The money train has left the 3001 at the station for now
by: Robert Borrelli 2/21/2011
ELKHART -- Efforts to restore a rare steam locomotive at Elkhart's New York Central Railroad Museum for nearly 24 years are accelerating, even though a group that was interested in doing the restoration has stepped aside.
Late last year city officials revealed that two firms were interested in leasing the Mohawk 3001 steam engine from the city for $5,000 a year, restore it for an estimated $1 million, and run it on excursions before returning it to the city after 15 years.
Mayor Dick Moore was at first reluctant to part with the 70-year-old coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive but, after communicating with rail buffs and those who brought the locomotive here from Texas, he now supports restoration efforts.
According to Moore, a nonprofit group of rail buffs called the Friends of the 261, based in Shoreview, Minn., thought the Elkhart Mohawk could be overhauled for about $1 million and would try to find the money to do it.
But that was a year ago.
Since then, Friends of the 261 have purchased a larger locomotive and are now involved in a million-dollar rehab of that engine to operate it on Midwest excursions and therefore don't have the money to lease and rehab Elkhart's locomotive right now.
"They're wrapped up in the 261 and can't handle two at a time, but they're still interested," said Moore, "We don't have one or two million dollars ourselves," Moore added, saying he'd rather have an outside organization perform the restoration.
To that end, the mayor plans to form a committee made up of railroad buffs and members of the Lakeshore Railroad Historical Foundation, which leased the steam engine to the city of Elkhart for 100 years back in 1987.
But even before that committee is formed, the city is contacting railroads, private companies and individuals interested in being involved in the restoration.
"We're drafting a letter to send out to a couple companies that have the ability to do it," said Ron Troyer, coordinator of Elkhart's New York Central Railroad Museum.
Troyer said people have come forward willing to donate money for the restoration, an effort the yet-to-be-formed committee will coordinate.
While Troyer says an unnamed party is investigating whether it could run the 3001 on excursions from Elkhart to Grand Rapids and back, city officials and rail buffs agree even if the engine is restored, it may never run locally due to the high volume of rail traffic.
Bob Spaugh, past president and founder of the Lakeshore Railroad Historical Foundation, said he has been contacted about being on the committee and wants to be involved.
Moore says he'd like to stick to the original proposal of leasing the locomotive for 15 years, allowing it to operate elsewhere with Elkhart New York Central Railroad Museum on the side of it.
"People would see our name on it as an attraction to the city and the museum. Leaving it sit for another 15 years wouldn't accomplish that."
http://www.etruth.com/know/news/story.aspx?ID=535562
by: Robert Borrelli 2/21/2011
ELKHART -- Efforts to restore a rare steam locomotive at Elkhart's New York Central Railroad Museum for nearly 24 years are accelerating, even though a group that was interested in doing the restoration has stepped aside.
Late last year city officials revealed that two firms were interested in leasing the Mohawk 3001 steam engine from the city for $5,000 a year, restore it for an estimated $1 million, and run it on excursions before returning it to the city after 15 years.
Mayor Dick Moore was at first reluctant to part with the 70-year-old coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive but, after communicating with rail buffs and those who brought the locomotive here from Texas, he now supports restoration efforts.
According to Moore, a nonprofit group of rail buffs called the Friends of the 261, based in Shoreview, Minn., thought the Elkhart Mohawk could be overhauled for about $1 million and would try to find the money to do it.
But that was a year ago.
Since then, Friends of the 261 have purchased a larger locomotive and are now involved in a million-dollar rehab of that engine to operate it on Midwest excursions and therefore don't have the money to lease and rehab Elkhart's locomotive right now.
"They're wrapped up in the 261 and can't handle two at a time, but they're still interested," said Moore, "We don't have one or two million dollars ourselves," Moore added, saying he'd rather have an outside organization perform the restoration.
To that end, the mayor plans to form a committee made up of railroad buffs and members of the Lakeshore Railroad Historical Foundation, which leased the steam engine to the city of Elkhart for 100 years back in 1987.
But even before that committee is formed, the city is contacting railroads, private companies and individuals interested in being involved in the restoration.
"We're drafting a letter to send out to a couple companies that have the ability to do it," said Ron Troyer, coordinator of Elkhart's New York Central Railroad Museum.
Troyer said people have come forward willing to donate money for the restoration, an effort the yet-to-be-formed committee will coordinate.
While Troyer says an unnamed party is investigating whether it could run the 3001 on excursions from Elkhart to Grand Rapids and back, city officials and rail buffs agree even if the engine is restored, it may never run locally due to the high volume of rail traffic.
Bob Spaugh, past president and founder of the Lakeshore Railroad Historical Foundation, said he has been contacted about being on the committee and wants to be involved.
Moore says he'd like to stick to the original proposal of leasing the locomotive for 15 years, allowing it to operate elsewhere with Elkhart New York Central Railroad Museum on the side of it.
"People would see our name on it as an attraction to the city and the museum. Leaving it sit for another 15 years wouldn't accomplish that."
http://www.etruth.com/know/news/story.aspx?ID=535562