Lots of words, SCVR66, but I guess I don't catch your point. Methinks you suffer from an excess of enthusiasm and a shortage of hardheaded realism. Instead of cheerleading the restoration of every locomotive you hear of, why don't you focus your time, energy, and efforts on either raising money for the restoration of just one nearby locomotive or supporting an equally nearby museum. You'll probably get more accomplished. Nearby? Well, I commute 25 miles one way each Saturday to volunteer at the Colorado Railroad Museum, and the museum has volunteers that commute on a fairly consistent basis for as much as 75 miles one way. It is that kind of commitment by (currently) about 330 volunteers that makes the CRRM the stellar success that it is. Or consider the dedication and commitment of the volunteers who make up the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad who give up at least a week (and sometime several weeks) of their personal time and who knows how many dollars of their personal resources to attend the one or more of the several Friends summer work weeks, sometime traveling several hunder miles to get there. How many of them have you heard having much to say on any of the railfan forums? They just go about the business of helping insure that the C&TS is around for another 100 years. Oh, and along the way, the Friends of the C&TS have raised a couple million dollars to support their preservation efforts and those of the railroad. Over on the right coast, the Friends of the East Broad Top Railroad do similar good work through volunteer labor. Deeds, not words, make the steam locomotive wheels go round and round.
If you follow this forum regularly, you will eventually learn that there are two kinds of railfans, the ones do the dirty work, and the ones who cheerlead or criticize from the warmth of their home computer (generally known as armchair quarterbacks). IMHO, the ones who make the most noise seem to accomplish the least amount of good. Consider which is your position, and try to get yourself into the first group. That is the only way that historical railroad equipment and facilities will be preserved and maintained.
Oh, and don't try to convince me that you are too far away or don't have a car or have some other impediment to volunteering. You have access to a computer and probably a telephone, don't you? There are amazing things you can do with those two devices to support a nearby facility or operation--largely without any significant expense to you. Like maintaining a snail mail or email address list--or a membership database. Like putting together the organization's newsletter (paper or electronic) and getting it published. Like turning out small repair parts if you have access to, and experience in, a machine shop. Like keeping the books, if you are a whiz with numbers. Like participating in the organziation's fund raising efforts. But the first thing
you have to do is pick up the phone, call the organization, and ask them what you can do from a distance. Trust me, if they are worth their salt, they will find a place for you.
Lastly, learn to pick your battles. Example: Cedar Fair and its subsidiary, Knotts Berry Farm, are private, for-profit enterprises. They have little or no interest in the opinions of outside individuals and organizations. They will do what they want to do with the Jennie K. So rather than wasting bandwidth on the fate of the Jennie K (if that is how it is spelled), take you time and energies somewhere else where they will do some good. Why beat you head against a brick wall?
Now, taking note of the second sentence of your reply--"I haven't the slightest care as to how people think or feel about me"-- which I have ignored up to this point, I will take the hint and bid you adeau. Good luck with your hopefully realistic preservation efforts.
Mike
