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Tennessee museum acquires Southern Railway U23B
That the parts source will be dismantled eventually leaves me concerned over what happens to this new acquisition when the inevitable day arrives when her running days are also over. Will she be eliminated from the collection and scrapped as well? Or will the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum remain committed to this addition even when she’s a mere static display?
I don’t mind parting out her sister, but I’d like to see that concern of mine satisfied since there’s certainty not uncommon to see a strickened diesel locomotive be considered as only worth its worth as scrap at many museums around the world.
And perhaps also some consideration in the years to come at being open minded over the fate of the 3965. Sadly, her wheels are pretty worn which precludes interchange and is all but assuredly cost prohibitive to her going on static display elsewhere.
But if folks like myself that would love to see two high hood U23B’s saved, maybe we could work something out for a cosmetic restoration such as in an early CSX paint scheme like she likely wore before retirement. Would make for a fine display, help protect her innards in the coming years, and if something major happens to the 3965 such as frame damage, there’s an alternate plan available.
3965 was always Southern, the former L&N/CSX loco is 2817/9553. 9553 is used regularly in excursion service and has been rebuilt quite a bit by SARM.
If anyone wants to buy 3937, we would probably sell it if the price is right. But first, it will be a parts engine to help fully restore 3965, so it won’t be much more than a shell, with even some of that gone. It all comes down to dollars and parts. Basically the question for SARM is do we want two stuff-and-mounted locos rusting away, or one loco operating and earning its keep pulling a passenger train? Things can change if someone wants to write a big enough check.
Charity Search Engines as a new source of funds.
What does the “Charity Search Engines as a new source of funds” comment have to do with this story or others with the same comment by the same individual?
Paul Marynowych,
Expand on that a little more. My old high school english teacher would call your post a “sentence fragment”. Is there a search engine out there that devotes itself to funding sources for railroad preservation? If there is, share it with us.
The guys and gals at SARM know all too well how hard it is to keep 'em running. A source of parts for something like a U-Boat is essential, if somewhat unpleasant to contemplate. Better one in service than two stuffed, as Dr. Jennings observed.
Cool!
Hope they will eventually be able to repaint the #3937 back into original, attractive Southern Railway colors (?). This would certainly be more attractive then the current Norfolk Southern black paint on the loco.
Definitely paint it in the Southern Tuxedo paint scheme!