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Re: Western Railway Museum Railfan Day
Author: highball the pickup
Date: 08-07-2016 - 21:37
When RVJ Refugee writes I always pay attention. Though I'm an outsider to the goings on, it sounds to me like the heart went out of the museum after the trolley faction pulled its coup d'etat. It also sounds like the museum never fully recovered from that self-inflicted wound.
An AltamontPress news item back in 2003 contained the following list of items that went from WRM to Portola as part of a big swap:
At that same time, someone also posted the following critical commentary on the swap --
[Begin Quote]
The WP 917 (F unit) was acquired by the efforts of the late Harre Demoro, noted railroad and transportation writer, respected reporter for the SF Chronicle, and a past Chariman of the Board of BAERA for several terms. This is, er rather was, a memorial to him, and this act speaks volumes of the regard those in power at Rio Vista have for him.
They have also been selling off a great number of items from several collections willed to them, like the W. B. Freeman Collection. Miller-Freeman, of which W. B. Freeman was past president (part owner?), is Scientific Amercian's book publisher; Scientific American is the premier science magazine in the world. Other trolley/railroad museums are engaged in this practise, so keep it in mind when you will your collections to your favorite museum.
The SN 712 (GP 7) represents the final phase of the SN. Rio Vista is so proud of having the best collection of SN artifacts: passenger cars 1005, 1019, 1020, and Bidwell, [electric] locomotives 652 and 654, box motor 602, volumes of company records, and many of the original title deeds - - not to mention 30+ miles of the SN itself, why are they giving away such an integral part of SN history? It's no different than IRM giving away their Illinois Terminal geep.
BAERA membership was not consulted nor given the opportunity to vote on the deal.
Portola has, what, 3,000 feet of track to run on with no possibilities of expansion? Rio Vista has some 5 miles of the SN, not counting the recently re-electrified track, on which they *used* to run the 917 and 712. The SN itself has operated GP7s on the branch.
Rio Vista already has a 44 tonner, Visalia Electric 502. When it was used on the Wildflower trains some 6 or 8 years ago, it had already been overhauled under the supervision of a member who has an international reputation as a restorer. The problem is 44 tonners are not up to this sort of service, which wasn't all that strenuous, and Cat D-17000s have a serious design flaw. The 502 is only about 1/2 the size and horsepower of the 654, a 60 ton, 1000 hp electric.
With the 502, something on it somewhere would break down on a weekly basis, almost like clockwork. So Rio Vista looked around for something to use on the Wildflower trains which would be more reliable and just as gentle on the track. Being designed for European railroads, the MRS-1s fit this to a T. The one put in service (forget which one at the moment) suffered only one failure in two or three years of service (a cracked cylinder liner). The MRS1s were acquired not as historical items but as revenue generators.
When these Wildflower trains ran - barely 2 months each year, they pulled in nearly $80 grand/year in sales while the trolleys only made about $33 grand. The electric power bill averaged $20-25 grand and the liability insurance premium for the whole Rio Vista operation was around $15-18 grand. I guess 15+20 is only 33 (but I've never been good at addition).
The Wildflower trains always generated much more public interest than the trolleys, so perhaps those in power, many for over 30 years, became frightened that they would lose control of their box of toys.
At any rate, about three years ago they drove off the steam department with a stick, and steam always generates more public interest than diesel.
Now they are putting the nail in the coffin of the diesel department. Does this make any sense, fiscally or otherwise?
Rio Vista used to rank up there as one of the *three* premier, all-service museums in the US; one of only three (IRM, OERM, WRM) which had a balance of steam, diesel, and electric. Now there are only two.
[End Quote]
As Bob2 says, oh well?
An AltamontPress news item back in 2003 contained the following list of items that went from WRM to Portola as part of a big swap:
Quote:Equipment going to the Feather River Rail Society from the Western Railway Museum includes:
Western Pacific F7a 917-D,
Sacramento Northern GP7 712,
TTX trailer flat 475127 with two hitches,
Amtrak steam generator 662 converted from an F3b,
Union Pacific steel caboose 25732,
Western Pacific steel caboose 483,
United States Navy MRS-1's 612 and 614,
and the maintenance building frame from the New Melones Dam project.
At that same time, someone also posted the following critical commentary on the swap --
[Begin Quote]
The WP 917 (F unit) was acquired by the efforts of the late Harre Demoro, noted railroad and transportation writer, respected reporter for the SF Chronicle, and a past Chariman of the Board of BAERA for several terms. This is, er rather was, a memorial to him, and this act speaks volumes of the regard those in power at Rio Vista have for him.
They have also been selling off a great number of items from several collections willed to them, like the W. B. Freeman Collection. Miller-Freeman, of which W. B. Freeman was past president (part owner?), is Scientific Amercian's book publisher; Scientific American is the premier science magazine in the world. Other trolley/railroad museums are engaged in this practise, so keep it in mind when you will your collections to your favorite museum.
The SN 712 (GP 7) represents the final phase of the SN. Rio Vista is so proud of having the best collection of SN artifacts: passenger cars 1005, 1019, 1020, and Bidwell, [electric] locomotives 652 and 654, box motor 602, volumes of company records, and many of the original title deeds - - not to mention 30+ miles of the SN itself, why are they giving away such an integral part of SN history? It's no different than IRM giving away their Illinois Terminal geep.
BAERA membership was not consulted nor given the opportunity to vote on the deal.
Portola has, what, 3,000 feet of track to run on with no possibilities of expansion? Rio Vista has some 5 miles of the SN, not counting the recently re-electrified track, on which they *used* to run the 917 and 712. The SN itself has operated GP7s on the branch.
Rio Vista already has a 44 tonner, Visalia Electric 502. When it was used on the Wildflower trains some 6 or 8 years ago, it had already been overhauled under the supervision of a member who has an international reputation as a restorer. The problem is 44 tonners are not up to this sort of service, which wasn't all that strenuous, and Cat D-17000s have a serious design flaw. The 502 is only about 1/2 the size and horsepower of the 654, a 60 ton, 1000 hp electric.
With the 502, something on it somewhere would break down on a weekly basis, almost like clockwork. So Rio Vista looked around for something to use on the Wildflower trains which would be more reliable and just as gentle on the track. Being designed for European railroads, the MRS-1s fit this to a T. The one put in service (forget which one at the moment) suffered only one failure in two or three years of service (a cracked cylinder liner). The MRS1s were acquired not as historical items but as revenue generators.
When these Wildflower trains ran - barely 2 months each year, they pulled in nearly $80 grand/year in sales while the trolleys only made about $33 grand. The electric power bill averaged $20-25 grand and the liability insurance premium for the whole Rio Vista operation was around $15-18 grand. I guess 15+20 is only 33 (but I've never been good at addition).
The Wildflower trains always generated much more public interest than the trolleys, so perhaps those in power, many for over 30 years, became frightened that they would lose control of their box of toys.
At any rate, about three years ago they drove off the steam department with a stick, and steam always generates more public interest than diesel.
Now they are putting the nail in the coffin of the diesel department. Does this make any sense, fiscally or otherwise?
Rio Vista used to rank up there as one of the *three* premier, all-service museums in the US; one of only three (IRM, OERM, WRM) which had a balance of steam, diesel, and electric. Now there are only two.
[End Quote]
As Bob2 says, oh well?
