MEC #501 Restoration Project

Hi everyone. I don't know how many of you know of the MEC 501 but those of you that do, I am trying to get a topic out on this website about it. You see we already have one on New England Railfan, but there is so much criticism about the people who are trying to get the job done, that it has just become to overwhelming to deal with, so I turn to you here.

Heres a lay down on the history and stats of the MEC 501.

1910 Built For: Maine Central Railroad Co. #501
[09/1963] Leased: Steamtown Foundation at Bellows Falls, VT
[11/1983] Sold: 470 Railroad Club
Now on display at the Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway NH

Wheels: 2-8-0
Builder: Alco (Schenectady)
Build Date: 05/1910
Construction No.: 47732
Empty Weight: 197,600
Weight on Drivers: 171,600
Driver Diameter: 63
Tractive Effort: 36,600
Boiler Pressure: 200
Cylinders: 22x28
Fuel: Coal
Gauge: Standard

So heres whats been going on with the 501. The 501 was purchased by the 470 RR Club who had the locomotive placed at the Conway Scenic Railroad. It was supposed to be restored but after many years of neglect, the 501 was placed in the back storage track and had a coat of primer added to her which is as far as she ever got to being restored, besides a lot of volunteer labour. Now the 470 railroad club says they don't have enough money to get her restored to operational standards, just cosmetic standards. Thats not good enough. I know who is able to get the job done correctly, the first time, the right way. He has been criticised by many "grease men" on the New England forum so I am bringing it here to discuss what is to do to be done get the 501 restored to full operational standards.

Now remeber, this is a criticism free topic. We are talking about restoring the 501, not the possability of a restoration of the 501. I will be contacting the master mecanic of this project and he will be here to give you more in depth coverage of the 501. Hes a great mechanic who is capable of doing things ubelievably good and very capable of restoring the 501. Remember, if you want to be the legend, you must beat the legend and nothing beats the legend more than the 501 on its home turf, Craford Notch.

I want you for a Mechanics Helper when the time comes to get back to work. Historic Resitation groups need more young people to take a role in preserving the past for the future to enjoy. One quick word regarding the other #501 thread. I don,t know why so many people just want to argue with me about the most basic issues. I hope to provide correct answers and be able to put out a question of my own in some area that i need some advice with. I would rather make progress than argue , If you dom,t like what is going on here ,switch to somthing else, if you want a fight /slugfest, go to the old #501 site, I,ll entertain you there
GOOD JOB MATT, YOU ARE DOING FINE.Thank You for the kind words. I don,t have a answer for everything but , dumb questions cost less than dumb mistakes. Long Live The Steam Locomotive..

Heres a link to some pictures of the 501.

http://photos.nerail.org/search/searchr ... =2-8-0+501

As you can see, the 501 was in decent shape when it arrived at the Conway Scenic Railroad. It arrived in the 80s and was always told that it was to be restored by the 470 RR Club who is now settling for a cosmetic restoration. Now the 501 25 years later still awaits her restoration.

Back on Railfans Day 1998 two gentlemen showed up and I learned that the oldest man he was about 60 years old, his son was with him as well. seems his Dad was a regular Engineer for MEC Steam Locomotive #501 on the Mtn Div. I let him have a look see at everything he wanted to look at. I helped him into his late Dads right hand seat. tears of joy came from his eyes and he told me many things. His Dad was according to him the Engineer on #501 last of Steam Dreight Runs up to St. Johnsbury. VT. and back in 1950. The #501 closed out the Steam Era on the Mtn. Div. those who knew were on hand to record the event. To make a long story short... A movie was made of this last run. The Father had it ,gave it to the son and for allowing him to remember his Dad , sent it to me in the mail a few years ago. The older man passed away in 2000 from cancer. I lost track of it and about a year ago came upon it. I figure there is 30 minutes of action, has other tape , might be sound, .. I,m going to have a professional put this all together and see what happens. it,s going to cost some money but, I,m sure i will have the only footage of MEC STEAM #501 going up the Notch 1950 ,Final Run steam Era that may still exists. See what happens when someone is kind to a dying man who must of thought the world of his late dad and his girl #501

The 470 clubs explanations as to why they have "settled" for a cosmetic restoration, as stated in the most recent club newsletter, seem quite reasonable. I will not waste time in needless elaboration.
You could conceivably make a small fortune by restoring a steam locomotive and selling ride to tourists, but you would need to start with a large one.

The MECnanic wrote:Back on Railfans Day 1998 two gentlemen showed up and I learned that the oldest man he was about 60 years old, his son was with him as well. seems his Dad was a regular Engineer for MEC Steam Locomotive #501 on the Mtn Div. I let him have a look see at everything he wanted to look at. I helped him into his late Dads right hand seat. tears of joy came from his eyes and he told me many things. His Dad was according to him the Engineer on #501 last of Steam Dreight Runs up to St. Johnsbury. VT. and back in 1950. The #501 closed out the Steam Era on the Mtn. Div. those who knew were on hand to record the event. To make a long story short... A movie was made of this last run. The Father had it ,gave it to the son and for allowing him to remember his Dad , sent it to me in the mail a few years ago. The older man passed away in 2000 from cancer. I lost track of it and about a year ago came upon it. I figure there is 30 minutes of action, has other tape , might be sound, .. I,m going to have a professional put this all together and see what happens. it,s going to cost some money but, I,m sure i will have the only footage of MEC STEAM #501 going up the Notch 1950 ,Final Run steam Era that may still exists. See what happens when someone is kind to a dying man who must of thought the world of his late dad and his girl #501

So....
...whatever DID happen to that footage, John? Where is it? Did you appropriate it from the "dying man and his son"? Did you just forget all about it?
Seems to me it should have gone to a museum or someplace, not just sit in your living room unopened for you to gloat about.

Cosmo, did you notice before making your post in this (long dead) string that the person you're addressing is no longer a member here? Or is he still a member under some other name -- I see that you call him by name and not by his Railroad.net handle.

-Will Davis

Typewriters wrote:Cosmo, did you notice before making your post in this (long dead) string that the person you're addressing is no longer a member here? Or is he still a member under some other name -- I see that you call him by name and not by his Railroad.net handle.

-Will Davis

CURSES! I TOLD you not to look behind the curtain!
Yes, actually, I did. It is part of a cleverly orchestrated series of actions initiated by my fingers upon a keyboard in conjunction with my eyes upon a screen.
I'd STILL like to know what happened to that film, though, if it ever existed.

Cosmo wrote:

Typewriters wrote:Cosmo, did you notice before making your post in this (long dead) string that the person you're addressing is no longer a member here? Or is he still a member under some other name -- I see that you call him by name and not by his Railroad.net handle.

-Will Davis

CURSES! I TOLD you not to look behind the curtain!
Yes, actually, I did. It is part of a cleverly orchestrated series of actions initiated by my fingers upon a keyboard in conjunction with my eyes upon a screen.
I'd STILL like to know what happened to that film, though, if it ever existed.

Probably never existed like the "copper flashing" or the "tube stretcher" or the "muffler pipe" or the "crack" on the waterside of the tube sheet or the..........sigh you get my point

Since there's clearly nothing to be gained by continued posts in this string (since the two active posters are pointing at someone no longer on Railroad.net), time to lock the thread.

-Will Davis