No Steam at Steamtown

It has been reported in several publications and websites, that Steamtown will not have
any operable steam engines in service this year and there are no prospects to remedy
the situation in the immediate future.

The National Park Service will probably blame the federal budget sequester, but that is
is a non-starter. Surely, they knew long before the sequester was first proposed that
the 3254 was running on borrowed time. The feds should put the facility on the market
and see it there are any private businesses that might have an interest.

I'm sure a scrap metal dealer would be very interested... I would imagine that most of us here would not agree with that option.

Any further comment would veer wildly toward the political therefore I will stop right here.

When you compare what the Age of Steam has accomplished with private money, the Feds have really dropped the ball on this project. I do stop by because I live so close, it's not generating any excitement in my world. I enjoy the watching the antique Alco's D-L has running about, hands down.

toolmaker wrote:When you compare what the Age of Steam has accomplished with private money, the Feds have really dropped the ball on this project. I do stop by because I live so close, it's not generating any excitement in my world. I enjoy the watching the antique Alco's D-L has running about, hands down.

The Feds drop the ball on most everything they touch.

I read an article on line somewhere, that the Baldwin should be back in steam this summer.

Thoughts, comments, etc......

The fact that there are NO operating AMERICAN steam locomotives at a US Natl. Park is something that bugs me (and alot of others). Not knocking the 2 engines they have BUT it would be nice to see a Reading T1 or Pennsy K4 or similar class locomotive powering trains up there. Yeah that Baldwin is cute but it won't be powering any mainline excursions.I know I should be thankful for anything but the place is stale. Same static displays as 15-18 years ago.If they (US Govt.) can fund an artist to paint with fecal matter then they da*n well can pay to rehab some good old American steam locomotives.Just letting off a little steam (pun intended).

I remember the no AMERICAN locomotives running at Steamtown comments in the past.
I remember that the CANADIAN locomotives or at least similar ones ran in northern New England on routes that went thru there.
I guess it is like the "American" automobiles. I read that the Honda Civic has the most American content of any car available in the US.
The Steamtown collection used to have a wide range of equipment. It included at least 2 British locos and locos from all around North America including a Union Pacific 4-4-0. I haven't been to Steamtown in many years but I had heard that if it wasn't something that ran in PA it wasn't wanted in the collection.
Ray

If the superintendent of steamtown had his way the entire fleet would be a static display.

How many shop employees with steam expertise are left on the payroll?
If very few such workers remain, that will be an indication where Steamtown
is heading.

chief wrote:If the superintendent of steamtown had his way the entire fleet would be a static display.

When he loses his job because revenue is down because people aren't coming I hope he understands why.

Truthfully,the only reason I'd go there now is to watch D-L Alcos do some switching and then follow them down the mountain to Slateford .Now the trolley ride is something entirely different to me. It has special meaning as my great grandfather was a Laurel Line conductor.

The problem didn't start this year.

Visitors to the region's National Park Service sites may detect some impacts from automatic federal budget cuts.

As the summer season unofficially begins with Memorial Day weekend and outdoor activity increases, a 5 percent reduction in the NPS operating budget affects operations at Delaware Water Gap and Steamtown National Historic Site.

"We are trying to minimize the impact on the visitors and trying to have a normal schedule," said Kip Hagen, superintendent at Steamtown. The automatic budget cuts, known as sequestration, took effect March 1 and slash federal spending in the current fiscal year by about $85 billion.

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/visito ... -1.1495452

Does anyone have an update on Baldwin #26