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K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
https://rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=49282		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Chris Webster [ Sat Jul 11, 2026 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:  K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
A July 10, 2026 Altoona Mirror article by William Kibler:
Quote:
With the Union Pacific Big Boy steam locomotive in town this week generating massive excitement thousands of miles from its home base in Wyoming as part of a national tour, it’s hard not to ask questions about Altoona’s own steam engine, the K4 1361, which has been languishing through 34 years of fits and starts, setbacks and restarts in a restoration that remains incomplete.

Officials of the Railroaders Memorial Museum, which owns the K4, provided some answers to those questions at a fundraising banquet Thursday.

To do the remaining work needed to put the K4 back in running order may take about $2.5 million — $1 million of which the museum has already raised, $750,000 more of which has been pledged and $750,000 more of which needs to be raised — and if all that money were currently in hand, the remaining work might take two years, according to museum Executive Director Joe DeFrancesco.

“The time is funding-dependent,” DeFrancesco said.
Link to the paywalled article:
K4 steam engine needs $2.5 million to return to service Railroaders Memorial Museum officials say remaining work might take two years
Author:  T.E.P [ Sat Jul 11, 2026 11:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
Disingenuous choice of headline by the Altoona Mirror. Unless my reading comprehension has declined, the actual number the museum needs to raise to complete the locomotive is $750,000.

The other thing this article mentions is Wick Mooman's confirmation of something I've insinuated on this board in other 1361 threads: RRDX/Iowa Interstate's set of six ex-PRR P70FbR coaches are available for use behind 1361.
Author:  superheater [ Sun Jul 12, 2026 1:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
T.E.P wrote:
Disingenuous choice of headline by the Altoona Mirror. Unless my reading comprehension has declined, the actual number the museum needs to raise to complete the locomotive is $750,000.

The other thing this article mentions is Wick Mooman's confirmation of something I've insinuated on this board in other 1361 threads: RRDX/Iowa Interstate's set of six ex-PRR P70FbR coaches are available for use behind 1361.


Odd, Kibler has been on the K-4 since the late 90's and was reporting on it when it was in Scranton, he's usually thorough.
Author:  T.E.P [ Sun Jul 12, 2026 9:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
superheater wrote:

Odd, Kibler has been on the K-4 since the late 90's and was reporting on it when it was in Scranton, he's usually thorough.


Which is why I said 'by the Altoona Mirror' and not Kibler specifically, because I don't know if he chose that or an editor. We live in an era where people tend to not read past the headline, so the choice of headline makes the amount needed seem significantly more than what actually needs to be raised.

If the museum has $1M raised (and about $800k spent per Wick Moorman's comments at dinner Thursday), and $750K pledged, then the missing amount is $750k. An accurate headline would have reflected that.
Author:  The_Pine29 [ Mon Jul 13, 2026 10:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
it is a bit confusing anytime the mirror reports on anything

but

if it is up and running in 2-4 years, then where will it be running

Everett RR will have H&BT 38 Operational at that point

If Norfolk Pacific is solidified by that time with a Bumble-Bee Paint Scheme that Pittsburgh is going to die over, then Maybe Mainline steam will be allowed only when Ed want to come east to play again

we could probably do short ride through the yard in Mount Union

i guess the Nittany and Bald Eagle would be close and relatively available route
Author:  bigjim4life [ Mon Jul 13, 2026 2:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
The_Pine29 wrote:
if it is up and running in 2-4 years, then where will it be running


I think the more appropriate question would be "where couldn't it run"? There are so many places in Pennsylvania where she could stretch her legs a bit (or even mope around) - Obviously many will say Strasburg, Steamtown, the Northern Central out of York (used to run K4's in revenue service back in the day) - the Everett, NBER (as you mentioned) - perhaps the Stourbridge Line out of Honesdale, Reading & Northern, Colebrookdale - all just to name a few. It's not too big and not too small for these operations and can access them all via NS trackage.
Author:  PMC [ Mon Jul 13, 2026 6:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
The_Pine29 wrote:

If Norfolk Pacific is solidified by that time with a Bumble-Bee Paint Scheme that Pittsburgh is going to die over, then Maybe Mainline steam will be allowed only when Ed want to come east to play again

Unfortunately, I believe that the T1 project will be facing the same issue.
Author:  Chris Webster [ Tue Jul 14, 2026 3:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
T.E.P wrote:
Disingenuous choice of headline by the Altoona Mirror. Unless my reading comprehension has declined, the actual number the museum needs to raise to complete the locomotive is $750,000.
I disagree - the headline is fine. The article is about how much work the engine needs and that work is anticipated to cost $2.5 million.
bigjim4life wrote:
if it is up and running in 2-4 years, then where will it be running
Given the crowds that turned out at Steamtown to see #4014 reunited with another UP engine, another question is how many restored PRR locomotives could #1361 be reunited with?

There's a 2-10-0 in Buffalo and a GG1 in Frisco, Texas...
Author:  Pat Fahey [ Wed Jul 15, 2026 9:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
Hi All
Yes it will be great to see the Pennsy # 1361 returned to service,, I think she would be a money maker on any tourist road in Pennsylvania..
At Strasburg at the RR museum of Pennsylvania is Pennsy K-4 # 3750,, she could reunite with.. I believe that is the only other K-4 in existence... I could be wrong..
Next in the posts a few of you brought up at good question,,, where can locomotives run these days,, mainly main line types...
Yes I do agree the T-1 trust once the locomotive is completed where is it going to run,,because it is becoming harder to find a main line or a tourist line that wants to run something of that size????
How about C&O 614 where is she going to run???? yes she will get some rail time at Strasburg,, the same as N&W 611 did... but she needs somewhere to run at track speed at 40 to 60 mph., with 30 coaches tired behind her..
Luckily engines like NKP 765 and the 611 have a place to run,, engines like AT&SF 2926 has yet to get out to the mainline and run at track speed,,, I know she has been approved to run on 40 miles track out of Albuquerque... but that hasn't been done yet.
Just look of what the Big Boy did coming East,, Railfan's and general public were everywhere,,Thanks to the R&N, NS, Thank you, Pat.
Author:  Randy Gustafson [ Wed Jul 15, 2026 10:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
4014 here in the east has proven the incredible amount of interest in big historic main line steam, and got more promotion everywhere than anything I've seen in my lifetime. Huge PR boost for the railroads. If UP's goal was to make friends in advance of the merger proposal, well, that sure got everyone's attention.

But it also created more problems and heart-stopping moments with crowd behavior as well, too close to the tracks, all local law enforcement out (including the Pennsylvania Game Commission!) trying to contain the enthusiasm. I was just glad that the major idiocy moment captured on video with Ed Dinkins doing the emergency stop was over the state line into Ohio!

For any risk-averse, publicly held corporation, that's a terrible combination of factors to evaluate. It ups the ante on both ends, positive and negative, and both are true. In the end, it goes to the top executive, thumbs up or thumbs down, and that's the way it is.
Author:  Dave Lewandoski [ Thu Jul 16, 2026 5:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
with the long and very checkered past of mismanagement and waisted money they need to start being way more transparent about the status of the locomotive.
Author:  PaulWWoodring [ Thu Jul 16, 2026 7:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
Reports are that NS has notified major steam operators on their system (Ft. Wayne, Roanoke) that from now on they will only move steam dead-in-tow.
Author:  bigjim4life [ Thu Jul 16, 2026 4:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
Randy Gustafson wrote:
But it also created more problems and heart-stopping moments with crowd behavior as well, too close to the tracks, all local law enforcement out (including the Pennsylvania Game Commission!) trying to contain the enthusiasm.


Let me add one thought to that. A LOT of this was because of Union Pacific's impressive marketing - announcing that the "world's largest operating steam locomotive is coming to YOUR town". Whereas, if #2102 or #611 were running on the mainline, or even #611 - I doubt there would be anywhere near the amount of crowds trackside, reducing the number of idiots out there. That's not a knock on any of those railroads or their marketing teams. It's just not the same thing as a Big Boy.
Author:  Randy Musselman [ Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: K4 #1361 needs $2.5 million to return to service
PaulWWoodring wrote:
Reports are that NS has notified major steam operators on their system (Ft. Wayne, Roanoke) that from now on they will only move steam dead-in-tow.


Please define dead-in-tow….no fire, main rod removal? They cannot have steam pressure to crack the throttle to lubricate the cylinders?
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