The following information was sent to me today by a person in the Denver Area who has been close to the situation at the Colorado Railroad Museum in recent years. He wishes to remain annonymous, but wanted to put some information out that will help keep some things in perspective regarding some of the news being discussed today, and confirms information posted by RMRRC President Jimmy Blouch yesterday.
We are extremely pleased at the news of these developments and wish all parties the best.
Mike Trent
#20
The RMRRC deeded #20, Business Car Rico, and Caboose #0578 to the CRRM at the end of May. RMRRC does not have the funds to insure and maintain this equipment. There always were potential donors out there who would donate if 20 would operate, but the RMRRC was adamant about not rebuilding 20 to operate. This could have been for a number of reasons, not the least of which is liability.
As soon as the Museum assumed ownership, a donor gave the Museum $400,000.00 to restore it to operation and another $100,000.00 in an endowment fund to operate/maintain it. The donor wishes to remain unknown, and the Museum will not disclose their identity. Number 20 has a thin boiler section under the steam dome/corroded recessed rivets. (coal had accumulated under the jacket portion under the dome the resulting acid had eaten away the metal) The fire box has been patched on both sides up to the second row of stay bolts. The welding is bad, it looks like a flock of crazed pigeons did the welding. Then there is 6+ inches of lateral play in the middle drivers. So bad 4x4's had to be laid inside/outside the track to keep the drivers from dropping on the dirt when it was pushed around the tight curves to it's current location. Bob Richardson told me in the last years of the RGS everytime the boiler inspector showed up in Ridgway, #20 would be out on the line, unable to be inspected. Volunteers connected the display track to the main trackage last Saturday in preparation to move 20 to the roundhouse to strip the stack/headlight etc. in preparation to it's move to Strasburg PA. This move should be in 2 weeks.
#318
#318's frame was reunited with it's boiler with domes and headlight in order to get it placed on the state historic register. This designation was impossible while it was in pieces. It has to be on the State register in order to qualify for a grant from the State Historical Fund.
Other News
Also, the Museum has purchased a 44+ tonner from the D&SNGRR as a back up for the Thomas train. (Lindsey Ashby could pull his equipment any time leaving no equipment for Thomas event.) This diesel will go along with four gondolas recently purchased from Don Shank (who ended up with Carl Helfin's collection behind the Alamosa roundhouse) to be converted into rider cars for Thomas.
