BW is correct, at one time the CSRM restoration shop was chock full of SP employees from Sacramento and Roseville, all working to restore locomotives like the 6051, 5208, and the 6402. The 6402 was the pet project of Roseville Mechanical Foreman Howling. Mr Howling was making fine progress int eh restoration effort, but he took ill and later passed away. At the same time, the lead restoration workers in the CSRM shops both retired, and the new restoration team quickly made the SP team feel unwelcome, and a larger majority left. This is one of the reason why the 6402 has been stalled in its current state for nearly 25 years.

EC

BW Wrote:
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> As I recall (I was much younger then), the
> original intention was to restore SP 6402 to
> operation, and in black widow paint. The work was
> being done by retired SP employees. All of the
> ply-metal side panels were shot, so they came off
> in anticipation of being replaced. Then Dennis
> Dougherty (sp?) came along and decided that there
> would be no non-steam projects. He ran off the
> work force and the locomotive was left bare.
> Sometime later, the locomotive was prepped,
> primered and put on display as a "visible"
> locomotive, basically making the best of a bad
> situation.