COMMISSION OWNED MCCLOUD #18 RETURNED DAMAGED BY SIERRA RAILROAD
The McCloud #18 steam locomotive, purchased by the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the Virginia and Truckee Railway, was leased to Sierra Railroad for the last couple years. Because the value of the lease was (artificially valued) under $9000 per year it was not subject to competitive bidding under Nevada Law.
As noted in a Nevada Appeal article, the McCloud 18 was returned a week ago. It came back damaged. Here are photos of the damage.
These details came out at the August meeting of the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the Virginia and Truckee Railway. Meeting notes are available on the Gold Hill Historical Society website, goldhillnv.org. See item 14 for details.
The virginiaandtruckee1976 Yahoo Group saw this interesting comment posted:
---- BEGIN COMMENT FROM YAHOO GROUP MEMBER
The reason for these stringent requirements on boiler inspections is based on over a century of experience dealing with the consequences of not maintaining a close watch on high pressure steam vessels. The tourist railroad industry has a remarkable record for safely operating high pressure steam equipment. This is due in large part to the stringent requirements that MUST be observed.
For Sierra Railroad to be negligent to the level of failure to fill out and submit a required annual report as a minimum level of non-performance for a piece of equipment entrusted to their care is inexcuseable (misfeasance). For there to be deterioration of the running gear in the level that is being dealt with here is bordering on the criminal for equipment entrusted to their care (breach of fiduciary duty).
For Sierra Railroad to be negligent to the level of failure to fill out and submit a required annual report as a minimum level of non-performance for a piece of equipment entrusted to their care is inexcuseable (misfeasance). For there to be deterioration of the running gear in the level that is being dealt with here is bordering on the criminal for equipment entrusted to their care (breach of fiduciary duty).
As somebody attempting to obtain a multi-year operating contract with a guaranteed profit formula for the operator this failure to maintain #18 should be a red flag warning to all other parties involved.
Sierra Railroad has demonstrated that they can not be trusted in the future to adequately maintain any equipment entrusted to their care.
Lets say for example they were to be awarded a 2 year operating contract. Based on their performance to date what condition do you think equipment would be in at the end of the 2 year contract period?
------ END COMMENT
My comment is about Chairman Dwight Millard saying that it's not time to affix blame, it's time to fix the locomotive. Imagine that you rent a car and return it damaged. You tell the rental car company that it's not time to play the blame game, that the owner should fix the damage. I don't think you'd get very far.
The lease contract between Sierra and the government Commission called for Sierra to keep the locomotive in good shape.
------ END COMMENT
My comment is about Chairman Dwight Millard saying that it's not time to affix blame, it's time to fix the locomotive. Imagine that you rent a car and return it damaged. You tell the rental car company that it's not time to play the blame game, that the owner should fix the damage. I don't think you'd get very far.
The lease contract between Sierra and the government Commission called for Sierra to keep the locomotive in good shape.
