Tom and Eugene have it correct. Feather River Rail Society may not be the perfect organization but their Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola is a grand museum. As such the museum is operated by volunteers, many of whom are experienced railroad employees, some may not be employees but they are learing from the railroaders. There will always be politics, and some disagreements, but Portola is still a fine museum to join and to visit. Join FRRS/WPRRHS and be part of the solution, instead of part of the problem. [www.wplives.org] Or do some of you just enjoy sitting outside the organization flinging mud at well intentioned members and volunteers? Yes, the incident was embarrassing, let it go. Yes, the incident pointed out some rules infractions, but it could have been worse. Steps have been taken to learn from this incident and prevent further incidents.

As for the WP 917-D's nose damage, some F-units remained in service with similar nose damage, and much worse in terms of aging paint jobs. This is an opportunity for all the detractors to cough up some money toward a face lift and a paint job for the WP 917-D. Think about it. It is tax deductible, and fixing the damage will provide years of enjoyment for generations to come. What WP fan can resist a fresh orange and silver paint on a WP F-unit?

Portola Railroad Days was a blast, witness the photos and comments posted elsewhere on Altamont Press. FRRS/WPRRHS and the "Feather River Express" were the centers of attention.

Glen Icanberry
FRRS Lifer
Redlands, CA