By Railfan & Railroad Staff

The Oyster Bay Railroad Museum has hired Next Generation Rail Solutions to complete running gear work on Long Island Rail Road G5 4-6-0 35, as part of a long-planned cosmetic restoration of the oldest surviving LIRR locomotive. 

The running gear work will allow the museum to move the locomotive at the museum or even on a connecting railroad. It would also give the group a head start on a possible operational restoration, although that is not in the works at this time. 

“The end result of this project will be a cosmetically restored locomotive with running gear operational to the point where the locomotive will be able to be towed over trackage, whether on museum grounds or elsewhere,” museum officials wrote. “Nothing being done to the locomotive at this time will preclude future operation, and the work being done is intended to leave open the possibility of a future boiler restoration should resources and opportunities eventually permit. Should this not occur, at worst, the locomotive will be intact, attractive and at home on Long Island.”

Next Generation is owned by Jason Sobczynski in Irvine, Ky. Sobczynski has worked on high-profile restorations including Louisville & Nashville 4-6-2 152 and Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 2716. 

LIRR 35 was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in Altoona and is one of three G5s to survive. Another one, LIRR 39, is currently being restored to operation.