Beyond Economical Repair

Usually when we say something is beyond economical repair we mean it would be a better idea to replace it with a new one than to fix the one we have. I don't think I’ve ever seen a steam locomotive that makes economic sense to repair but that hasn't stopped hundreds of them being saved from the scrap yard. Despite a gap in logic, somehow, similar locomotives have made it back to something akin to the designers specification hauling happy passengers along restored railway lines. The nostalgia factor no doubt! It wouldn't make economic sense to scrap this particular locomotive since it would require the asbestos boiler lagging to be removed at great cost first. Sadly, many easily removable parts are missing having been taken by souvenir hunters. Instead, it sits in limbo, until someone loves it enough to invest heavily in a restoration project. The idea that you can just leave a locomotive to one side and hope it will go away just makes the mess worse eventually. Over time the steel will rot away leaving the asbestos exposed and at that point clean up will have to happen and will be a whole lot more complicated. I suppose it might be possible to dig a hole and just bury it but somehow doubt the local authorities would be thrilled with that option. What this locomotive needs is unreasonable loving investment.

I’ve met people like this locomotive! They started out on the right track but somewhere along the way something went wrong and they were cast to one side. The investor always willing to invest and having already paid up front for the restoration lays out His intention in John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”