Steam & Excursion > Ed Dickens the next Dick Jensen?

Reading all the trials and tribulations over the past few years about the current state of the UP steam program brings back some sad memories of what happened many years ago to a couple of steam locomotives that are no longer in existence. Granted the circumstances are quite different as E.D. does not own the lococs in his charge. I hope those locos don't meet a similar fate.

For those of us unfamiliar with Mr. Jensen, could you please provide some background as to what you are talking about?

Thank you.

Posted from iPhone

At the end didn't Jensen become really ill and unable to carry on?
I don't see much similarity between Richard Jensen and Cheyenne Ed.

I rode behind GTW 5629 in Michigan several times, and the trips were
great. It's sad about what happened to his locomotives.

John.

walstib Wrote:
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> For those of us unfamiliar with Mr. Jensen, could
> you please provide some background as to what you
> are talking about?
>
> Thank you.
>
> Posted from iPhone


Here you go
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/union/jensen.shtml

Thanks

Posted from iPhone

I still think Metra has cinders on its hands from this. Did they even ask the judge for permission to move it? Hard to believe a judge would grant permission to scrap but not permission to move it. But he can't if he's not asked.

In Dick's "later years", he seemed to become obsessed with litigation, i.e. going to court and suing people. What compounded the situation was, after he won the lawsuit against the scrap yard that scrapped his CB&Q O-5b #5632, for lack of storage payments, Dick then assumed that he could take on anybody and win. Obviously that plan did NOT work against METRA, when they tried and tried and tried to get dick to move his Grand Trunk Pacific #5629, off METRA property, in Blue Island, IL. Finally, METRA went through the PROPER court processes, and eventually scrapped #5629 right there on the spot, in plane view of anybody driving past!

So, in the big picture of things, both the CB&Q O5b #5632 AND GTW #5629 wound up being scrapped, and we are all the worse off.

filmteknik Wrote:
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> I still think Metra has cinders on its hands from
> this. Did they even ask the judge for permission
> to move it? Hard to believe a judge would grant
> permission to scrap but not permission to move it.
> But he can't if he's not asked.

Why would METRA have wanted to move the locomotive, since they didn't own it? They tried to get Dick to move it off their property, over the course of a few years, and all Dick kept saying was stuff to the effect, "It is mine, and you can't do anything about it!".

Judge should have ordered Jensen (and both counsels) into chambers and yelled at him, when we go back out there I am going have to issue an order allowing Metra to scrap your engine. IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT? ARE YOU NUTS?

filmteknik Wrote:
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> Judge should have ordered Jensen (and both
> counsels) into chambers and yelled at him, when we
> go back out there I am going have to issue an
> order allowing Metra to scrap your engine. IS
> THIS WHAT YOU WANT? ARE YOU NUTS?

Surprisingly, as best as I can remember, what you describe is pretty much what happened! Except, Dick kept taking the attitude, "You can't do THAT!". Wrong thing to tell the judge.

No it was the right thing to tell the judge as Dick had a open ended lease on the land with the Rock Island Real Estate Corporation were involved the the disposal of all land after the financil disolve of the Rock. METRA was offered the land and didn't want to pay for it. Then there became the possibility of a new repair facility and the graft and corruption of locals a plan was hatched were by
it would occupy the ground on which the 5629 sat. To aid in the plan 300 ft of track in front of the engine was removed. This prevented Dick from access to IAIS or off METRA property. The judges order was set up to tell METRA replace the track and Jensen will leave. They decided to pay to have the engine cut up and then when the profit was made by a Scrapper already in bankruptcy process pay the cash to another politicians campaign fund. All of the information was turned over to the Feds after Dick's death.

There is a little more to the story. Jensen had his issues and really did not think Metra would scrap the engine. But through the help of some friends he was finally convinced that they were serious and the engine needed to be moved. Jensen had a place to move the engine but Metra would not allow anyone on the property to move the engine. They even went so far as to cut the rail behind the engine. That ended moving the engine. Even though Jensen won the law suit, he never saw a dime. The scrap yard and the railroad tied it up in court until he died and then settled with his sister.

As I said, Metra has cinders on their hands in this.

Ross Rowland says that all the time when we ask why he won't move the 614.LOL
HotWater Wrote:
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> Why would METRA have wanted to move the
> locomotive, since they didn't own it? They tried
> to get Dick to move it off their property, over
> the course of a few years, and all Dick kept
> saying was stuff to the effect, "It is mine, and
> you can't do anything about it!".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/14 13:27 by ep75.

A few other few points: I met Dick Jensen a couple of times prior to running 5629 trips, and later 4070 trips. At one time I found him sleeping by the roundhouse
in the back of an Edsel station wagon (very rare), wrapped up around an alemite gun. He also owned (or had down payment on), another steam locomotive not mentioned in any of these threads. It was a Nickel Plate 2-8-2 900 series. This is not the USRA design that was sold to Mexico, or the 587 from Indianapolis. This was a true NKP 2-8-2. It was in a scrap yard waiting for him to pay for it and remove it. Maybe near Chicago. Anyone have a photo of this Mikado?

Hit the wrong number on the mobile phone, but I think you knew what I meant.
Appalachianrails Wrote:
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> ep75 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Ross Rowland says that all the time when we ask
> > why he won't move the 611.LOL
> > HotWater Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Why would METRA have wanted to move the
> > > locomotive, since they didn't own it? They
> > tried
> > > to get Dick to move it off their property,
> over
> > > the course of a few years, and all Dick kept
> > > saying was stuff to the effect, "It is mine,
> > and
> > > you can't do anything about it!".
>
> Since when is Ross Rowland associated with the N&W
> 611?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/14 13:30 by ep75.

filmteknik Wrote:
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> As I said, Metra has cinders on their hands in
> this.

And after reading more from other posters, I now FULLY AGREE!!!!!

Jensen never owned NKP965. He assisted in moving the engine to Chicago from the scrap yard in Gary. In return he had the first option to by the engine if the scrap yard wanted to sell it. The president of the scrap yard was saving it for his children to see. It was accidentally cut up.

When the 1522 ventured up to Chicago and Fon du Lac in 1988, we were firing up in Chicago when Jensen walked up and was looking at the engine. Gary Bensman, who was standing there asked him "Whatcha doing Dick, trying to figure out where you'll make the first cut"?

AS I remember the story, METRA wouldn't inspect the 5629, and would allow no one else to inspect the loco, which was REQUIRED to make the move, even if the missing track had been replaced. Always suspected it was a back room deal in retaliation for his suit against CW&I, which had a similar problem with removing his engines from leased space in their roundhouse. NO INSPECTIONS -- NO MOVES
Dick visited Hesston many times, and he and his sidekick Bob walked me thru the first sticking M3A feed valve I cleaned and lubed.
John Harbeck -Hesston Steam Museum, NW Indiana

John Harbeck
Valparaiso, IN