Pennsy considered themselves "The standard railroad of the world" which probably made them look at all the others as being out of step. Boilers, Valve gear, using Pacifics when all others were embracing "Super Power" and 4-8-4s in passenger service. Not to mention the unique power they played with. T-1,4-4-4-4 NON articulated locomotives with poppet valves. A direct drive steam turbine engine for passenger service.
There are apparently no records of the condition 1361 was in when it was placed on display at the curve. Judging by the level of deterioration found by the restoration team she was "Rode hard and not put away" . The fact that the original fan trip restoration was performed and no one was killed is nothing short of a miracle. I just hope that the people responsible for the care of this almost one of a kind piece of history don't drop the ball. Looking at the photos of the restoration in progress and the number of things that need to be addressed gives one an appreciation for the dedication and skill of those involved.

Recently,(about 18-20 years ago)a lonely SP locomotive that had been on display in Placerville Ca. was removed from its resting spot adjacent to Highway 50 and trucked to Sacramento with hopes of restoring it and placing it in excursion service at the Ca. State RR museum. To the disappointment of all involved, a fatal flaw was found in the boiler/firebox in the form of a poorly done repair. This repair had been done by the railroad prior to the engine being retired. No one knows how long this engine was in service with this poorly done patch in place. This flaw killed the project. Had the team on 1361 seen what they were up against in the beginning,would they have proceeded? When does a restoration project become a losing proposition ?