*IF* there is anything left of any use. And, you would then have to
be concerned about finding a museum willing and able to take it. Not
just the initial donation, but the everyday maintenance and
upkeep. Be sure to add that in the donation request. Then you'd
have to find a museum with space. Note that many museums have a
similar policy to that of the Illinois Railway Museum - that is if
something comes in, something goes out (or gets scrapped). Usually,
it's a like for like type of thing. That also narrows the field.
Things of this nature - donations of equipment - are often not as
simple as saying "Here, take it". One look at what has happened to
the collection from the Santa Fe at the California State RR Museum is
an indication of that. There are a lot of cars and locomotives that
might be saved if that were the case, but saved to what end? To be
eventually scrapped anyway? There are finite resources and finite
known sources of income. Expenses keep going up every day. Farm land
that surrounds the Illinois Railway Museum - where there actually
*IS* farm land -is going for a LOT more than it was 5 years ago -
and, for those of you who haven't been around there recently, the
number of new developments from the I-90 interchange to Union and
beyond is unbelievable. What that means - as one example of one
institution - is greater costs than ever, in many forms. And, if you
think you electric bill is high, think how high one might be running
a trolley car around.
Donating a train (should one still exist - would be the fulfillment
of a lot of dreams, no doubt. But, let's be a bit honest here. The
Mark Twain Zephyr sits rotting away. Those three cars in the Black
Hills are not getting any younger. There are more than a few other
candidates for preservation in the US. I for one would love to see a
dome car at the IRM, for one example (or the CRM). BUT, as I say,
costs are an important factor to consider. As are museum
requirements for accession.
At 06:52 PM 11/19/2006, Stephen J. Levine wrote:
>T'would be a very nice gesture for the Saudi's to donate their
>trains to a museum here.
Bob Webber
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