[SEL] Smithsonian stuff

[Paul + Colleen Gray]

Rick- By all means you'll be amazed at the stuff in the Smithsonian. 
They have lots of  EARLY steamers, Atkinson-cycle and Brayton-cycle 
engines. The only other Brayton cycle I have seen was in the Great 
Falls Museum in Patterson, NJ . I was at the Smithsonian about 2 years 
ago and I believe they were revamping the engine display.

If you are going to do research there, be sure to arrange it in 
advance. If they know you are coming and that you are associated with a 
museum, I think they'll treat you right. There is a nice lunch to be 
had at the Chapel next to the old museum building on the west-central 
end of the grounds for reasonable $$$. I think it is open to the public 
now.

Also take the metro to either Rosslyn or Dupont circle. There are two 
of the largest escalators I have ever seen there; something like 300' 
long- scary for us acrophobics.

Paul