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Maine city receives six bids to restore steam locomotive
The locomotive should stay in Maine!
Maine Central 470 is a 4-6-2 Pacific. http://nellschoo.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1516369
Doug Kisala
Seen it for years sitting outside. Hope someone restores it and puts it under cover.
The 470 is a 4-6-2
470 is a Pacific type, albeit about the size of a larger ten wheeler. Waterville has had difficulty keeping 470 up, since there are very few potential volunteers to do the work.
I don’t understand why the city would solicit bids if the locomotive was not assured to remain in or near Waterville.
Sorry–restore for static display or restore for operation?
First line of the story tells you what type of locomotive it is. It is unclear if the city will retain ownership. Hopefully all the questions can be answered soon.
My Dad and I watched the 470 pull the last MEC steam train out of Portland’s Union Station. She put on quite a show. It would cost a fortune to restore and operate the engine. This machine would need a corporate sponsor to run again and New England has no railroads with nostalgic management that would consider or be capable of operating a steam program.
Steve,
The engine doesn’t have a roof over it, it already looks pretty sad, and it’s only going to get worse. This happened to a lot of city park locomotives over the years. Engines that are exposed to the weather deteriorate very quickly.
Since the city doesn’t have any money to maintain it, and as yet no local organizations have stepped up to take care of it, the city officials probably figure it’s better that the engine went to a new home where it could be maintained, than to keep it and let it rust into oblivion.
Tom
The 470 is actually a 4-6-2 pacific. Would be great to see it in steam, perhaps olongside B&M 3713 which has been undergoing restoration at Steamtown all these many years. Any info on whether any of the proposals are for operation?
The 470 is actually a 4-6-2 pacific. Would be great to see it in steam, perhaps olongside B&M 3713 which has been undergoing restoration at Steamtown all these many years. Any info on whether any of the proposals are for operation?
The 470 is actually a 4-6-2 pacific. Would be great to see it in steam, perhaps olongside B&M 3713 which has been undergoing restoration at Steamtown all these many years. Any info on whether any of the proposals are for operation?
The 470 is actually a 4-6-2 pacific. Would be great to see it in steam, perhaps olongside B&M 3713 which has been undergoing restoration at Steamtown all these many years. Any info on whether any of the proposals are for operation?
It is a 4-6-2, not a ten wheeler. Are these proposals for operation or just cosmetic?
It is a 4-6-2, not a ten wheeler. Are these proposals for operation or just cosmetic?
I hope a Maine/New England bidder is awarded the engine. It would be a shame for it to leave the B&M/ Maine Central territory. Yes, it is better to leave the territory and restore it and keep it under cover but…
TRAINS’ Preservation Award
NRHS Heritage Grant Award
Charity Search Engines
Grocery Stores Fundraisers
When will the results of the review process be known? I grew up in Rumford, ME and have memories of MEC steam.