RR Museum of PA

I'm glad you enjoyed your visit.  It never grows old visiting that museum.

-Greg

Great photos. A great place. Spent many weekends in Strasburg with the family.

Greg Houser posted:

I'm glad you enjoyed your visit.  It never grows old visiting that museum.

-Greg

Agreed. I'm fortunate to live within fairly easy striking distance, and still get pretty amped up every time I go.  The Smithsonian Air & Space and the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB are two others like that for me.

Thanks for sharing.  It's been nearly 25 years since I was able to visit.  What was the state of the M1b?  When I was last there she was in good shape, but from some pictures in the internet it was apparent she has deteriorated.  Hopefully the museum is restoring her.  I hope to get up there sometime in the next couple of years.  It's a long way from TX!

The M1b locomotive is in need of help it is deteriorating slowly.

I'm not sure of the state of the M1b.  We never made it to the yard as we had guests and hungry kids.  They were trying to raise $250K to restore 5 steam locomotives, M1b and K4 and a few others that will eventually be stored in a future roundhouse... not sure if the roundhouse was every built or not.  If $250K is all they think they need to restore some grandeur to 5 big locomotives this doesn't sound like anything major needs to be done or if it's just body work and paint. 

Tuscan Jim posted:

Greg Houser posted:

I'm glad you enjoyed your visit.  It never grows old visiting that museum.

-Greg

Agreed. I'm fortunate to live within fairly easy striking distance, and still get pretty amped up every time I go.  The Smithsonian Air & Space and the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB are two others like that for me.

The Ford Museum in Detroit also houses some masterpieces of engineering.  Entire Westinghouse generators 2 stories high are a sight to see.

Kirk R posted:

I'm not sure of the state of the M1b.  We never made it to the yard as we had guests and hungry kids.  They were trying to raise $250K to restore 5 steam locomotives, M1b and K4 and a few others that will eventually be stored in a future roundhouse... not sure if the roundhouse was every built or not.  If $250K is all they think they need to restore some grandeur to 5 big locomotives this doesn't sound like anything major needs to be done or if it's just body work and paint. 

I volunteer at the museum, and the money being raised is to do just what you said: to get 5 steam locomotives (M1b, K4, B6, H8 and L1s) stabilized and cosmetically restored to be displayed in the new Roundhouse, which is now slated to have a groundbreaking next Spring (hopefully!)

The E6 which was just restored recently will be the centerpiece, set on a rolling platform to move the drivers, with the other 5 displayed out from that in almost a turntable setup.

I believe the B6 is now in the Restoration Shop or will be soon, to get her started.  

The folks there have recognized for a while how much those 5 engines, as well as many others in the yard, need some work to defend against the elements.  Budget concerns pushed a lot of the projects back, and from what I'm hearing, after the 5 steam engines are ready, next up is 4800, to be restored to the "as delivered" scheme.

Glad you enjoyed the museum!  I ended up volunteering because I'm there so much anyway!

Eddie, next time I'll have to spend some more time out in the yard.  The paired DD1s up front I think deserve some attention as well.  Do they restore any of these engines to run or is it just for cosmetics and display?  

I'm a bit over an hour away and would love to come out more.  

Kirk

I need to see this.

Kirk R posted:

Eddie, next time I'll have to spend some more time out in the yard.  The paired DD1s up front I think deserve some attention as well.  Do they restore any of these engines to run or is it just for cosmetics and display?  

I'm a bit over an hour away and would love to come out more.  

Kirk

 

Kirk,

According to most of the Museum people I talk with there, most of the locomotives are cosmetically restored for display only, as running them would wear out some of the components and replacing some parts of a loco, car, etc. would affect how it was received by the Museum originally.

That was why the PRR 1223 and 7002 were eventually returned to the Museum after the running at Strasburg, as it was getting to where parts would need to be replaced, bringing the need to remove more original parts.

Their Restoration Shop seems to really be working at a better pace now, so hopefully most of the locos and cars stored outdoors will all get stabilized and have cosmetic restorations.

Eddie Marra posted:

Kirk R posted:

Eddie, next time I'll have to spend some more time out in the yard.  The paired DD1s up front I think deserve some attention as well.  Do they restore any of these engines to run or is it just for cosmetics and display?  

I'm a bit over an hour away and would love to come out more.  

Kirk

 

Kirk,

According to most of the Museum people I talk with there, most of the locomotives are cosmetically restored for display only, as running them would wear out some of the components and replacing some parts of a loco, car, etc. would affect how it was received by the Museum originally.

However, once they repaint things, they're no longer as received by the museum.  I suppose they still have the original asbestos lagging, or was that replaced destroying the historical value?  

Plus, any locomotive has had multiple parts replaced during its service life.  Even so, it would cost some very BIG bucks to restore everything to operation.

The choice is simple: Either stuff and mount, retaining as much originality as possible or restore for operation under current codes.  They are mutually exclusive.

That was why the PRR 1223 and 7002 were eventually returned to the Museum after the running at Strasburg, as it was getting to where parts would need to be replaced, bringing the need to remove more original parts.

To say nothing of bringing the boilers up to current code. 

Rusty

Their Restoration Shop seems to really be working at a better pace now, so hopefully most of the locos and cars stored outdoors will all get stabilized and have cosmetic restorations.