Steam & Excursion > Saving the L&A 503

Jason Sobczynski and Nick Hovey are in Port Arthur, Texas right now trying to do what they can to save the L&A 503 from being scrapped. They are attempting to make an arrangement with the scrapper to purchase the locomotive and raise awareness down there for its survival. This is real grassroots preservation in action!

A gofundme has been started to help raise some of the money needed to purchase and move the locomotive. Over $1,600 has been raised in the last few hours.

This could be a great time for all of us to band together to pull off this 11th hour rescue!

https://www.gofundme.com/help-save-the-la-503-friends-of

-AWF-

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/18 19:28 by -AWF-.

$2K in 10 hours with nothing but local media and the Interwebs is pretty damn impressive. #save503

Rob



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/18 19:53 by Robertjohndavis.

I just kicked in a $100.
Hope others do too. Says I.

Reading the donor list thus far, I think it is safe to say anyone supporting the project is in pretty good company.

Rob

Posted from iPhone

How much money is needed? I'd like to know that before donating.

Sometimes you just have to jump in with your fellow railroaders. Says I.

THE NEWS Port Arthur:
http://www.panews.com/2018/02/13/with-little-spoken-city-seeks-to-remove-engine-503/

tomstp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How much money is needed? I'd like to know that
> before donating.


$50,000

ATsf2921-4-8-4 Wrote:
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> I just kicked in a $100.
> Hope others do too. Says I.

Add Rob and I to the list, as well as a few other TO
members - good to see. And as always, Ross Rowland's
name is on the list.

Seems the type of locomotive that would perfectly fit
the Age of Steam's collection - namely, it's available,
but also, likely, free, other then transportation costs.

Wish them the best!

/Mitch

Thank you Jason and Nick!
The fate of L&A 503 is in two very good pair of hands.
Matthew Malkiewicz

I'm in. How 'bout some more of you that are in a position?

Gordon

Got a question for the saints, Jason Sobczynski and Nick Hovey, that are leading the charge.
When you get the engine...
where will it be moved?
will it be reconstructed-rebuild to operate under her own steam?
Guess that's it for now, says I.

ATsf2921-4-8-4 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Got a question for the saints, Jason Sobczynski
> and Nick Hovey, that are leading the charge.
> When you get the engine...
> where will it be moved?

Texas State Railroad

> will it be reconstructed-rebuild to operate under
> her own steam?

There's a railroad in Florida that wants it to operate.

> Guess that's it for now, says I.



It's remarkable to me how quickly they've gotten a plan together and have already raised over $10,000.

https://www.gofundme.com/help-save-the-la-503-friends-of/

If they can't save the engine, what happens to the money collected?

The plan all the way along for this group has been to get someone to pay to save the locomotive and then move it to Florida.

The city of Allen, TX would love to have the locomotive and is trying to contact the owner.

needles_sub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If they can't save the engine, what happens to the
> money collected?


It'll be returned to the donor, or passed along to another preservation group.

I think it’s hilarious that the royal palm has agreed to allow the 503 to operate on their railroad pulling their excursion trains. Of course they will, but only after someone else pays to save the locomotive and fully restore it. Then they will be kind enough to operate it on their excursions, I wonder if they will be kind enough to share profits from having a operational steam locomotive. Or are they interested only in running it and not actually caring for it?

I hope it goes the Texas State RR and stays there.

Posted from iPhone

Almost halfway there!!

I did my part and hope others do too. We should not be scrapping steam engines in 2018.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/18 11:02 by U-3-b.