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WP collection
Author: Eugene
Date: 11-10-2011 - 10:59
5103,
Sorry you feel that way. Most of the members and donors we have spoken with and heard from are generally in favor of the rationalization we are undertaking. We used to take a lot of flack for having things like VIA Rail FPA4s and a Long Island FA2.
BTW: The rationalization push started with a whole member survey that I designed and administrated along with Dr. Peter Lyman of OERM. Our members weighed in (we got about a 30% response rate, which is excellent) and, IIRC, (I'd have to dig for the exact numbers) some 65%-70% of the membership wanted a tighter focus on the WP.
Since then we have sold the FPA4s and FA2, sold an SP RS32 to Campo, an SP 0-6-0 to CTRC performed a big trade with Rio Vista that saw an SN caboose, Saltair 44 tonner and other items go to them. Our Ingersoll-Rand boxcab is going to a new home where it will be seen by many more people in a more appropriate setting.
We have several SP locos in the process of leaving the collection, as well as a MILW U25B, all hopefully going to good new homes where there will be more focus placed on them.
Most every museum is facing this. We have limited resources and too much equipment. We need to focus in the area where our members and donors are most likely to support us to the maximum. For the FRRS, that was determined to be the WP and its corporate family (SN, TS and CCT). Releasing those items has allowed us to bring in and / or begin restoration on other items, include WP 0-6-0 165, CZ diner Silver Plate, WP GP9 731, WP business car "Charles O. Sweetwood", SN GP7 712, SN caboose 1642 and others.
It is hard and we do have people get upset and angry over it (hey, I still miss that SN caboose we sent to Rio Vista, but she's now restored and operating with electric power), but museums often do not have the resources to handle everything they have.
We are now instituting a sponsorship program at Portola. If someone feels strongly about a piece, they can sponsor it and keep it in the collection. About as direct a "vote with your wallet" measure as I can imagine.
I'll echo the sentiments at the top of this. If you want to see this stuff saved, get involved, either through volunteering (and a lot of things do not require someone to be at a museum. Fundraising can be done remotely, for instance), donating or promoting them. And if you are unhappy with something that is being done, speak up directly. (Believe me, you get no credibility hiding behind "anonymous" or an alias.) You may not get the answer you want, but until you try you won't know. (And sometimes it takes time to answer. We're volunteers. We have other lives. Heck, I am a partner in a business and work 50 hour weeks regularly plus volunteering.)
And if someone has questions about the WPRM and FRRS, I try to answer everything I can. I'm pretty easy to reach. Just please be civil. I long ago lost my tolerance for threats and invective.
Eugene Vicknair
FRRS
eugene.vicknair@gmail.com
Sorry you feel that way. Most of the members and donors we have spoken with and heard from are generally in favor of the rationalization we are undertaking. We used to take a lot of flack for having things like VIA Rail FPA4s and a Long Island FA2.
BTW: The rationalization push started with a whole member survey that I designed and administrated along with Dr. Peter Lyman of OERM. Our members weighed in (we got about a 30% response rate, which is excellent) and, IIRC, (I'd have to dig for the exact numbers) some 65%-70% of the membership wanted a tighter focus on the WP.
Since then we have sold the FPA4s and FA2, sold an SP RS32 to Campo, an SP 0-6-0 to CTRC performed a big trade with Rio Vista that saw an SN caboose, Saltair 44 tonner and other items go to them. Our Ingersoll-Rand boxcab is going to a new home where it will be seen by many more people in a more appropriate setting.
We have several SP locos in the process of leaving the collection, as well as a MILW U25B, all hopefully going to good new homes where there will be more focus placed on them.
Most every museum is facing this. We have limited resources and too much equipment. We need to focus in the area where our members and donors are most likely to support us to the maximum. For the FRRS, that was determined to be the WP and its corporate family (SN, TS and CCT). Releasing those items has allowed us to bring in and / or begin restoration on other items, include WP 0-6-0 165, CZ diner Silver Plate, WP GP9 731, WP business car "Charles O. Sweetwood", SN GP7 712, SN caboose 1642 and others.
It is hard and we do have people get upset and angry over it (hey, I still miss that SN caboose we sent to Rio Vista, but she's now restored and operating with electric power), but museums often do not have the resources to handle everything they have.
We are now instituting a sponsorship program at Portola. If someone feels strongly about a piece, they can sponsor it and keep it in the collection. About as direct a "vote with your wallet" measure as I can imagine.
I'll echo the sentiments at the top of this. If you want to see this stuff saved, get involved, either through volunteering (and a lot of things do not require someone to be at a museum. Fundraising can be done remotely, for instance), donating or promoting them. And if you are unhappy with something that is being done, speak up directly. (Believe me, you get no credibility hiding behind "anonymous" or an alias.) You may not get the answer you want, but until you try you won't know. (And sometimes it takes time to answer. We're volunteers. We have other lives. Heck, I am a partner in a business and work 50 hour weeks regularly plus volunteering.)
And if someone has questions about the WPRM and FRRS, I try to answer everything I can. I'm pretty easy to reach. Just please be civil. I long ago lost my tolerance for threats and invective.
Eugene Vicknair
FRRS
eugene.vicknair@gmail.com
