Norm Schultze Wrote:
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> I've said on other forums, maybe this one,too.
> Before preservation groups spend a dime on a
> restoration, they need to have a place to run, and
> an iron clad contract. Or own the railroad
> outright. Otherwise, bad things can happen. As
> exhibit A, I direct your attention to the East
> Broad Top. The Friends of the EBT have spent
> untold toil and treasure to stabilize the
> structures of the railroad, with no guarantee that
> it will ever turn a wheel again. There are others.
> And there is CSX which wouldn't allow a steam
> engine to be moved dead in tow.
>
> Contrast this with the restoration of "Doc", the
> second airworthy B-29. "Doc" has its certificate
> and crew training progresses. Soon, it will have
> the entire national airspace available to fly
> anywhere. File the flight plan and go, no need to
> get the approval of any private entity.
>
> I'm all for restorations, and I travel to see
> them. But you have to have a plan and not a pipe
> dream.

This is so true. Contrast the efforts of Roots of Motive in Willits with the slow progress of THA in Humboldt County. Roots had a site and a partnership with the Mendocino County Museum. It also helps to have a motivated and well healed leader. THA is just nailing down ownership of it's very historic site after decades of buffs collecting stuff and being evicted from one benevolent storage site to the next. A leadership change to those in tune with the business community has also helped. Credit due....it's hard enough to do anything in Humboldt County.
ARD