I was at the NRM last year & saw the Bulit Train. Has the NRM approched any of the North American museums or the like about having a BigBoy & or a Challenger on Loan.
Dave.
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daveinstoke
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richard
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Cost enough to ship! Not just across the Atlantic, but you've then got to get it from the docks to York.
I think the surviving Big Boys are popular engines even though they're in varied condition. I think an owner would much prefer to get one into steam than to send it on a trip.
Perhaps if a museum went bust it might be possible, but you still have the shipping costs/etc and probably a restoration nightmare.
(the one here in Dallas that there was talk of restoring to running condition for a film, has its motion cut...)
Richard
I think the surviving Big Boys are popular engines even though they're in varied condition. I think an owner would much prefer to get one into steam than to send it on a trip.
Perhaps if a museum went bust it might be possible, but you still have the shipping costs/etc and probably a restoration nightmare.
(the one here in Dallas that there was talk of restoring to running condition for a film, has its motion cut...)
Richard
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daveinstoke
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I do know that the film deal fell through due to the cost of restoring a bigboy. Plus UP do not have a turntable big enough any more. Just think of the interest though with a bigboy at York plus the amount of visitors etc. the logistics of moving one would be a nightmare though all 500 tons of it LOL
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Dave.
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Dave.
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jdtoronto
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The other problem is condition. I have seen the one at the fairgrounds in Pomona and it looks great. But the guys who look after it seem to jealously guard it. When I was chatting to one of them some years back (around the time of the proposal to restore another big-boy) I was told basically that this thing leaves here over our dead bodies unless it is restored and back on the mainline.
I haven't seen any of the others in a long time (I have seen the ones in Nebraska and Wyoming) but none of them were in good shape and I hear the situation is not improving. UP have apparently stated on several occassions that they have no interest in restoring a big-boy due to cost an the fact that there is really nowhere you can operate the things because you cant turn them around!
John
I haven't seen any of the others in a long time (I have seen the ones in Nebraska and Wyoming) but none of them were in good shape and I hear the situation is not improving. UP have apparently stated on several occassions that they have no interest in restoring a big-boy due to cost an the fact that there is really nowhere you can operate the things because you cant turn them around!
John
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x568wcn
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The Chineese one in the NRM is big enough as it is, and like today when the turntable is going round, you can't get round the front of it, and it's so big there's no way round the back, the only route to get round is up the ramp of the bullet train, and back round and up again, then down the steps at the otherside!
On the subject of NRM and the Bullet Train, here in York, I'm also a Cub Scout Leader, and in October 2004 we slept in the NRM I post the link here;
http://www.pacificcubs.co.uk/news/30-31-10-2004-nrm.asp This is one of my wany websites I build!
On the subject of NRM and the Bullet Train, here in York, I'm also a Cub Scout Leader, and in October 2004 we slept in the NRM I post the link here;
http://www.pacificcubs.co.uk/news/30-31-10-2004-nrm.asp This is one of my wany websites I build!