ScottyB said:
NickD said:
In reply to ScottyB :
that makes both of them part of the very few surviving New York Central steam engines
with that said, do you think there's ever hope they'll move from their places? i'm not sure there's anything that can realistically be done other than try to build another shelter over them and hope they last another generation or 2 before they completely dissolve into the earth. even if they disassembled them to rebuild in another place, i have no idea how they could concievably move the parts other than by barging in a team of heavy equipment and then shipping it all back out on the water.
I'm not going to say there's no chance, because people felt that way about a Union Pacific Big Boy being restored to operation, or Alco PAs returning to the US, or a PRR T1 ever existing, and UP #4014, NKP #190 and the construction of PRR #5550 all prove those people wrong. Never say never holds true in this field. But I would say that that chance is very, very marginal.
Looking at it from all angles: Maine owns these locomotives and has stated they have no intention of moving or restoring these engines, as their location has historical significance (it is literally where they were parked on the last day of operations in the 1930s) as much as the engines themselves. Sure, they are NYC locomotives, but Maine doesn't really care about the New York Central. If they were Maine Central engines, sure, maybe then they would be interested, but even then unlikely. That's not even factoring in the location of these engines. To get them out, you either have to disassemble them and boat them out, or, way more unlikely, cut a road back in there and truck them out. So, if not the state, who does that leave, supposing that you could get Maine to part ways with them?
Historical Societies: There are NYC historical societies, and I'm sure IHB and LS&MS historical societies. But most of those rail historical societies have no money or property or assets, they're just a couple people who publish a calendar and a newsletter with some donated archived photos. Not the kind of organizations that could pull this off. Maybe they could raise awareness of these engine, since a lot of people don't know they even exists, but that's about it. And if they're going to take up and sponsor a locomotive, there are a lot of them that are rotting away in city parks at risk of being scrapped as public eyesores. You can spend less money and effort and make a more noticeable impact.
Railroad Museums: Most of them are operating on shoestring budgets, barely able to maintain the collection they have. In fact, a lot of them are failing to do even that. Look at Steamtown's collection rotting away outdoors, even with $6M in government aid every year. Or Indiana Transportationg Museum, which recently got evicted from it's home and had to scramble to save what they could and relocate their collection (read about that here). None of them have a couple million to throw around to relocate two locomotives from remote Maine woods, and even if they did, it would likely be just as neglected at their new homes, while depleting money and attention that could be used on more salvageable pieces.
Private Individuals: Say I'm a self-made multi-millionaire with a real love of the New York Central because my grandpappy worked for them, and I want to blow a huge chunk of my money restoring an NYC engine to operation (ignoring the "where will it run?" question). These engines would probably be last on my list. They are inaccesible, in decrepit condition, they aren't what everyone thinks of when they think of New York Central engines and their NYC pedigree is only through rather-roundabout merger/aqcuisition/subsidiary circumstances. Since there are no NYC Hudsons or Niagaras left, I would be better spending my dough on restoring one of the two Mohawks, either the #2933 or the #3001, that are nicely cosmetically restored and are sitting on museum property. They're more accesible, they're in nicer shape, they are the engines that come to mind when people think of the NYC.
So, I'm pretty certain they'll stay right where they are. If volunteers come in and scrape and paint them they'll last a while. Even longer if a roof was put over them. They're pretty safe from vandalism. They aren't in a city center where at the first sign of rust the city council is chomping at the bit to get it scrapped. Honestly, they're condition is arguably more stable than a lot of more accessible pieces.
