Alright, So as you are probably aware, there are a TON of new-build projects being done, with a minority here in the US (a.k.a The T1 Trust.) I am continually developing my Y6B Trust project, with the launch of a Facebook page that's likely going to remain dormant until I start actually making some real progress. Either way, I was looking at the Pennsylvania Railroad S2 Steam Turbine Locomotive, joking that nobody would EVER care to see a new build of it ever built. But then it got me thinking: What new build locomotives would almost no one want to see built? Podering this for a total of 5 seconds, I came up with 2: EVERY SINGLE Steam Turbine locomotive, including the S2 mentioned above, due to being pretty unreliable, and the Virginian and Erie Triplexes, as they were just pitiful at their intended line of work. But I want to hear your thoughts on the matter: Which extinct classes of locomotives would you most certainly NOT want to see become a new build project?

Something that has already been done before, or something that is too small or obscure will fail to attract enough attention without enough resources. Building a Southern PS4 May be the only example of an already existing engine that could work, otherwise I don’t see a project working for any other existing locomotive type. This includes the Y6b, which is different to the Y6a in a railfan’s view, but the public can’t tell the difference.

People will gravitate towards bigger class one engines. The best options of which would be extinct bigger engines from railroads that have little to no steamers preserved. This would include the New Haven, Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard, Wabash, DL&w, the anthracite lines, RF&P, B&O (kinda), among others, even NYC.

There isn’t really any horrible option (aside from duplicates), but there are certainly options that have more potential for success than others.

I think the best thing for us in the US to do right now is to not waste resources in building a new locomotive and focus on restoring and preserving older pieces of rolling stock. Unlike Britain, operation of steam locomotives is much less common and not as easy to do, due to sizes of some of these behemoths, making new builds currently less plausible. Not to mention our stuff is bigger and a lot more expensive than their stuff. There are plenty of rustbuckets and dismantled engines and cars that can be put back together with some time, money and effort, far less than restoring an already existing engine or car You’re a quite young guy with a big future, but for the state of rail preservation currently, the best thing to spend the time and resources on would be projects that already exist. Take a look at just 2 engines I thought of in a minute: Southern 722, sitting in pieces on the GSMR Murphy Branch, and A&WP 290 dismantled in Georgia. Not to mention long restoration projects including the UP 428, and NP 2156. More backing can help engines like these be repaired and restored for future generations. In the future when much more equipment is restored and less work has to be done to keep them in good condition, then it would be justifyable to get a new build

Support the local rail preservation group. If one isn’t very local, branch out a little. I remember when you wanted to know more about the IC 0-8-0. Why not help out at the GSMR with 722? That poor engine has been sitting in pieces for nearly 20 years. Maybe it’s a good idea to start small, but not too small. You can accomplish what you desire, in just giving a couple of suggestions.

My plan IS to start small. I'm looking at possibly trying to volunteer at the North Carolina Transportation Museum this summer to help them out with whatever railroad equipment they need restored. The Y6B Project is still a ways off, and I won't even start until I've had plenty of experience in the railroad preservation world.

I honestly can't think of any I wouldn't want to see, aside from duplicating an engine that already has several examples in existence.

So, for example, don't build another Nickle Plate Berkshire or Reading T1, we've got enough of them available. If you've got your heart set on one of those, rebuild one the ones that are already around.

Aside from that, if the group has the tenacity, initiative and millions of dollars in funding to do a new build from scratch, I'll be happy to go ride and photograph whatever it is that they want to recreate, be it the Tom Thumb or a Pennsy Turbine.

True that. If I were to restore those 2 classes of locomotives, I would go with Reading 2101 (In AFT Colors) and Nickel Plate Road 759 since they had a history in excursion service, and for the fact that 2101 is my favorite T1.

Okay, remember, you asked...

I think I'd say the truly impossible projects, I get tired of. Several years ago, it was that group trying to raise funds to restore UP 4018 to operation for some pie-in-the-sky film project.
I have heard of several projects that people donated money to and nothing came of it. Good intentions likely, but these projects deflect from the ones that can get somewhere, and cause those to donate time and money to become jaded later on.

Fair Point, But I'm not experienced enough to launch the project properly. I want to make sure I have the proper experience with smaller projects and a couple of locomotive restorations before I go head-first I to this. Oh yeah, not to mention the necessary ship space, equipment, workforce, etc.... Point being, this project will be in the planning stages for quite some time.

I think the main problem today would be finding a place to run it. Not everyone has a tourist line with a host as friendly as the Nashville and Eastern, or even owns their own line (ITM nonsense as an example), thus making an engine usually nothing more than a glorified replica display piece (ex the Emma Nevada in Durango).

A medium to large sized engine running on a trusted line would be the best option. Places like the Stourbridge Lion and Adirondack Central in the east, or in the west something like the Fillmore and Western. 4-6-2’s and 2-8-2’s I would think would be the wisest option for a new build: big but not too big; powerful enough for what you need, good speed, good efficiency.

Maybe build something a little bigger but you’d have to have a larger line, +25 miles to do something like that. May be an option somewhere like the RBMN, or if someone decides to rebuild a line like the western portion of the DL&W near Buffalo, or the D&H Penn Division or something.

Very few areas outside of the regular class one lines could sustain a large new build project. This is why I will go on a limb and suggest a Central of Georgia Big Apple 4-8-4 be built to run on the TVRM. The TVRM runs on CofG trackage, and the CofG 451 is a somewhat imfamous engine to the Claytors as well as the Atlanta Chapter NRHS as the “one that got away”. And it’s a relatively small 4-8-4 that can be very good for the TVRM line.

You know, I never actually considered that as a factor. That'll prove helpful.