...my job as a delivery driver takes me over the Sacramento River on I-80 almost daily. As I pass over the Sacramento Southern Railroad mainline, I always glance at the rusting hulks of ATSF steamers 5021 & 2925 parked on a siding almost directly underneath the freeway bridge over the river and railroad.

I have to say that I am upset that CSRM (apparently) has not tried to preserve these two fine examples of western steam, even cosmetically. I remember back when ATSF with great fanfare donated their entire historical locomotive collection to the CSRM, thinking that these historic and in some cases very rare examples of Santa Fe motive power would have a good home for the future. I was present trackside when the three freshly painted Kodachrome diesels pulling the collection passed on its way to Sacramento. I couldnt wait to see what the museum would do with this priceless collection.

So, years later, it seems that instead of preservation, the CSRM has basically given up on doing anything with the collection and is in the process of giving it away. I see where the museum in Campo took delivery of a ALCO S-2, the Illinois Railroad Museum received the only surviving Fairbanks Morse H-12-44TS (of only 3 ever built) and I know there are others going to new homes.

Whatever happened to the idea of a railroad museum preserving railroad heritage? I as a Sacramento resident always points with pride at the CSRM as one of the finest museums of any kind in the country, yet (at least from a casual observer) they didnt seem to lift a finger to preserve one of the most comprehensive donated collections of locomotives ever given, other than F units 347B and C.

If someone with knowledge of whats happening with the museum would enlighten me, Id appreciate it.