One thing that has not been mentioned much is that many railroad museums finally have realized that they cannot save everything. They have finite limits in the amout of space and money available. A few museums have been trying to focus their collection and to reduce it to a size that they can preserve. Equipment out back that is slowly returning to nature is not preserved. These museums are trying to find good homes for equipment that does not fit their mission statement or their ability to protect it.

Now a railfan develops almost a sexual attraction to a given locomotive. But is he willing to pay for protecting it in a museum? You gotta be kidding. Of course many museums are not interested in increasing their expenses. They have enough trouble maintaing what they have today.

If a person approaches a museum with an offer to pay for proper protection of a new exhibit, he is more likely to get a favorable response. We're talking real money here. Protecting a railroad car under cover typically will cost $25,000 to $30,000 minimum.

Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is? Or are you going to continue to bad mouth railway museums?