Re: Poultry Railcars (Was: [VIC] K190 to South Gippsland)

[James Brook <ajmbrook@ozemail.com.au>]

Michael Kurkowski wrote:

> As far as loco colours go, I don't think anyone really cares any more. I.e.
> the attitide being that a "grossly incorrect interpretation of a locomotive
> that happened to have been restored" is better than "a locomotive being cut
> up to sell to cat food companies". Don't get me wrong, I believe that WCR
> are doing a great job with R711, and good on 'em for it, but I do have
> mixed feelings about what is about to happen to R766. With R711 at least,
> it was a case of, rust, or be profitable.

I agree with you about R711 and R766. I think WCR just want a quick fix so they
are looking for the loco that is the easiest to get running. Why couldn't they
swap R700 for 707's R753 and convert it? Then 707 would have the class leader
and R766 would still be with Steamrail and WCR would have another "super R".
Also what happens if WCR dismantle and start to convert R766 but they run out
of money? Also what happens if R700 can't be economically restored like they
think it can? In both of these scenarios Steamrail is left without a second R.
If WCR converted an R that hadn't been restored then there would be nothing to
lose. While everything will probably be ok, I still think this proposal is too
risky for Steamrail.

> I seem to recall a while back, someone posted to a mailing list that I
> reside in, saying that there is not one genuine R class in service. All
> have modifications that exceed what is required to getting it back into
> service. (headboards, name plates, odd paint jobs, etc)

Are you sure that wasn't the thread I started on this newsgroup about a month
ago? Anyway, I think it shows the state of the current "preservation" scene in
Victoria when I have never seen an R class without a headboard, nameplate or an
odd paint job. Even if they remove the headboard, the thing it is mounted in is
left behind. While I think that a running locomotive is better than a scapped
locomotive I still think that Steamrail, SRHC and others like them could
restore the locomotives properly without any headboards or nameplates. Could
you imagine how popular a group would be if they actually did this? If the VGR
hadn't named J549 then they could have advertised that it was the only place to
see a steam loco as it was in the VR days, but instead of being different the
VGR is now just another tourist railway. It's so simple that even a kid could
see it. If a group did heritage properly (ie: CHTR) it would make them stand
out from all the others. That is why I think it's a shame that almost all
groups are running an overgrown toy train instead of a proper representation of
what used to be.

--
- James Brook -

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