Virginia’s rich transportation history. Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation’s premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.
Norfolk Southern contacts: (Media) Robin Chapman, 757-629-2710 (Robin.Chapman@nscorp.com) (Investors) Katie Cook, 757-629-2861 ( InvestorRelations@nscorp.com)
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Wow, I never would have seen this coming. I love the way the #2156 looks at St. Louis right now. I can only hope that this will not turn into something permanent.
I wonder, what will they fill the empty space with, do you think? The STL MOT surely wouldn't just leave a gap in there shed for that long a time. They have so such stuff they both would like to and need to get under cover. I'd Say they'd put one (or two, in a space that large) of they locomotives awaiting restoration there, however, I also don't think they'd do it because they're not in the best of conditions, and would be a sore sight for the visitors. eyes. I hope ALS #12 will be in the running for that spot.
On the other hand, The St. Louis MOT has also just finished restoring a NYC 4-8-2, They'll want that front and center, I bet. That's probably what will be done.
Any Ideas on this?
Somewhere I read that Roanoke was going to send the Wabash E8 to the MOT in St. Louis in addition to the FT B unit. It would be neat if the swap could be a permanent deal, since the E unit probably was a regular in St. Louis back in the day.
A McIntosh Somewhere I read that Roanoke was going to send the Wabash E8 to the MOT in St. Louis in addition to the FT B unit. It would be neat if the swap could be a permanent deal, since the E unit probably was a regular in St. Louis back in the day.
I have spoken to the curator of the collections at MOT and he backs the story up. The move will not be done immediately, as it is a major effort to get a beast that large ready for a move that far. I will keep in touch with him and post updates as I get them.
I however, hope this will not turn out to become a permanent deal. 2156 is the only Y6a left in existence, and I want her right where I can get to her in 20 minutes drive. Besides, Diesel is nowhere neat as steam. Steam is what makes the museum worth visiting. Besides, at MOT, there's so much stuff that used be regulars at St. Louis there, a diesel would not be a new or interesting exhibit.
St. Louis MOT seems to get the short end of the stick no matter how you cut it. It's nice 2156 will journey back to it's original area, and be seen by other people. But I hope it turns out for the best.
What's so uninteresting about a diesel?? Especially the diesel that defeated steam
That the Diseasel "defeated steam" doesn't make it interesting... it makes it hated.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Semper Vaporo That the Diseasel "defeated steam" doesn't make it interesting... it makes it hated.
Lady Firestorm agrees with you, but then in her life having something to hate is just as important as having something to love! Man, she doesn't like diesels! And don't get her started on the end of the NS steam program in 1994! Don't get her started on Banastre Tarleton either, but that's another story.
In all seriousness there's something in what Semper Vaporo says. Who knows how many first-generation or pre-first-generation proto-diesels went to the scrappers because the founders of the rail preservation movement hated them and didn't want to save them, considering said diesels killed the steam locomotives those preservationists loved so much. Short-sighted? Certainly, but none of us are issued a crystal ball at birth. All we can do is learn from past mistakes and move on.
Yes they should bring back 1522, but she wasn't retired just because of funding. Burlington Northern (BN) canceled their steam program, and there were no more railroads willing to host 1522's excursions. From what I here UP also has a "No Foreign Steam" policy. And the only way out of the St. Louis Transport Museum by rail is through the back gate and onto UP's mainline. the only way for 1522 or any other steamer to get out would have to mean that they were towed out by a diesel locomotive, in a "dead" state.
The NYC "Mohawk" 2933, however, is NOT being restored to service. She is almost finished with a COSMETIC RESTORATION, which is coming into it's 9th year. All that is left to do is put the lettering and number boards on and she'll be done.
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