LIRR C420 Preservation: Dakota Southern Railroad Engine 213

Posting this here, just in case anyone would like to pull a hail mary.

The Dakota Southern railroad has recently apparently announced they'll be scrapping various locomotives; including 213, which is an original LIRR C420, still with high hood. As this seems at-a-glance to be in a better condition than the Other C420 perennially discussed as a candidate for return (the DLW one), i felt linking it here would be prudent, in case any organization would like to save it.

http://www.rypn.org/forums/memberlist.p ... le&u=21378 said he'd take any serious inquiries to the owner.

I hope and pray it makes it home to L I.

LIRR 213 on the Dakota Southern has a burned out traction motor, but is otherwise functional. It also has/had auto- alignment couplers. It would seem like this is the best opportunity to pull off a real LIRR preservation save, since this was a "backbone of the fleet" locomotive for 15 years.
Before some smart-ass tells me to go buy it myself, I should point out , this is a Long Island or ALCO group responsibility. Yes, it would make me happy, but somebody involved in LI preservation should get this going, and NOW!

Well said

What is the price tag on something like this?

Scrap value, which I haven't calculated. On the other hand, and this is important, the seller realizes the historic importance of the locomotive, at least as far as it's history is concerned. A recipient organization might get a donation or special price for the cost of moving it and the tax write-off. These are avenues I would absolutely research. Safe storage in transit will require some phone calls and arrangements. This is not an impossible dream and there are always ways to "work the problem", but I caution anybody with the desire to preserve 213 to talk to the owner first, and get involved with a 501c3 company to make the arrangements.

Yes.

Considering her current condition, utter completeness, actually being in a position for purchase etc, i'd say there will never be a better time to bring a L-1 to the island. I could practically picture her being painted in the yellow and blue as a counterpart to 1556; or resplendent in world's fair.

I understand moving a locomotive is no small task, especially for the distances involved, but at the same time an L-1 is an important and glaring absence in the history of the LIRR; considering they operated the most, it's really a truer LIRR engine than even an RS-3!

I would really, really like to see her return home, that's what i'm saying.

How can a 501c3 thing get started?

Trainman14 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 08, 2021 1:26 am How can a 501c3 thing get started?

Can be hard from the start. You need a article or certificate of state incorporation, detailed plans and
specifics on how the organization will be governed and its business plan, plus various record-keeping
and annual reports. It is best to work with someone from an existing group who can lend a hand on how.

Exactly. There are two groups on LI who can extend that classification. Obtain the locomotive for them without making them a part of the process. This is a historic piece of machinery, critical to the history of Long Island and the railroad itself. However, talk to the current owner first and find out what his conditions are for preserving the locomotive. He might hold it intact until it can be moved.

Allow me to go back a bit. Contact the owner of the locomotive and find out its status as of today. Would he be willing to hold the locomotive on DS property until funding could be arranged to move it by rail? This is going to be fairly expensive, but not out of the question. Next, what is an acceptable price for the C420 as it stands today? Would a tax donation suffice?
Once these questions are answered you have something with which to work. Where to move it to so it's safe as it is held? There are several railroad museums you might approach in NJ, Mass., or Conn., and eventually LI. They may not want to have anything to do with it, but that's not saying they'd definitely refuse. What about DL in Scranton?
Insurance for the move might be handled through RPCOA. You have a lot of cards to stack and this cannot be handled by a lone railfan in his mother's basement. You need some organization.
Most important - talk to OBRM and RMLI. This is a prize artifact. You know, if you talk to the MTA privately, respectfully, they might have a location to hold it at Cedar Hill or Harmon.
Your enemies are time and interest from the general railfan public. Nothing is impossible, but this will require hours of significant work by serious people with a plan.
Seeing the locomotive in the World's Fair "swoop" would be a terrific, functional, historic artifact telling the story of the LIRR's modernization during the 1960's. It also says something about ALCO in Schenectady, another selling point for New York State.
WORK THE PROBLEM.

Whoever is planning on moving 213 back to Long Island should seriously consider starting a GoFundMe. Plenty of people will spread the word about it, and it worked for saving other locomotives before (such as a steam locomotive, I forget which one, in Texas a few years ago.)

Let’s hope for the best.

I have sent a letter of inquiry to Dakota Southern. If I get a response, I'll post it here.

In the meantime, start thinking about a Go Fund Me and (this is critical) where you will move it as "safe ground" wear it can be weatherized and attended to by people who have a plan. I suspect the purchase will not be the big issue, but moving it will be.

Talk to an established museum or similar location. NOW!

You e mailed the Dakota Southern? Interesting. Let’s hope they respond.