Steam & Excursion > SP AC-12 4294 restoration

The tread bellow: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,4726962  got me thinking... What if the tables were turned and the SP devoured the UP... Hypothetically... Would the 4294 be getting it's Hydro test about now? There was a time, when folks said these giants would never roam the rails again. Wondering what condition she is in? I may have to call Bob Church and run this by him. You gota love the UP for the understanding of the PR a running Big Boy Brings. See you in Ogden in May with the masses.

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Hummmm....a cab forward AND a Big Boy.     I like that idea!

Dave if you would sell all the property you have you would have enough to buy the 4294 and have it restored yourself. Come on Dave loosen that money belt. The heck with your retirement years just imagine a plaque on the side of 4294 "Thanks to Dave Maffei's generosity future generations can enjoy this fine locomotive".

Robert Morris
Dunsmuir, CA
Robert Morris Photography

photobob Wrote:
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> Dave if you would sell all the property

Sell a house in Dunsmuir? Never... Who would buy it other than a train nut like us?

As to condition, wasn't the locomotive shopped not long before being set aside? As I remember SP had thoughts
of some steam use into 1957, been a while on that one.

Out



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/19 19:18 by callum_out.

seems there was a plan at one time to close the Sparks RH in 1957 and going to the end of 1956, there were no plans to shut down steam in late 1956 into 1957, business took a big slumb and traffic left a lot of power just standing waiting to the next call. bakersfield shopped abunch of GS's for the 1957 rush that never came, west Oakland and Roseville had plenty of standby steam power and even Tracy had 2-10-2's on hand.....Steam, took a major hit due to business  taking a hugh down turn.  Its possible that if business wasstill good, we would have had steam util the first of 1958????

The history of railroads, like the rest of the economy, is one of following its ups and downs...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

#4294 sat outside for about 20 years before the California State Railroad Museum was built, so there's that.