The 261 is undergoing rebuilding the morning that the SP 4449 is hauling me from Minneapolis to Chicago on its way to Train Festival in Owosso, MI. At the time, the Friends of the 261 were under the assumption that the National Railroad Museum would be reasonable in renewing the lease, so they were moving full steam ahead to get the engine returned to service. Later that year, the negotiations went sour and work stopped until May of 2010 when the Friends ended up buying the 261 outright.
