What would it cost?

I never thought id get this many replies! if i had to choose a set of diesels it'd probably be the F3/a/b/a they have in the lackawanna paintjob at Steamtown. (id love to have an a/b/b or a/b/b/a and then id want cars like the NS OCS and have a custom paintjob.
 
My second option on the 50-50 would then be something like 40 (me)-60 (TVRM), the private passenger car would also be leased to the TVRM to be used on excursions. They've got two observation cars, Eden Isle, which is an old heavyweight observation car with rear platform, and an Ex-Seaboard round-ended observation. However, Eden Isle needs work done on her so she's out of commission. The Seaboard car can be found on 21st Century Steam Excursions, Summerville Steam Special, and Chickamauga Turn excursions. However, all three trains run on the weekends, meaning having an observation car on each train impossible. Having the private railcar restored and leased allows for more flexibility so that there can be two trains with observation cars instead of one. Then again, I also plan on donating some money along with having the equipment restored. Also, the Central of Georgia heritage unit was painted in the paint shop at nearby Debutts Yard, so, though highly unlikely, I could try to get a few cans of paint from them or at least some leads on how to get some of the paint. Also, I would like to keep the private railcar in 'as-is' condition. However, I would like to add an 'old-timey' speedometer to it so that I can see how fast the train's going.

Is this the "RS-3" you mentioned?
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/Locopicture.aspx?id=24789

Its listed as an RS-1, which fits with what I know about those old Alcos. They don't include this locomotive on their roster on their site for w/e reason. However, it does not appear to have ever been a part of the Central of Georgia Railroad. And though it seems to have been an old workhorse somewhere (And there by dodged any federal restrictions on whats done with it), I still doubt the Museum will go for your plans unless you were to straight up buy it off them, and they'd want more then its probably worth at this point (Museums are always looking for more funds).

This isn't about acquiring a few cans of paint. Its about what the museum will want to do/put up with. Museum's generally share the common goal of "Preservation", IE taking old equipment, and returning it to a state that it once had years and years ago... You're not "Preserving" that RS-1 if you paint it up like a modern locomotive in a Paint scheme it never had, at least according to some Museum's ideaology. If you had the cash to make all this happen, your first step would be to talk with the Museum Director and probably their Board of Trustees to see what they would or would not be willing to do. It took Union Pacific, arguably the biggest and most financially well off Independent Rail Corporation the better part of 6 months to Negotiate with a "Museum" (This description is debatable for the Pamona Rail Club I realize, but I hope ya'll will excuse for the point I'm trying to make), for a piece of Equipment that they themselves donated decades ago and so that they could return it to operating condition (A condition far far better in most peoples opinion then just sitting somewhere, no matter how lovingly cared for). Museums are very fickle about their collections and what is to be done with them as a general rule....

Moving on to the Private Coach, I couldn't find any information on it. Theres tons of info for the other one, the Eden's Isle (Which was created as, and always has been, a Private Business Coach). I would have to know more about it before I could reasonably discuss its status and what might need to be done to accomplish what you're talkin about, but it won't be cheap whatever the case.

Keep Dreamin,
Falcus
 
An old farmer won 375 million, and said he was going to buy a brand new John Deere tractor, and a whirlybird ... he just could not fathom that he dint' need to live on the farm no more.

I would go to a school bus manufacturer and buy a brand new "Short Bus", stripped of seats, and put in a pick-a-nick bench inside, then I could go campin' and not get rained on, then I'd drive it cross Canada from Nova Scotia to Baniff, and see the Spiral Loops, Tehatchapi, and every scenic RR across the US.

You could probably buy the East Broad Top RR

yeah you could buy it...if kovalchick would get his head out of his ass and listen for once, but in other news in the 90's a full restoration of the line and everything else was estimately between 100-150million, so good luck with that
 
All of this talk about paying a dozen separate crews to drive your train across the country accounts for a good chunk of money. If you were that interested in trains to buy a real one to begin with, why not get trained and certified as an engineer and drive it yourself? Sure, working hours still apply, in which case you just pull over into a yard or siding and bunk in one of your luxury coaches.

Would this be possible?
 
All of this talk about paying a dozen separate crews to drive your train across the country accounts for a good chunk of money. If you were that interested in trains to buy a real one to begin with, why not get trained and certified as an engineer and drive it yourself? Sure, working hours still apply, in which case you just pull over into a yard or siding and bunk in one of your luxury coaches.

Would this be possible?

I would think that unless you Owned said Yard or Siding, the cost would be prohibitive.... Even with 500 Mill, after presumable restoration costs, Id have to imagine just rolling over a Class 1's rails would get stupid expensive real quick... Alot of people forget that that most Excursion Set-ups either own their own rails, or get their passage over a Class 1's donated to them (And as someone already pointed out, usually only if they can pay the insurance on their own), assuming that the equipment doesn't already belong to the Class 1 anyway (*Cough UP Cough*).

So this isn't about "Well, gee Nancy, fancy lunch in Denver and Dinner in Chicago? Lets hop our train!", but rather, "Well, after all was said and done, and it cost so much cash, it sure was a fun ride, lets find a place to park it permanently". Winning the Lotto is a Finite resource, and depending on which bracket you look at, alot of them end up either poorer then when they started or out and out bankrupt. To really afford the kind of lifestyle that we're talking about here, you really need to be a Microsoft VP for about half a Decade or so....

That all said, I agree that if you like something that much, hopefully you're going to get yourself more involved then just paying someone else to deal with it for you. That was a very intelligent point. Kudos.

Falcus
 
All of this talk about paying a dozen separate crews to drive your train across the country accounts for a good chunk of money. If you were that interested in trains to buy a real one to begin with, why not get trained and certified as an engineer and drive it yourself? Sure, working hours still apply, in which case you just pull over into a yard or siding and bunk in one of your luxury coaches.

Would this be possible?

You still have to be trained on the route, which would severely limit how far you can go.

peter
 
Well, I'm epileptic and I heard that the FRA does not allow anyone with epilepsy to become an engineer, which has been my dream since I was very young.
 
Well, I'm epileptic and I heard that the FRA does not allow anyone with epilepsy to become an engineer, which has been my dream since I was very young.

Well, they certainly wouldn't allow you to drive for a class 1.... But there are now blind people with Pilots license (Though I think the distinction here is they're labelled "Medically Blind", and not truly with NO sight, not sure though), so perhaps they would make an exception for you as long as you could demonstrate that you owned the equipment, and had taken measures to safegaurd against possible issues. I would think this would have to include at least insurance high enough to cover everything, and probably at least one other individual trained on how to deal with things in your presence at all times you were operating a locomotive.... But thats a legal question and I'm sure there are people here more learned in this then I am presently. I imagine you're Medical Carding would have to be alot stricter too.....

Also want to say, I know I'm playing Devil's Advocate in this thread, but my purpose isn't to get people to give up their dreams, but rather to stop and think legitimately "What if" about them..... Dreams are a start.... To make them happen you have to do some planning and that is my goal here.

Falcus
 
I am aware of the fact I am bumping this thread. However, every time my family plays the lottery, I always say this.
If it's a big one I do more.
1. Buy and restore V&T Genoa (12) to operation in 1902 condition with Private Car Gold Coast & IRM's Ely Business Car
2. Restore 722 to operation (in green and gold, with shiny silver smokebox of the 1970s) and donate it to TVRM
3. Buy paint to repaint 4501 to match donated 722 in 1970s dark green with silver smokebox and old style bell on 4501.
4. Buy the ex-IRCA 40 from Colorado RR museum (Lindsey Ashby owns her) and the Edna Business car from Knott's Berry Farm to run on the D&S & C&TS and if I still had any money left, restore the line between Chama & Durango and restore 268 to her World's fair bumble bee paint scheme.

If it was a small Lottery, just 1-3, or less depending on sum.

Saturnr
 
If I had a million, or many, many, many hundreds of millions....

I'd restore the former Maine Central Mountain Division from St. Johnsbury, Vermont all the way back to Westbrook, Maine where Pan Am Railways ended service. Seriously, there have been some studies done regarding this line and there are hopes of restoring it.

Then if I had any money left, I'd grab the abandoned Northern Railroad of New Hampshire, which is slowly becoming a snowmobile trail. This ran between White River Jct, Vermont and Concord, New Hampshire. It's a viable route, but New Hampshire doesn't want to invest anything into it for passenger service, though the public wanted it, and Pan Am surely won't spend a dime on it. They can't even get their mainline, outside of MBTA districts, up to a decent speed.

John
 
You probably can buy a few used passenger cars from the Barnum & Baily Circus, as they will be discontinuing using elephants in their act, and will be retiring them to nature conserves by 2018, due to PITA activists complaints of cruelty to animals (PITA really are a huge "PITA") ... I always enjoyed seeing the elephants being paraded up the street from the train yard, all holding tails, with the little baby elephant trailing behind, running to keep up with the chain of elephants.

I believe that the circus used all Asian elephants, as African elephants are extremely aggressive, and can not be domesticated (as they oftentimes will leave huge Volkswagon tire size, "elephant flop" stains on yer' Mum's living room rugs) :mop:

But you'll never be able to get that elephant smell out of that railcar :hehe:

So Mum says: "NO You can't get an elephant fer' yer' birfday"

Q: What happens to the animals when they are too old to perform?
A: Of the animals you see performing with Ringling Bros., some belong to us, and others join us for a specific amount of time and are owned by private individuals. When an animal reaches retirement age while living with us, Ringling Bros. finds healthy and stimulating environments that provide excellent care for the remainder of their lives. Our Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation[SUP]®[/SUP] is a shining example. Our elephants spend their "golden years" with our herd in Polk County, Florida, under the watchful eye of animal care experts. We also have a companion program where a retired Ringling Bros. elephant will be selected to live at a zoo or facility and] help these communities maintain social herds for their existing elephants. As of 2001, retired Ringling Bros. elephants now make their homes at The Phoenix Zoo and The Niabi Zoo. Many of our big cats retire to Wildlife on Easy Street, a sanctuary located in Tampa, Florida, that is home to 23 species and subspecies of wild cats.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top