Okay

So I read the preservation column in Trains magaizne and I notice that in order to focus more attention to Green Bay's collection they plan on disposing their Milwaukee Road E9 and Wisconsin Central GP-30.

I take it neither of them are worth preserving?? I was pretty steamed (no pun intended...) when I read that.

I mean I love steam, but I'd hate to see diesel history scrapped as much as steam history.

Eagle

quote:

Originally posted by MUEagle:
Okay

So I read the preservation column in Trains magaizne and I notice that in order to focus more attention to Green Bay's collection they plan on disposing their Milwaukee Road E9 and Wisconsin Central GP-30.

I take it neither of them are worth preserving?? I was pretty steamed (no pun intended...) when I read that.

I mean I love steam, but I'd hate to see diesel history scrapped as much as steam history.

Eagle

I don't remember if the Milwaukee E9 was a hulk, or has all the original equipment. If it has all the original equipment, then it is worth saving.

If it is sitting as a hulk, with no inner guts, unless somebody wants the loco for some sort of executive loco, and is willing to throw about $500,000.00 rebuilding it, then it is pretty much a run of the mill loco.

IRM has the BNSF E-9, and there are a few others scattered about. UPRR has their E38-2 locomotives in running order, a fine running example, albeit with a single engine, -2 control system, and AR-10. Nice locos, and they look like the original with minor changes.

From what I recall, the WC GP-30 was a hulk too. IRM has one of those too. Same deal, can't save them all.

Maybe these will go to some other museum, where they will sit outside, and rust away.

Too much old stuff out there rusting, not enough money to preserve it all.

Regards,
Jerry Zeman

After a careful reading of the article, I have to agree with the museum boards actions. The collection got to big to properly handle and by selling some of the less significant pieces they can devote their time/funding to better serve the rest of the collection.

Almost every rr museum in the country faces too much equipment, not enough funding/help in maintaining their collections.

First rule on dealing with historic equipment: get a plan, second: fund it; third: perserve it (put it under a cover) then restore it and put it on display.
All to often, its does in the reverse order.

The Cal State RR Museum is often fairly critized for letting the Santa Fe collection rot away in the backyard while having a first class museum out front.