Big Boy #4023 received a thorough cosmetic restoration after being moved to Kenefick Park in Omaha, NE, in 2006. Given that Omaha is a big UP company town and the park is named after former UP President/CEO John C. Kenefick, I'm pretty sure UP had a substantial hand in the restoration, though I don't believe the locomotive is actually owned by UP any more. Similarly, I think UP has participated in the upkeep of #4004 in Holiday Park in Cheyenne, as well. Certainly UP cares about former UP display locomotives in online towns, but maybe Scranton is a little too far out of the way.

I saw #4012 in 1995 and she had just been painted black-- the smokebox and numbering/lettering had not been finished yet. I was also rather surprised that less than 15 years later she would look so shabby. I wonder what kind of paint was used?

The Big Boy's are very young as steam locomotive go. In forty years it would not be out of the question to restore and operate a 1940's vintage locomotive. You never know what the future hold, as long as they are preserved anything can happen. Once gone it's over. I know there are a million reason not to restore big steam but while some people are asking "why", others are asking "why not". It's nice that a Big Boy is here in the East available to tell a little bit of the story of railroading. I'm glad she is being cared for and painted. If you don't something the best thing to do is change it.

In reference to the questions about why the paint jobs only lasted 15 years, let's keep in mind that Pennsylvania suffers considerably from acid rain. (Am I allowed to say that here without being accused of being political?)

We should ask ourselves why Africans in Botswana can make the effort for this Garratt and the NPS does not!!!!

http://www.damplokomotiv.dk/Zimbabwe200 ... age57.html

TH

Those sheds do make taking photos a pain. And somehow I doubt that would provide that much protection. Maybe lessen the sun damage, but the engine will still get wet (rain, frost, dew), hot, cold, wind blown, snowy, icy, etc...

In addition to pole sheds thoroughly "mucking up" the photography of what has to be one of Steamtown's premier exhibits, I'll point out that looks can be deceiving........ this Rhodesian Garratt is 3.5-foot gauge has an extreme boiler diameter of only 6.5 feet.

Yep your right.....if those African's can afford a "Pole Shed" for their Garratt.

There is no reason why 4012 in the custody of the National Park Service of the United States of America should not be displayed like this...

TH

Actually, I can think of one: MONEY.

Are you offering to either build them a handsome display hall OR give them the money to convert the Lackawanna shops building from a semi-derelict shop to a handsome display hall?

[crickets chirping]

Disregard all political biases for a minute: In the grand scheme of things, when we're arguing about Amtrak, Federal energy policy, fixing deteriorating highways and sewer/water systems, "national health care," education, NASA, and anything else you care to argue about, a display building over a Big Boy ranks somewhere in national priority behind that fabled proposed bridge to the Ketchikan, Alaska airport--and would be greeted with about the same reception.