I enjoyed the photos taken at North East, Pa. of NYC #2500, posted on another msg string. I arranged to have the locomotive purchased from GE, and it was stored at North East in Conrail blue for a number of years. With a "change in Administration" at GE Erie where I worked at the time, I was able to assemble a volunteer force and donated paint and materials to have the locomotive painted at GE. This was all done with donated labor also, the carbody was stripped and sanded, etc. window glass replaced, except for the front windshield which would have been very expensive. I have Hi8 videos of the restoration and the final result. My friends (associates) at GE even kept the 2500 inside from Jan until the following April, when it was returned to North East. I wrote to NYC as a kid and asked them to save a Hudson or a Niagara, and they declined. (Both classes had been scrapped when I wrote them.) I promised myself that if I ever had a chance to save a NYC engine, I would do it. I was finally able to accomplish this, although I had a lot of help.
Tom, I didn't know that you were responsible for that restoration. Nice job! How I wish we were both older at the time of the end of steam, and being affluent would have helped too. Maybe we could have convinced NYC to keep a Hudson, or even have bought one.
