The Great Plains Transportation Museum has launched an effort to raise $50,000 to cover previously hidden damage to Santa Fe FP45 93, currently being restored at Mid-America Car.
Earlier this year, the locomotive was sent from the museum in Wichita, Kan., to Kansas City, after the non-profit railroad museum had raised the money necessary to begin a cosmetic restoration. But once they started sandblasting the locomotive, they realized there was far more body damage than they had previously realized. According to the museum, it was common for body filler materials to be used to patch up rust spots when locomotives were rebuilt by the railroad, and that was the case with FP45 93.
Rust damage on Santa Fe FP45 93.
“This is common for older locomotives that come into our shops after spending decades outside in the elements,” explained Jordan Blanc, vice president of operations at Mid-America Car. “Santa Fe 93 has been sitting outside for 58 years, and now it’s our job to address the damage with the expertise of our skilled craftsmen. We do this routinely. It’s our expertise, and we are confident Santa Fe 93 will look great when the repairs are completed and new paint is applied.”…