I think this is actually a neat way to preserve a steam locomotive. It certainly is unique and creative.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=137781

I think it is interesting and if you are going to do a static display why not do something out of the ordinary! Railroads at war is certainly an important part of the French railroad history.

I think it's an outstanding way to display the locomotive. It would appear that there is no damage to the whole locomotive, and quite possibly, the engine was historically involved in such an incident. The display highlights the engineering and construction of the locomotive, as well as the WW2 context of the struggle to free Europe. Similar displays of historical wrecks would be fitting in our country for specific engines. The GG1 owned by the B&O Museum seems like a good candidate, and no, I don't mean dropping it through the floor of Washington Station once more.

Is there any sort of historical designation at WUS to tell of the GG1 drama? (As in something like "On This spot......")

There was something at WUS telling about the wreck and the National Trust for Historic Preservation used to give weekly walking tours of the station as well. This was 10 years ago so I am using past tense. I would hope they are still doing so.

I think you've just found a potential home for the G motor languishing in New Jersey.

There is no room in WUS for a GG1. The main concourse is presently configured for retail shops, ticketing, etc. And security does not permit a trackside exhibit in the style of Harrisburg. As the magic eight ball says "Please Try Again".

Wesley

Continuing in the spirit of this thread. . .

The GG-1 that impacted Washington Union Station ended up in the baggage room below the concourse. There was a short interim period where a temporary floor was built over the impact site, allowing the restoration pedestrian flow before the locomotive could be extracted.

What about placing the locomotive back in the basement, on its side, and building a glass floor over it. I would think that activities in the basement area could be moved around such an exhibit (given the paltry amount of checked baggage handled and the recent elimination of both mail and express) - perhaps even enough to allow the construction of a basement restaurant where the locomotive would be a centerpiece exhibit.

Tom Cornillie

Tom:

Do you know if the GG1 actually ended up on its side? I kind of thought that it just fell through the floor and ended up close to being in a standing position. But I may well be wrong on that. Either way, I think that your idea has a lot of merit. There seems to be an abundance of GG1's out there, some of them not being cared for properly. I don't know where the WUS engine currently is, but even if she is one of those that IS being cared for, perhaps a trade might be in order IF the proper authorities can be convinced that this proposed display is a possibility.

Les

Although I think that a display like that might be an interesting historical exhibit, I can see how the travelling public might not want such a graphic reminder of a train wreck when they're about to get onto a train themselves.

The basement space you propose is occupied by a food court and movie theatres.

Wesley

What are you guys smoking?? There's plenty of orphan GG1's around that could desperatly use a better home,that's not the issue. But the thought of mounting a graphic exhibit of a train wreck under the nose of folks about to board a train has got to qualify as THE stupidist idea of the decade,hands down!!!
If that weren't enough, the basement space in WUS is some of the highest rent district space in the city and 100% leased to a variety of food establishments with a waiting list of vendors wanting in.
Other than that, it's a great concept!!!
Ross Rowland

Chill out, Rowland. Whatever these possessed idiots have been smoking has apparently permanently rotted their brains. I was about to say that I would personally hunt down the next person(s) that suggested displaying 4876 at Union Station and begin beating sense into his/their head(s).

I've said it innumerable ways in the past...........

"Hey, folks, let's put a display of Titanic, Lusitania, and Andrea Doria relics in the cruise ship terminal! Then we'll put remnants of various plane crashes in the lobbies of all the nearby airports! And wrecked cars in the auto dealerships!"

No matter how many times we repeatedly attempt to show them the fallacy of their thinking, the idea keeps resurfacing like the proverbial bad penny. Perhaps some form of exorcism is in order?

Actually, I was thinking of simply placing the locomotive upright and on the rails at the end of the platform from whence she did the famous nose-dive. We are talking about a huge locomotive, and in a museum setting, laying her on her side is one thing, but in a station, I'd say it borders on absurd. Why not simply a length of platform track with railstops in place, a cordoned off area with ropes and a photo and newspaper exhibit. I see nothing impossible or implausible about that type of display. I think perhaps the display value would lend itself to the atmosphere and cultural nature of Washington, D.C.'s focus on a past Presidential inauguration and the PRR.

What I do find implausable is the level of ridicule the suggestion of a display idea garners. Totally unnecessary.

To recap:

A PRR GG1: Okay, maybe, I could see that if we don't tie up productive trackage and real estate. I could really get behind that idea......

The 4876: When GG1's take off from Reagan National, Dulles, and BWI airports...........