Kelly Anderson Wrote:
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>
> [
heritagerail.org] is the successor to the
> old Tourist Railroad Asso. (TRAIN). Ir combines
> TRAIN and ARM (Association of railroad Museums)
> into one organization.
The combination of the two different, but similar, organizations brought the strengths of each into the combined organization.
ARM (Association of Railway Museums) was the older organization (1961) that eventually limited its membership to not-for-profit preservation groups (except that there were a few for-profits that were "grandfathered" in). The organization had a membership that appeared to be primarily streetcar and interurban related. This was because such preservation organizations predated (two even predated WW2) the mass movement to preserve "steam railroad" heritage. From the beginning in 1961 ARM was never limited to only electric railway preservation. ARM in time held an affiliate status with the American Association of Museums (now American Alliance of Museums); HeritageRail continues as an member of AAM's
Council of Affiliates.
TRAIN (Tourist Railroad Association) was later organized to serve the needs of the tourist railroad industry. It promoted a group insurance program and other programs of mutual assistance. It created an annual awards program for equipment restoration. There were a number of rail preservation organizations that held membership in both organizations.
In time it was realized that a better all encompassing organization would better serve the combined shared needs of the museums and the tourist/heritage railroads. The discussions that produced HeritageRail occured over several years. G. Mark Ray was a central figure in securing the combination; Mark served at one time on the Board of Directors of both associations.
ARM and TRAIN and now HeritageRail speak to the FRA in regard to railroad safety and similar maters that affect the heritage railroad community.
I was long-time involved with ARM and was on its Board of Directors during some of the years prior to the merger. My tenure on the ARM Board ended by a voluntary term-limit concept/agreement.
Brian Norden
former ARM Secretary, newsletter editor, and later member BofD
50 year plus member of Southern California Railway Museum (ex-Orange Empire Railway Museum; ex-Orange Empire Trolley Museum) and past member of its Board of Directors and former BOD Chairman
