Paul, thank you for your comments they were exactly what I was hoping this thread might spark. I am not wedded to this idea but I would like to explore some of your comments more fully before we toss this idea in the round file….
First, I don’t necessarily agree a museum in the yard is a bad idea. Is it any worse than having depot in the yard? And come to think of it, the whole yard is a living museum anyway, so I don’t get the point of locating it “off site”. My idea of recreating the warehouse was in exterior cosmetic appearance only; all other aspects of the inner structure would be “museum” quality for archival storage and/or museum design standards. You jumped to the conclusion that the structure was not built to be safe and well sealed which is 180 degrees opposite of what I anticipated.
There will never be enough parking in this town or any town that experiences large seasonal influxes, the land is too valuable to use for this purpose so creative thinking must prevail (leave the car at the motel and catch a free shuttle etc.) I think we are talking about maybe 12 cars here that would be displaced (OK maybe 10 if we count all the Hummers and SUV's that park up front LOL)…what will be the county code for museum parking spaces if you locate in town or on another area of vacant state land? The RR is going to need a lot more than 12 spaces if it is going to grow and expand in the coming years but we are not going to solve all the world’s problems of where to park an RV in this thread….
How would a sprinklered, metal roofed and sided building be any more susceptible to fire than any other historic yard structure? And just to play devils advocate how would an alternative location anywhere in town prevent the catastrophic spread of fire like took down Kelly’s and some of the other structures no longer standing where you propose to locate a museum.? Yes, the yard does get dirty, but that is what railroads do. I don’t see that it has stopped the D&S from having a museum in their roundhouse or the Colorado RR Museum from having the Richardson library next to the track where trains occasionally spew forth coal smoke and cinders….now maybe it was my synergistic thought of combining a museum and library into one facility that needs to be disengaged, but the warehouse site in my mind is still a worthy candidate, maybe more so for the museum/ interpretive function that the Friends are indeed chartered to perform.
Now as to whether it is the right time for a Friends museum and library is a good point that I am glad you raised. It is a matter of priorities and responsibility which IMHO the Friends have gone beyond their Triad scope time and again in bailing out the Commission. In fact, it is to the point now that I feel the Friends are actually contributing to the ongoing problems by abetting the reckless and disorganized lack of leadership of the states and Commission. How many times will the Friends bail out the Commission because they have no plan, leadership, or long term continuity to the property they are chartered with managing? How many times do the Friends have to come up with money to keep the RR operating when both states can spend millions (billions in NM on their new commuter trains) or on consultants like UDS, Starfire Engineering, Centennial Engineering, and list goes on and on. No shortage of money for consultants with their hands out, but try and settle on capital equipment with the outgoing operator who did their best to make the RR work in spite of the commission, and guess who again bails out the commission, you guessed it, the good ol “Friends” with the fat wallet. And let’s be clear on what responsibilities the Friends are indeed chartered to do. It seems to me that at one time the Commission had an Exec. Director/ state staff who were capable of securing their own grants for the RR’s ongoing locomotive repair, maintenance and capital programs. Why do the Friends do this now for them? How do brush clearing and repairs to locomotives (488 flooring) also fall to the Friends and why should the coal tipple if it is to be used for servicing the operating locomotives be a Friends problem? Don’t get me wrong here, I want to see the RR grow and prosper, but I am sick and tired of the states not funding their own property because they lack the political will to do so. The Friends IMHO have enabled this situation for far too long, not unlike someone buying booze for a homeless alcoholic. The states and Commission need to get to rehab and we need to stop enabling their dysfunctional behavior. As the old saying goes; you can only be taken advantage of if you allow it.
My .25 cents ad I raise you a nickel….
Rod
