Could No. 60 be steamed up in the future? The C&S Ry. Society seems to have the green light to find out!

Check out this exciting news from the Clear Creek Courant:

Group wants to restores historic locomotive in Idaho Springs

By Ian Neligh

Wednesday, September 13, 2017 at 11:27 am

A nonprofit wants to restore the 130-year-old locomotive in Idaho Springs to full working order — at no cost to the city.

The Colorado & Southern Railway Society, a volunteer nonprofit organization that works to restore antique trains, met with the Idaho Springs City Council on Aug. 28.

Vice president Benjamin Fearn and president Justin Kardas told the council the group wants to restore Locomotive 60, which sits behind city hall. The group is restoring a caboose from Silver Plume and is expected to finish by next summer.

“Once that’s done, we want to turn our full attention to the 60...,” Fearn said.

Mayor Mike Hillman said the city would look at the contract with the Colorado & Southern Railway Society at a future council meeting.

Fearn said the first step is to have someone check the locomotive’s boiler, and if it is in good condition, the next step is to have a contractor remove any asbestos.

“Because the reality is all steam locomotives have asbestos,” Fearn said.

Fearn added it would likely cost about $34,000 to do the asbestos removal, and the work would be easier and perhaps more affordable if the train could be moved to another facility. The organization’s goal is to have the engine be operational.

“Where the town goes with that is up to the town,” Fearn said. “We’re happy to take her to the point where she’s steamed up right there in the park and has nowhere to go.”

Council member Jason Siegel, who liked the idea, asked where the money would come from for the restoration.

“We’re going to be looking into getting grants ... (but) this is something we’re doing because we have an interest in it, (and) we want to see the locomotive restored,” Fearn said. “We don’t obligate the town to put anything into it, however the town is welcome to contribute if they so choose.”

Money also comes from private donations, he said.

“There is a larger community of railroad enthusiasts that look at projects like this, who want to see locomotives like this restored,” Fearn said. “This is becoming a very popular thing, and more towns are doing it.”

Fearn said the group restores locomotives because of their historical context.

“There are only four Colorado and Southern Railway (locomotives) that still exist, and one of them is here,” he added.

Council member Tracy Stokes asked how the city could show the train off to the public and make the best use of the associated tourism.

Fearn said his organization would pay to get the train to be showcased part of the year at other railways around that state, ultimately bringing attention to Idaho Springs.

“We as a group would act as custodians for the town, and we would take it there,” Fearn said, adding the train would be returned to the city for the rest of the year. He added even if the city wasn’t willing to let the train go on tour, he wants to see the locomotive restored “no matter what.”

“You guys just want to rebuild an old cool piece of history. I get it,” council member Kate Collier said.