Re: Baggage Car D&RGW 168

Jeff Taylor Wrote:
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>
> I guess the long and short of it is the process
> or decision comes down to our director and myself
> and occasionally one or two other staff members.
> It might upset some folks that it isn't more
> complex than that, but it is probably better that
> way. I don't have to worry about someone else's
> personal agenda wanting there favorite box car
> rebuilt vs restoring a more significant piece that
> is at risk of further deterioration.

Jeff,
Thank you.

I have been involved with railroad preservation for more than 50 years.

One of the worse things I have seen in at some of the volunteer managed museums was the one-time willingness to allow a volunteer to pick a car and start working on it. Tearing into the car, maybe starting a paint job. And then the volunteer would relocate out of area due to work, military service, or higher education. The project would then be without a sponsor/funder/worker and just seat without any action for years.

Eventually, at least some of these museums, realized that this was not the best approach and decided that all such projects needed to be approved. In some cases, this approval would be by the governing board of directors, or in other cases it would be delegated. A description/proposal for the project would be submitted; this would be reviewed; perhaps revisions encouraged; and then hopefully approved. Any project needs to be approved because it needs assurances that both funding and labor will be available. Money without workers, workers without funding will result in little or nothing happening.

Encourage a new volunteer (or funder), skilled or unskilled, to help with an existing project. Observe their ability, talk with them, engage them to express their desires. Help them learn skills, procedures, pit-falls. Encourage them and don't drive them away.

Brian Norden