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Re: A merger of railway museums
Author: SP5103
Date: 02-24-2019 - 10:53
> Back in 1975, two rail museums with different
> missions managed to get along and merge. The
> California Southern Railroad Museum was merged
> with the Orange Empire Trolley Museum forming the
> Orange Empire Railway Museum.
I don't think it was a "friendly" merger by any means. A friend of mine, and long time member, explained it to me that OET was becoming concerned with the amount of equipment that Cal Southern was bringing onto the property, OET being the landlord. Enough OET members joined Cal Southern, that they voted to merge the two organizations. For years afterward, there were those that accepted the merger and others that were extremely pissed off over the takeover. I know when I was a member in the 1980s, there was an absolutely horribly nasty election between the "Old Guarde" and other members attempting to unseat them and go a new direction.
> Today, OERM is one of the few museums that can run
> steam, diesel and electric trains at the same
> time, and can operate on three different gauges.
True - they have survived despite themselves and have been very successful, especially due to their public exposure and income from the (evil?) Thomas trains. I won't say there are "cliques", but there are definitely several strong groups with primary interests in traction, steam, diesel, restoration, operations, archives/library and others. There are evidently some that supposedly think the museum's primary purpose is to support Thomas events.
> When people work together and get along, good
> things happen.
Agreed!
These aren't issues unique to the organizations here. Changing ideas and control of the organizations can lead to evolution or revolution. I have heard that Rio Vista has a traction vs. everyone else attitude. Portola dismantled the greatest collection of diesel-electric technology in the name of focusing only on the WP. 15 years ago, PSRMA members spent a year in court to recall their Board of Trustees under California corporation laws, and then had to save the remains from deferred maintenance, lack of visitors, "professional management", a corrupt entanglement with Carrizo Gorge Railway et al, and probable bankruptcy. They are still struggling, but not more than anyone else. I was a member of PLA years ago, and they had a closed membership system. Anyone can be a non-voting supporting member, but to become a voting member you had to apply and be accepted by the existing voting members.
These situations are far from unique to the mentioned organizations. I've seen some version of them repeated elsewhere. From my experience, a railway preservation organization's success is typically determined by the strength, fairness and competence of their management. Yes - the number of active members/volunteers and funding is important, but without good management the scarce resources, including business and collection opportunities, volunteers and paying visitors, are just wasted or driven off.
A railway preservation organization's biggest challenge is their internal politics and individual personalities/agendas.
> missions managed to get along and merge. The
> California Southern Railroad Museum was merged
> with the Orange Empire Trolley Museum forming the
> Orange Empire Railway Museum.
I don't think it was a "friendly" merger by any means. A friend of mine, and long time member, explained it to me that OET was becoming concerned with the amount of equipment that Cal Southern was bringing onto the property, OET being the landlord. Enough OET members joined Cal Southern, that they voted to merge the two organizations. For years afterward, there were those that accepted the merger and others that were extremely pissed off over the takeover. I know when I was a member in the 1980s, there was an absolutely horribly nasty election between the "Old Guarde" and other members attempting to unseat them and go a new direction.
> Today, OERM is one of the few museums that can run
> steam, diesel and electric trains at the same
> time, and can operate on three different gauges.
True - they have survived despite themselves and have been very successful, especially due to their public exposure and income from the (evil?) Thomas trains. I won't say there are "cliques", but there are definitely several strong groups with primary interests in traction, steam, diesel, restoration, operations, archives/library and others. There are evidently some that supposedly think the museum's primary purpose is to support Thomas events.
> When people work together and get along, good
> things happen.
Agreed!
These aren't issues unique to the organizations here. Changing ideas and control of the organizations can lead to evolution or revolution. I have heard that Rio Vista has a traction vs. everyone else attitude. Portola dismantled the greatest collection of diesel-electric technology in the name of focusing only on the WP. 15 years ago, PSRMA members spent a year in court to recall their Board of Trustees under California corporation laws, and then had to save the remains from deferred maintenance, lack of visitors, "professional management", a corrupt entanglement with Carrizo Gorge Railway et al, and probable bankruptcy. They are still struggling, but not more than anyone else. I was a member of PLA years ago, and they had a closed membership system. Anyone can be a non-voting supporting member, but to become a voting member you had to apply and be accepted by the existing voting members.
These situations are far from unique to the mentioned organizations. I've seen some version of them repeated elsewhere. From my experience, a railway preservation organization's success is typically determined by the strength, fairness and competence of their management. Yes - the number of active members/volunteers and funding is important, but without good management the scarce resources, including business and collection opportunities, volunteers and paying visitors, are just wasted or driven off.
A railway preservation organization's biggest challenge is their internal politics and individual personalities/agendas.
