Oh my goodness no! I'm so sorry for that confusion. It was directed at John R. who apprently wasn't giving his last name at the train show where he was seeking investors for his new project.

Have my posts ever been negative towards you in any way? Please point me to any that I need to apologize for. That's a serious request, not sarcastic or defensive.

No, I can't say you ever have been offensive to me in any way. I remember a discussion we had once that I enjoyed even though we came from different viewpoints regarding not beginning a restoration of a historic piece of equipment until a solid financial plan was in place. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding also. I knew about the other John R.'s "Just call me John" insistence at the recent train show but thought your post was directed at me since I usually only sign using my first name, and I don't think he's posted here since before his legal issues. It seemed like an attack completely out of nowhere. I tried to delete my last post, but don't see how, and if we could meet face to face I'd shake your hand.

John

Great news!

Any particular reason it’s theorized that she’ll take the Nickel Plate? Obviously she’ll have to take it between Cleveland and Buffalo, but I had assumed she’d be taking the NYC Main from Chicago to Cleveland.

If we’re going off of “where has Ed Dickens been?”, I seem to recall him posting from the NYC Museum in Elkhart…

CZ, You must have a faulty memory. In 2024, you took Kelly to task multiple times, questioning the legitmacy of Strasburg's practices. In one post, Kelly wrote, "That's why I'm former. After 42 years earning my living in railroading, I looked in the mirror one day and said to myself that there's just no way I could ever be as competent as the great "Crescent-Zephyr", so why keep trying."

Too bad Saluda Hill is closed. And disappointed the route does not go thru Spencer, NC.

Will Big Boy fit on the Steamtown turntable?

Not quite... Steamtown turntable is 90' which is big... but not big boy big (130' I think?) .

You know... I wonder if there will be a public excursion on the Reading? Could that happen?

I'll reiterate once again: They can do their dangest to hold to a schedule, but UP and the 4014 and train remain vulnerable to potential delays.

Remember that the American Freedom Train in 1975-76 was planned for a historic visit to the Philadelphia area for July 4th, 1976. Instead, as the schedule morphed "on the fly" it was on display across the river from Harrisburg, Pa. on that weekend, and never actually made it INTO Philly, only nearby King of Prussia for display Sept. 12-15 and then skirting Philly en route to Baltimore (Sept. 17-20, and actually displayed at Martin Marietta's airport plant well east of the city along the Northeast Corridor).

My sons happened to be present when Mr. Dicken’s visited Steamtown. He was touring the area with D-L Management. Measurements were taken of the wye west of Bridge 60 and they looked at the layout of the yard.

I have heard the Scranton visit will be on June 15th (don’t hold me to that). The Philly display is on July 4th, probably arriving on the 3rd? That leaves 18 days to travel from Scranton to Philly.

I have also heard rumor of it going over the R&N. R&N has wye’s at Pittston, Jim Thorpe Junction, and Haucks. R&N also has a steam active shop, staff, tools and equipment to work on any running repairs in addition to a boiler wash. I don’t think the BB could fit in the Steam shop but it should fit in the diesel shop if it needs to be indoor for any work. I would also think they are going to want the locomotive to be spotless for the display in Philly. After running east from Cheyenne, it’s going to need to get cleaned.

There is also a wye in Bethlehem, PA where the former CNJ roundhouse had been. So turning between Scranton and Reading should not be an issue with the various choices.

Now my wish, how cool would it be to see two Big Boys and two Reading T-1’s next to each other in Scranton with two under steam…

Wouldn't it be cool if the 4547 was a new Wabtec battery powered 'FLXDrive'?

Eric

Hahaha, he'd HATE it.

From the Trains article : "On Norfolk Southern, the Big Boy will run Chicago-Buffalo via the former Nickel Plate, then follow the Southern Tier route to Binghamton, N.Y., and the former Delaware & Hudson/Delaware, Lackawanna & Western main to Scranton. The return route from Philadelphia will follow the former Pennsylvania Railroad main line to Cleveland, and then to Chicago via the former NKP."

Interesting. Still doesn't mention anything about getting from Scranton to Philadelphia...