105-year-old locomotive crosses state lines on a truck

A 105-year-old Roanoke steam engine is traveling to Ohio, but not on tracks.

Ohio businessman, Terry Byrne, is moving the engine on a truck that’s been sitting in Virginia Scrap Iron and Metal for more than 50 years.

The locomotive should fit nicely with the car and caboose already sitting at his 24-hour restaurant.

The whole operation will cost him about $70,000.

Bystanders watched as Byrne’s No. 917 was prepared to moved, but hidden in the scrap yard remains nine other locomotives, tenders and flat cars.  One of which was built right here in Roanoke more than a hundred years ago.

“One of the three steam locomotives left was made in the Roanoke machine works,” said Beverly Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the Virginia Museum of Transportation.  “It’s got significant historical value to Roanoke.“

Value that’s tough to see unless it is pulled out from behind the trees and restored.  Fitzpatrick says the city of Roanoke, that now owns the property, is willing to give those forgotten rail cars to the Museum of Transportation, if the museum moves it by December 31, 2008.  It’s a generous gift that comes with a price tag.

“We’re talking about so much money to move them, probably in the neighborhood of $400,000,“ Fitzpatrick said.

That figure doesn’t include the cost of restoring the century old parts either and with reduced funding after this year’s state budget crisis it looks like the treasures will remain hidden.

“If we were to ever get that kind of money I suspect we would need it to keep the museum open and growing,” said Fitzpatrick, adding for the museum missing out would be a loss

Former Roanoke Shop worker, Clifton Jones, agrees, “because of the history of it,” Jones said.  “It has many valuable things to entertain the public and it’s just a great piece of history.”

It’s a great piece of history with an uncertain future.  To make the move from the scrap yard to the museum possible, Fitzpatrick says it will most likely take a monetary donation.