Roundhouse at the RR Museum of PA, any progress?

What amuses me is they acquired an AEM7 toaster... yet there  are other better classic steam and diesel candidates rusting away across the U.S.... 

J Daddy posted:

What amuses me is they acquired an AEM7 toaster... yet there  are other better and older classic steam and diesel candidates rusting away across the U.S.... 

What "other better and older classic steam and diesel candidates rusting away across the U.S." that would be significant to railroad operations within the state of Pennsylvania?  I seem to recall that the name of the museum is "The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania", and thus have have pieces and archives specific to their own state. 

J Daddy posted:

What amuses me is they acquired an AEM7 toaster... yet there  are other better classic steam and diesel candidates rusting away across the U.S.... 

Maybe all those other classic diesels and steam locomotives have title, legal, money or transportation issues that make it impractical or too expensive for the RRM of PA to acquire.

It can take years of jumping through hoops to secure a locomotive for a museum.

Rusty

Hot Water -Ah  yes been wait for you to reply... How are ya...

This one ran in Pennsylvania and would be a great  candidate if the owner would cut her  loose...

J Daddy posted:

Ah  yes been wait for you to reply... How are ya...

This one ran in Pennsylvania and would be a great  candidate if the owner would cut her  loose...

 

That will NOT happen, as long as Mr. Campbell is alive. His ONLY real "claim to fame" is that locomotive, thus he has never, ever been will to negotiate selling it. If he sold/donated the locomotive, he would no longer "be famous", in his mind. Thus, the 643 will sit so long as he is alive. 

Do you have any other candidates "around the U.S."?

Hot Water posted:

J Daddy posted:

Ah  yes been wait for you to reply... How are ya...

This one ran in Pennsylvania and would be a great  candidate if the owner would cut her  loose...

 

That will NOT happen, as long as Mr. Campbell is alive. His ONLY real "claim to fame" is that locomotive, thus he has never, ever been will to negotiate selling it. If he sold/donated the locomotive, he would no longer "be famous", in his mind. Thus, the 643 will sit so long as he is alive. 

Do you have any other candidates "around the U.S."?

Henry Ford Museum acquired a GG-1 which is sitting out on a siding rusting away... of course there  would be two then....

J Daddy posted:

Hot Water posted:

J Daddy posted:

 

 

 

Henry Ford Museum acquired a GG-1 which is sitting out on a siding rusting away... of course there  would be two then....

RRMoP already has two GG1s: 4935 and 4800.

I was at the museum about 1 month ago.  I was never there before and I don't know any history or plans.  I can say that I went outside. I walked around the outside "displays".  There is a turntable and "spur" tracks but there is no structure around the turntable.  

BessemerSam posted:

 

The article said that it was to be completed by the end of last year....

I'm not aware that they have even broken ground yet, and maybe even worse, still have not yet approved the design. 

I was there in September, there wasn't a new structure, any construction for one, any signs saying coming soon or even any area cleared off or rolling stock moved.

Frankly, this is the very first I've heard of it.

I was pretty certain that this would be the case. Keep in mind, this was suppose to be completed last year. 2015. It's 2016 and it's not even started.

HOW was this to be funded?  Where was it announced, and by whom, that this was going to happen?  As everybody knows, if this is a government project, and the funding is not all there,  or some other alligator is in the beauracratic morass of gum'mint, glacial speed (today with purported rapid melting) is a lot faster than those projects proceed.  Is that museum self-supporting (I doubt it) or does it depend on state appropriations?  While I might like to see other railroads' equipment there, there is certainly enough railroad history in Pa. to fill up the acreage there.   The Strasburg across the road has managed to preserve some interesting steamers from other railroads.  No argument against the need, for I have watched that equipment outside rusting away for years.

colorado hirailer posted:

HOW was this to be funded?  Where was it announced, and by whom, that this was going to happen? 

The announcement and proposed sources of funding can be found on the website referenced in the original post to this thread.  Might want to read that first before posting.

While I'm sure there are many locos worthy of preservation, the AEM-7 is not as strange an addition as it would appear. That engine was the main loco on the electrified Keystone Corridor from Philadelphia to Harrisburg for many years. And IIRC to engine was donated to the museum by Amtrak.

So hopefully the Museum will continue to make progress on its other projects even if at a slower pace than we all would wish.

Tony -- Up on "The D & H Bridge Line"

I wonder of the HHP 8 will be preserved as well? Maybe a Conrail SD60M or SD80 too? Both built at Juniata! IMHO would like to see a PRR sd40 and sd45 preserved there as well.

ALCO Fan posted:

While I'm sure there are many locos worthy of preservation, the AEM-7 is not as strange an addition as it would appear. That engine was the main loco on the electrified Keystone Corridor from Philadelphia to Harrisburg for many years. And IIRC to engine was donated to the museum by Amtrak.

So hopefully the Museum will continue to make progress on its other projects even if at a slower pace than we all would wish.

Tony -- Up on "The D & H Bridge Line"

Yep - while there's the splendid collection of PRR equipment to be found at the museum, the museum notes the following:

"While the Museum is known as the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, it is not the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum. It celebrates all railroads and railroad-related industries that contributed to the history of the Commonwealth. The collection has grown impressively and includes locomotives and rolling stock from at least 18 different Pennsylvania railroads and 22 different builders overall."

http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/abou...sthash.ES9wAxwG.dpuf

I'm a Pennsy fan, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the PRR equipment there.  I also enjoyed seeing all the other goodies gathered from the other railroads in Pennsylvania - hopefully some work can be done to get everything under cover to limit any further deterioration.

For what it is worth.

What I'd rather see is the PRR M1b 6755, PRR K4 3750, and NKP Berk. 757 cosmetically and somewhat mechanically restored and placed on display in the main hall.  I'd rather see this done then building that roundhouse. Yes you would have to rearrange the inside displays, but it could be done.

2019 is slipping away. Any news on the new roundhouse?  

 

David Johnston posted:

2019 is slipping away. Any news on the new roundhouse?  

I didn’t see a roundhouse or any materials when I was there two weeks ago. I think that we will see the other PRR K4 Steam before this proposed roundhouse is even started!

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

I wonder of the HHP 8 will be preserved as well? Maybe a Conrail SD60M or SD80 too? Both built at Juniata! IMHO would like to see a PRR sd40 and sd45 preserved there as well.

Now would be time for an SD60M to get preserved as they are being purged and sent to the torch as we speak!! No unmolested PRR SD45’s or SD40’s remain. Most have had some type of upgrade done (Conrail Dash 2 upgrade, Admiral Cab, 710 added to make SD33ECO’s, etc.) The 80MAc’s are still money makers and won’t be retired soon, maybe rebuilt, but not retired. 

I'm about half way through reading "The Trains of Our Memory" by Peter Osborne, about the RRMoPA Muesum, its history and its long term plans. The book made it sound that the plans were to build the roundhouse, start making use of the property bought along Bishop road, and maybe even extend the main hall further. No evidence of that, run down and broken exhibits and a general lack of progress has the museum lacking a little of its luster in recent years, the #460 E6 notwithstanding.

C'mon guys, put your hands in your wallets and embarrass somebody.  With BREXIT looming we Brits are building new(!) examples of locos that were all scrapped before the preservation movement took charge ... GWR 'Grange' class , LMS 'Patriot', LNER A3, SR Q class (well I might have made the last one up...).  I've got a $20 bill left over from my last visit to the USA (hmmm, don't know how I did that!) and anyone building a D&H Challenger - it's yours!
Jason

CJ Meyers posted:

I'm about half way through reading "The Trains of Our Memory" by Peter Osborne, about the RRMoPA Muesum, its history and its long term plans. The book made it sound that the plans were to build the roundhouse, start making use of the property bought along Bishop road, and maybe even extend the main hall further. No evidence of that, run down and broken exhibits and a general lack of progress has the museum lacking a little of its luster in recent years, the #460 E6 notwithstanding.

And don't forget this museum did scrap the last PRR MP54 electric MU and maybe a Reading Blueliner?

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

CJ Meyers posted:

I'm about half way through reading "The Trains of Our Memory" by Peter Osborne, about the RRMoPA Muesum, its history and its long term plans. The book made it sound that the plans were to build the roundhouse, start making use of the property bought along Bishop road, and maybe even extend the main hall further. No evidence of that, run down and broken exhibits and a general lack of progress has the museum lacking a little of its luster in recent years, the #460 E6 notwithstanding.

And don't forget this museum did scrap the last PRR MP54 electric MU and maybe a Reading Blueliner?

The museum scrapped two identical cars that Septa donated. They were stripped cars and were only shells. I don’t even think they had pans on them at that point. If you are referring to the Reading Electric MU in the rolling stock hall, then you are wrong, it was not scrapped. That one is wonderfully restored (cosmetically) and is still in one piece.

Guys,

As a long time member of the RRMoPa I referenced the April 2019 issue of the Milepost, their official publication. On page 9, was an article about the success of their "Ready for the Roundhouse" fund raising campaign. $200,000 was raised through donations and a $50,000 matching fund was provided by the PRRT&HS, of which I am also a long time member. This money is to be used for the cosmetic restoration of the PRR M1b, K4s, L1s, H10s and B6sb which will join the E6s in the yet to be built roundhouse.

The only comment about the roundhouse itself was this quote;  "These engines along with the restored E6s No. 460, are slated to take their place in the Museum's to-be-built roundhouse, for which ground could possibly be broken this year."

The article goes on to thank the donating parties and give a brief mention of  an outside firm from Manchester, NY who will do the majority of the work, under the direction of the Museum rolling stock curator/restoration shop manager. Museum volunteers will also be assisting in this effort "which is expected to begin in earnest in late spring."

So, as you can see from the horses own mouth, There is no mention of any progress on the roundhouse, what-so-ever.

Respectfully

Buzz