Steam & Excursion > Saving L&A 503 Update

The first day of fundraising has brought in over $10,500 so far! That's really nice to see and hope it continues as more folks hear about it. There are so few examples of KCS-L&A steam that have survived that we can't lose one now.

Gordon

When it is safe and on a truck...
where will it be going (to stay)
and
will it be rebuilt for operations under its own steam?
Asks I.

For those not following L&A steam, what is L&A 503 wheel arrangement.

ATsf2921-4-8-4 Wrote:
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> When it is safe and on a truck...
> where will it be going (to stay)
> and
> will it be rebuilt for operations under its own
> steam?
> Asks I.


On the GoFundMe it says it is heading to Rusk, TX, so presumably the Texas State Railroad.

TexasRocket Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ATsf2921-4-8-4 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > When it is safe and on a truck...
> > where will it be going (to stay)
> > and
> > will it be rebuilt for operations under its own
> > steam?
> > Asks I.
>
>
> On the GoFundMe it says it is heading to Rusk, TX,
> so presumably the Texas State Railroad.

A post on Royal Palm Railway Experience's Facebook page says they are willing to accomodate it. Copied and pasted from their post:

The Royal Palm team is pleased to offer an opportunity to help save a steam engine in peril of imminent scrapping.

Louisiana & Arkansas 503 is a 1913 built 4-6-0 that is currently in Port Arthur, TX. If saved and restored, the Royal Palm Rail Experience and Orlando & Northwestern Railway is a willing potential host and long term home for the 503.

There is a Go Fund Me page established for Friends of the 503 to cover the immediate conservation and removal needs of the locomotive.

One of the leading questions we get is do you have or have plans for a steam engine?

The Royal Palm/O&NW has agreed to allow the 503 to pull our trains upon its successful salvation and restoration.

The restoration of a steam locomotive is a huge undertaking, and while we are a new company, it is difficult to raise the necessary funds. We are able to contribute labor and resources to this process, and look forward to helping this locomotive live again. Please visit the Friends of the 503 GoFundMe page at the link listed below and read over the details regarding this locomotive. It is an enormous undertaking and a long road, but one we feel is worth helping out.

This opportunity is sort of an answer to that question - but the 503 needs to be saved from scrapping first if it were to run again, anywhere. It would be perfectly suited for operation in the Golden Triangle - small yet powerful enough to pull our modern passenger cars.

We wanted to share this amongst our friends followers in an effort to help save this engine for future generations to understand and enjoy the allure of steam.

Thank you for the consideration and support in seeing the 503 saved.

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

Posted from Android

Texas State Railroad can only store the engine, and is willing to do that. The ultimate destination of this group is to move the locomotive to Florida.

The city of Allen, TX has been actively trying to contact the owner to move the locomotive there.

I had donated via the GOFUNDME system and there was an additional surcharge that, I assume, went to the Go-Fund-Me company.
I would have rather that that additional charge went to the L&A Ten-Wheeler group saving the locomotive.
I may have to donate again so that the group can reach the $50K goal.
However, I want my donation to go directly to the engine's group.
What is there address and bank required name for a check made out to the 503?
I hope I am making sense. So says I.

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To eliminate the tip, just put in $0 and all of whatever amount you donate will go to the group.

Due to the extremely short notice and the available time frame, a 501(c)(3) was not set up.