Re: PC: NYC sharks that didn't make it to PC

[Jerry Jordak <jer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Patrick wrote:

> Someone posted a note prior to this one saying that the Sharks are 
> in the briny deep because of the behavior of railfans. Is that true? 
> Were they stealing parts of them? 

My understanding is that at some point some vandals stole a builder's
plate and a shop manual for the Sharks from the Escanaba & Lake Superior
roundhouse. Ever since then, the E&LS has been very unfriendly to
railfans, for obvious reasons. It is unknown if the sharks have even seen
the light of day since then.

> It just strikes me as both sad and 
> odd that two of the most interesting, and I think inspiring, engines
> made are kept away from the only ones who will ever appreciate them.

I'm sure the E&LS would sell them if someone offered them enough cash.
Problem is, I sure don't have it... :-)

> Is this, perhaps, one of the things that we should look at changing
> via the PCT&HS. I have not sent in my membership application yet, but
> when I do I think one of our goals should be to cooperate with the NYC
> society to bring the Sharks out again. Isn't this worth the effort?

I'll let Jim Hebner elaborate on this if he wishes, but at this point,
the PCRRHS probably is not going to delve into any preservation efforts,
because a) we're just starting out and have other more pressing needs to
attend to and b) see my above paragraph. Preservation takes a lot of time
and money, and the PCRRHS, having been in existence for not quite six
months, just doesn't have the money or the time to devote to a project
like that. It would be foolish to try, because it would likely bankrupt
the Society. If someday we end up with tens of thousands of extra dollars
in the treasury, AND the membership agrees on a worthwhile preservation
effort, then possibly it could happen. But at this point, preservation is
not going to be a focus of the PCRRHS. (I say this in an official role
as a PCRRHS Trustee, although Jim can probably say the same more
eloquently that I.)

This I will say as a personal opinion: The sharks have been parked in
the woods for probably 10 years, at least. They're not going anywhere,
so I don't see a real rush to preserve them right now. Yes, things could
change, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it. Hopefully someday down
the road they will be preserved by someone or some group with the pockets
to do it. But the E&LS doesn't seem to be in any hurry to sell them for
scrap, and I'm sure they are aware of the historical significance of the
locomotives, so this story will probably have a happy ending someday.

Later,
-Jer

-- 
Jerry W. Jordak                   It's not the trains that amaze me--
mailto:jer@smellycat.com          it's the fish heads.
http://prozac.cwru.edu/jer/                       -- Mark Bailey
Acts 16:31   <><