Visit to the O. Winston Link Museum

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

Link had nothing to do with the restoration of 1218 from a display 
piece to operational status. That was Bob Claytor's dream, and executed 
by the Steam Shop crew in Birmingham, Alabama removed from Musuem on 
May 10, 1985, completed in Spring, 1987.  Sadly the 1218 was only to 
run through the end of 1991 before being placed back in the shop for 
major work. It was not a top priority project and was worked only on 
occasion. Three days after Graham Claytor died in 1994, orders from Bob 
Lovelace of NS in Norfolk stopped all work on 1218.

Ken Miller

On Sep 9, 2004, at 6:39 AM, nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org wrote:

> I had no idea Mr. Link had a hand in the restoration of 1218 from - I
> believe - a stationary boiler back to operational condition. I wonder 
> then
> if it made him as sad as it did the rest of us when the NS killed the 
> steam
> program while 1218 was in mid-rebuild down in Birmingham. I am sure 
> you know
> that for many years, #1218 ran as an excursion locomotive, probably 6 
> years
> or more.
> Thanks for the bit of information. I have the Link books, and am 
> planning a
> day at the VMT & Link Museum in the not-too-distant future.
>
> Bob Welsh
>