I have read this dialog with considerable interest. As with most things in life, there are two sides of the story. As someone who has written a few books and magazine articles on the D&RGW/RGS and is working on more, I would be the last one to want any historical information destroyed.
On the other hand I have experience some of the unprofessional and unethical behavior from some members of our community. Some of you may not be aware of how close we came to losing the photographs of a famour director of a Colorado RR Museum. He was hurt by this community and came close to destroying his collection. It was only through the efforts of an employee of the Denver Library's Western History Collection, that these photographs were saved.
Some in this community forget that these items are personal property until donated to some orgaization. I have had people tell me that since papers that I have in my possession once belonged to the D&RGW or RGS that they are not really mine and that they have a right to them for their books or whatever. These records were given to me by former D&RGW employees and are no longer property of the D&RGW or anyone else but me and I can do with them as I please. I have on a few occassions, chosen to share some of this until the time when I can complete the book projects. Some, not content to wait, have demanded that I give it to them so they can put it in their books...without giving credit to me or the person who gave it to me.
Some forget that writing and producing books, magazine, videos, etc. is a business to some of us and that no one has a right to my property unless I willingly give it up.
The majority of this community are honest, upstanding people who just share an interest in the wonderful old trains that we all love. But there is a small minority who do not respect the rights of others and who claim credit for the efforts of others. I can understand how this man feels and how the museum director felt.
Who knows how much materal has been lost because of the actions of a few of these vultures. Instead of attacking this man (and I have no idea who he is), why don't we discuss the thinking of those who prompted him to consider this drastic action.
