Was 930s, now G1

[nldoncas@cobweb.com.au (Nic Doncaster)]

> SteamRanger has two, 958 operational and 963 unoperational.
> It would make sense to provide a sg link between Adelaide and Mt
> Barker, as it would increse lodings on SteamRangers trains.  Also a
> group of preserved steel cars on sg may provide some thought to
> restoring exC.R. G1, the Port Dock gets a active exhibit and the extra
> publicity, and SteamRanger gets a steem sg link and ability to run
> tours on sg.
> 

Whilst I would not knock anyone wishing to steam G1, the issue in a museum is 
operational v static.

OPerational assets consume more resources (particularly volunteer labour) that 
the static ones, without necessarily returning a proportional benefit.

I believe that PDSRM have the right mix of operational and non-operational 
assets at this stage, despite my own personal interest in seeing a Y or 400 in 
steam.

The problem with the BG/SG sets is that two trains are required to run for one 
set of passengers, double the fixed costs without doubling the revenue. The 
apparent lack of interest in the idea may confirm that steamranger has already 
considered this issue.

The trainset in Peterborough looked at the idea (though one person asked "how 
will the Bluebirds get here, they pulled up the broad gauge"), and there was no 
more said.

It would be nice to have everything in steam all the time,but the returns cannot 
justify the cost (NRM in England is a good example, most of it works, but only a 
few are ever in steamable position).

Nic