MW 261 Back in Green Bay?!?

D

Darkrider

New member
Yep, you're talking to a volunteer who goes to the Museum that owns #261. Little recap, The Friends of the 261 was leasing #261, when the Green Bay National Railroad museum cut the lease time in half, and doubled the amount of money for the lease. Of what I was told, the Friends of 261 are looking at #265. I was also told if they make that switch, that they would take the automatic oiler (Bought by the Friends of 261), and remove the windows (Donated by the museum to the Locomotive, not the Friends of 261). There was one other thing I was told that escapes me, but it'll come back due time.

Anything else I missed?
 
Because they want money. They are a horrible museum, most of their stuff is crap. They have nothing to attract any decent crowds to want to come visit, and I wouldn't think they have many if any repeat customers. They have a few nice pieces in the main building, but that's it. They also started advertising that Pullman exhibit 2 years before it was supposed to be completed. The advertising led me to believe it was done, not quite that when we got there.:hehe:
 
Well, unfortunately not all museums can secure heritage facilities and land in prime railroad country. When I was there in Green Bay I thought it was remarkable what they've done with what they have to work with. Besides, it could be worse; All the steamers outside under the shed could have been scrapped long ago.

Back to the topic at hand: If the museum can't see that in the long run they are shooting themselves in the foot it's their own fault. I personally never got to see 261 live, so I hope Friends of 261 is able to get another locomotive to run. It is relatively is hard to come by large live steam in Wisconsin.

One question, have they ever thought about getting a locomotive meant for freight so they could still pull in some revenue if excursions drop off? Would that even be a feasible possibility? Maybe the MR northerns can handle it, but they seem like a large-driver locomotive meant for passenger service.
 
Maybe so, but once you've been to nearly every RR museum and tourist RR in the East and upper Midwest like I have, you'll know what I'm talking about. It's not that they don't have potential, it's just they are poorly managed. I've been to a place or two that was worse, but NRM is pretty bad. There's many, much smaller organizations that struggle very badly because of conditions you mentioned. They however manage to survive and cope with their hardships and are usually some of the neatest little railroads and always have the nicest, most grateful employees. They try to operate at their greatest potential given the conditions they have. NRM, however, is completely opposite and gave negative feelings in every aspect. Just not a great museum.
 
Klinger said:
why?

Thats seems a strange move!
Click to expand...

I agree, unless of course he has alot of money, I can't imagine the price tag for such a steam engine being that large and that locomotive was last seen in the movie public enemies under steam and yet I start to wonder,was the locomotive's owner contract violated? maybe or maybe not,but all I know is the locomotive is too famous to be moved anywhere else!:cool:
 
I can't blame ya. Frankly, the museum would be alot better if they were running steam again. They stopped running steam around 1960, because the people live literally next door to the museum complained that the trains were too loud. What do you expect people?!?!

Anyways, they used to run a small porter, and LS&I #24. They both are still there. Unfortunately, they converted a small logging Mikado into a running display, powered by diesel. Not very powerful, as it can pull a few cars. The power unit, suprisingly, is a diesel disguised as a tender. The real tender has not been scrapped. Yes, I am reffering to #102.
 
Darkrider said:
I can't blame ya. Frankly, the museum would be alot better if they were running steam again. They stopped running steam around 1960, because the people live literally next door to the museum complained that the trains were too loud. What do you expect people?!?!

Anyways, they used to run a small porter, and LS&I #24. They both are still there. Unfortunately, they converted a small logging Mikado into a running display, powered by diesel. Not very powerful, as it can pull a few cars. The power unit, suprisingly, is a diesel disguised as a tender. The real tender has not been scrapped. Yes, I am reffering to #102.
Click to expand...

ok,what is wrong with this picture, a diesel unit dressed up to look like a 2-8-2 mikado tender, I would see the locomotive with its original tender burn coal and water like most steam engines were designed to do,and I agree with you,people complain because of trains,look at the thousands of passenger and freight trains that run everyday,but a diesel powered steam locomotive? that is the craziest idea they ever had!:o
 
Frankly, I agree with SR6900.
From all the pics I've seen of NRM, everything is old, crusty and rotting away to time.
I don't mean to brag, but the museum I'm with, Monticello Railway Museum is at least ten times better.
We don't have as much stuff, but in this case that's a good thing.
NRM has rows and rows of cars they can't take car of.
MRM has nine tracks of cars that are all in pretty good shape, at least they all can move!
I'd be glad if 261 found a better home, it should have gone to that same group that owns 4449, then it would probably see continued service.


Cheers,
Woody:wave:
 
illinoiscentral said:
Frankly, I agree with SR6900.
From all the pics I've seen of NRM, everything is old, crusty and rotting away to time.
I don't mean to brag, but the museum I'm with, Monticello Railway Museum is at least ten times better.
We don't have as much stuff, but in this case that's a good thing.
NRM has rows and rows of cars they can't take car of.
MRM has nine tracks of cars that are all in pretty good shape, at least they all can move!
I'd be glad if 261 found a better home, it should have gone to that same group that owns 4449, then it would probably see continued service.


Cheers,
Woody:wave:
Click to expand...

I'll tell you what,if they wern't in such a hurry to sell the engine,i'd bet you guys would use her along side the 401,but we all know that won't happen!:(
 
UP5521 said:
I'll tell you what,if they wern't in such a hurry to sell the engine,i'd bet you guys would use her along side the 401,but we all know that won't happen!:(
Click to expand...
THE national railroad musuem in green bay should have sell 261 to strasburg it will be repaired in their shops and have test runs on their dinner train leave the milw sign on the tender and paint strasburg below the milw road sign. and run along beside great western 90 may 261 return to steam. listen to johnny cash hurt in his last album the man comes around.
 
dpfan1 said:
THE national railroad musuem in green bay should have sell 261 to strasburg it will be repaired in their shops
Click to expand...

At least us here in Colorado sent one of the few Narrow Gauge 4-6-0s in existence there to be restored to operation.

Smart move, it was. :D
 
Sampug394 said:
At least us here in Colorado sent one of the few Narrow Gauge 4-6-0s in existence there to be restored to operation.

Smart move, it was. :D
Click to expand...
yeah i know the 261 should be own by strasburg railroad they has a good steam locmotive shop and run with other historic steamers like STRASBURG 90
 
transitguard said:
Well, unfortunately not all museums can secure heritage facilities and land in prime railroad country. When I was there in Green Bay I thought it was remarkable what they've done with what they have to work with. Besides, it could be worse; All the steamers outside under the shed could have been scrapped long ago.

Back to the topic at hand: If the museum can't see that in the long run they are shooting themselves in the foot it's their own fault. I personally never got to see 261 live, so I hope Friends of 261 is able to get another locomotive to run. It is relatively is hard to come by large live steam in Wisconsin.

One question, have they ever thought about getting a locomotive meant for freight so they could still pull in some revenue if excursions drop off? Would that even be a feasible possibility? Maybe the MR northerns can handle it, but they seem like a large-driver locomotive meant for passenger service.
Click to expand...
the 261 should be bought by the strasburg railroad to be restore to run with strasburg railroad 90.:)
 
Excuse my slightly irked tone, but what's with all the comments saying Strasburg should buy 261. I personally would rather she go to a museum in Wisconsin where some of her history resides than go out east and be out of context. Granted a museum in some historic Milwaukee Road building in southern WI would be better than in Green Bay.

That being said, I also doubt they have the funds to spare. The global "financial crunch" has left many tourist attractions with diminished revenue.
 
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