(Roanoke, VA) --- For nearly sixty years, one-of-a-kind examples of cherished American steam locomotives from the early Twentieth Century have languished in a Roanoke scrap yard. Today, the Virginia Museum of Transportation announces a partnership that will lead to the preservation of these locomotives and other rolling stock.
Lost Engine photo credit: John Snidow. Originally faced with a cost of $50,000 per piece to remove the rail stock, the partnership provides an arrangement to save not only the steam locomotives, but virtually all but one of the pieces of rail equipment now impounded at the old Virginia Scrap Iron & Metal Co. yard in Roanoke, VA.
"The Museum has been working to rescue these locomotives for nearly thirty years," said Eugene M. Elliott, Jr., a long-time board member of the Museum. "We are grateful to our partners and the community that will allow us to bring these engines home, and save them for generations to come. Most of these pieces have a direct connection to Roanoke, and illustrate a story that should not be lost of the Valley's hard-working railroad employees."
The "Lost Engines of Roanoke" and other rail stock have been at the scrap yard since the 1950s. The yard was recently sold to make way for Carilion Clinic's growing medical campus on South Jefferson Street, providing a window of opportunity to save these engines.
The following are all playing an important role in saving the Lost Engines:
� The Virginia Museum of Transportation, the Official Transportation Museum of the Commonwealth of Virginia located in Roanoke, VA.
� Virginia Scrap Iron & Metal Co. which generously donated the locomotives and rail stock to the Virginia Museum of Transportation.
� The Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority which currently owns the property.
� The Railway Museum of Virginia in Portsmouth, VA which has been working for several years to develop a rail heritage site. Groundbreaking is scheduled for later this month.
� Will Harris of North Fork Lumber Co., who will move the equipment.
� Carilion Clinic, future owner of the site, which has concurred with plans to move the engines.
"We are excited to be taking action on the Lost Engines and to be able to put together such a wonderful coalition of partners to make it happen," said Beverly T. Fitzpatrick, Jr., the Museum's Executive Director. "The Lost Engines will be saved, but it will take additional funding and support from the community to restore these pieces and put them on display." All of the equipment is expected to be moved by September 30, 2009.