Re: I am confused

The problem as I see it is that some folks think that any moneys that go to the friends or the railroad for that matter can be used in their general funds. This seems to be what has happened in the past. However Mr. Cowles explanation did say that the money was used for some of the preliminary work on 483 and 492.
The problem becomes this. It seems like every few years someone wants to borrow from this fund or that fund to take care of the latest crisis mode, and there is no long-term fund once again.
The two funds they now have, seem to be a lot of cross-over and both are related to engine repairs.
This being the "Another Century of Steam Fund", and "Ralph Flowers Fund" I believe our autographs were started when the Ralph Flowers fund was started. In this we did not care where the money went as long as it was for restoration of the C&TS locos.
The 483 fund in my opion should not be given the chance to fall into this "general" funding in the future. If folks want to give to the general restoration of the C&TS engines then they can do so with the funds that are already established. If a "True 483 Fund" is established it needs to be for that engine only, and perhaps it should be a separate entity from the railroad, or those assoiciated with it so there is no conflict one way or the other.
Those involved with the fund, can quietly or not so quietly go about increasing the fund, and when the time comes for 483 to begin restoration they can be heard from. I think this is perhaps better, than if the railroad, or other groups think they can "COUNT ON THE FUND" in their restoration budget. It would be far better to have the money show up as a bonus, rather than as something that is anticipated.
Russ may have something when he says a few folks should perhaps be custodians, and they can give annual reports on the account. Perhaps some sort of brief script should be written that states when these funds would be released to those in charge of the restoration. Of course all this means little now with a tiny amount of money, but down the road it might be wise to have.
Any lawyers out there who want to donate their time to make up a provision for this!! Or is this really more work than needs to be done?
Greg Scholl
PS What I fear is that folks give money toward the 483, then it gets used for something else down the road, and therefore those folks would be upset because it went for something other than 483.