Ron Keagle Wrote:
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> Jeff,
>
> Thanks for that information. It clarifies the
> situation greatly. I guess the newspaper article
> got the story wrong about the locomotive being
> offered for sale.
The newspaper is the first place I've heard sale.
> Is the Queen’s Crossing
> project to be a private business or a public
> sector development? It certainly seems intent on
> taking the basic role of a historical museum to a
> highly interpretive level.
The gist was that the facility would be a museum for the engine and that funding would be solicited through RAPS from non-profit standpoint. RAPS leadership has been quite creative in searching for solutions to fund their work.
> The fact that the City says nothing about who will
> own the locomotive while it is cared for by the
> selected group leads me to believe that the City
> will retain ownership. I assume the City is
> seeking an independent contractor to provide the
> services they ask for in their RFP. I can
> understand the basic requirement for the tools,
> resources, and knowhow to provide most of those
> services. But when they suggest the RFP requires
> the financing for moving the locomotive, and
> perhaps for its housing as well, it raises a
> question of just how far they expect the
> responders to the RFP to go in terms of financing
> a seemingly very ambitious project.
I think some of the confusion rises from the fact that this RFP was mailed to a number of railroad museums outside of the Amarillo area - Wichita and OKC are two I know for sure. It's a bit of a peculiar arrangement for the locomotive to leave the City, but remain under City ownership.
> It is not clear to me how RAPS is able to reach a
> conclusion that they would be prevented from
> taking on the role described in the RFP.
It is my impression that RAPS views the terms of the agreement untenable. They argue that it's very difficult to raise money to restore something you don't own. I'd wager that they're speaking from experience as they've been trying to persuade the City to transfer ownership for some time. I'm really not sure what's going on.
-Jeff
