Rail buffs say city shouldn't sell train

<br>TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Railroad enthusiasts are steamed over the city of Tulsa's plan to sell a 1940s-era steam locomotive. <br><br>The mothballed Frisco No. 4500, which has been parked in a Southern

Friday, December 6th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Railroad enthusiasts are steamed over the city of Tulsa's plan to sell a 1940s-era steam locomotive.

The mothballed Frisco No. 4500, which has been parked in a Southern Kansas and Oklahoma railroad yard in Owasso since 1991, once pulled the Meteor passenger train through Tulsa during its travels from St. Louis to Oklahoma City.

Preservationists say placing the 400-ton engine on the auction block could result in the city and state losing a valuable piece of history.

``What's the hurry?'' said Tom Elmore, former president of the Oklahoma Railway Museum. ``What else of our history would we gladly hand over?''

Mike Reel, the city's purchasing services coordinator, said a nonprofit group has not complied with terms of a lease agreement that was intended to see the engine preserved and restored.

Liability concerns also have been expressed because the engine is not fenced off from the public, Reel said. The longer the engine sits unprotected from the elements, the more difficult restoration efforts become.

Parts taken off the locomotive and placed in storage are subject to being stolen or disappearing, Reel said.

``So the decision was, `Let's get rid of it','' said Reel.

Since word of the pending sale has become public, backers are coming forward in support of the nearly forgotten locomotive.

``It's just a messy situation,'' Reel said. ``There's a lot of emotion in this thing.''

The engine was towed to the Owasso site after being on display for 37 years at the city zoo. Zoo officials wanted the train moved to make room for other exhibits, according to previous news reports.

The city signed a lease with the Sunbelt Railroad Historical Trust, which wanted to make the engine operational and use it for short tour rides.

But officials were never able to complete the restoration, and the group's 25-year lease agreement on the engine expires in 2009.

``We just don't have the money to do what we need to do,'' Sunbelt President Pete Butz said.

Volunteers have put thousands of dollars and hours into working on the locomotive, Butz said. The last work occurred three or four years ago, he said.

The oil-burning steam engine was built in 1942 by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Eddingstone, Pa., and Granville, Ill., according to the city's Web site advertising the auction.

The St. Louis San Francisco Railroad put the engine into use in November 1942, using it primarily for passenger service until 1947, when it was used to pull freight until eventually being retired in 1950, the Web site says.

Frisco Railroad officials donated the engine with its original tender car to the city in August 1954.

Reel said that in addition to the Oklahoma City railroad organization, he has found potential buyers in Dallas, Chattanooga, Tenn., Chicago and Kansas.