A parting thought: save ever bit of railroad history. Nice sentiment, but the real question is who will pay for it to be saved? If it gets saved, certain liberties will most certainly need to be made for safety, health, and environment, who then will pay for these upgrade, insurance, and liability? You foamies want to save everything, but let’s talk about what it costs to save it, maintain it, care for it and keep it running. Who of you daddy/mommy war bucks will put up the cash to keep this stuff going? Who out there has a business plan to keep it going to know when to call it quits?

Lots of Ed’s out there that think they know from Ed of the sunken Iowa to Esepcial Ed of Uncle MoPac. What’s the game plan if you’re all so conscience of the history. There are many inconsistencies and incompatible technologies. Special oils, lubricants and the like no longer made, who then will pay for a Chemical Engineer to formulate environmentally friendly stuff to work with your modernized steam power? What if the lubrications of valve gear and spun cast parts, who has boring bars—-like the old underwoods—-to maintain cylinder and valve cages. How will you maintain safety in a factor of four or better? How will you convince host roads or your own management you can run over the road safely, without causing problems or god forbid hold up a UPS train or kill someone?

Foamies are all experts for sure, and many out there criticize Mac or even Fussell for trying to get crap to run. When will foamies pay the actual amount to maintain this stuff and not let it rust away? So many Kepners out there, hoard crap and let it rot, what’s the value in that? So many ideas less than half-baked, where’s the business plan and the money?