Weekend Survey #2 Train Museums

[ebtbob]

Good Morning,

     Sheldon is correct,  the 4-4-2 has not been operational for almost 20 years.   At one time there was also a 4-4-0 operational and that too is in the museum.

Bob

[Atlantic Central]

After thinking about it, a power reverse problem is a big problem for the Strasburg, a railroad who's locos spend as much time in reverse as forward and at the speeds they don't travel, a good deal of time in "netural" coasting along.

They probably wear out more of those parts now than that loco ever did on the Great Western.

Sheldon

[trolley1]

HEY!  Does a trolley museum count in this survey?

I am deeply involved with the Electric City Trolley Museum in Scranton, Pa.  (Located on Steamtown's grounds!)  I try to get there once a month to operate the trolley excursion.  If you like trolleys AND trains, this is the place.  You can get photographs of a trolley and train together at the platform.  Be sure to take a trolley ride.  It is a 10.5 MILE round trip, including a tunnel of over 4700 feet.

I am also a conductor and engineer trainee on the Cape May Seashore Lines in south Jersey.  While not really a museum, we do operate historic equipment such as, Budd RDC's that ran on this line from 1950 until 1981.  You can have a 30 mile round trip every Saturday from Tuckahoe to Richland.

Dave G.

[nhmanhere59]

I try to get to the Train Museum in Sacramento several times a year. I also go to the "Orange Empire"in Perris,Ca. Last summer I spent considerable time at the "Georgetown Loop" operation in Colorado. A friend of mine belongs to the Colorado Historical Society,and writes articles for the "Colorado Time-Table" newspaper. I go to the local train museum and model railroad display in San Diego regularly.

[Paul M.]

1.  Do you visit Train Museums?
Would I be responding to this post if I didn't?

2.  How often do you frequent Train Museums?
Once every couple months

3.  Are you a member of any Train Museums? and do you do any volunteer work there? If so please share.
No, I'm not

4.  Which train Museums are your favorite? Do you prefer large w/ many trains , or small single road versions.

I like all of them, there's one T&P-only museum that I'd like to go to sometime.

5.  Bonus Q.  If you were asked to start a train museum, what would be the key features, and how would you advertise these?

Features:
T&P T&P T&P T&P T&P and maybe a little Mopac

Advertisements:
I'd leave that to my marketing board.

[Paul W.]

Bob,
Nice shot of the Cagney! Strasburg actually just restored the center cab last year, and even though it's not steam, she looks good. I'm guessing 89 was in for monthly inspections and they only run 31 on rare occasions. That's too bad, but I'm sure the team will have them both back up and running soon. They are a very talented group in the shops, so I'm sure if they don't have the parts, they'll either find one or make one.
If you have ever taken the noon shop tour, in one of the shops, the museum has a camelback in for restoration consideration. They also have several cars in  their own shop for restoration as well.

[BIG BEAR]

         Dave G.   Trolley Museums certainly do count!
   I have the pleasure of having a Trolley Museum just 30 miles from home. The East Troy Electric Railroad. This year, 2007, we celebrate 100 years of continuous service.May 5th they had a "Train Parade" 20 vintage Trolleys rolling the 10 mile round trip. I didn't make it for that , but I will Make the trip a couple times this year.
    A couple weeks ago the Kenosha museum had train layouts set up on display. So we took the grandkids, well we parked a mile away and rode the trolleys to & from the Museum. Now the 2 1/2 yr. old wants my new On30 Trolley to "Ding-Ding like the real one" I did the next best thing, I
dug out the old Tyco Steam Whistle billboard and hooked it up to the transformer. She had a blast!

        Enjoy
               Barry

[BIG BEAR]

        Two weeks ago  my wife & I went to a Lumberjack Museum & rode on an old steam train. "The Lumberjack Special" in Laona Wis. way up-north, almost to the U.P. It was a 1916 Vulcan 2-6-2 Prairie type Engine, affectionately called the "4 Spot", a few old passenger cars & a few Caboose's.
        Logging is still going strong in this area & they still use trains to haul the logs to the Mills, and Port Cities.

            Barry

[Terry Toenges]

Barry,
Sorry I overlooked your question.
Here is the book -


http://www.bestwebbuys.com/Empire_State_Railway_Museum's_Tourist_Trains_2006-ISBN_9780871162243.html?isrc=b-search

[BIG BEAR]

     Terry,
        Thanks for the link. It is very much appreciated.

          Barry

[SteamGene]

1.  Do you visit Train Museums?

Yes

2.  How often do you frequent Train Museums? 1 per year or 1 per Week

It varies, and also depends on what you mean by a "museum."

3.  Are you a member of any Train Museums? and do you do any volunteer work there? If so please share.
In the past I belonged to the B&O Museum.  I'm a member of Friends of the East Broad Top.

4.  Which train Museums are your favorite? Do you prefer large w/ many trains , or small single road versions.
All the ones I've seen have their advantages and disadvantages. 


5.  Bonus Q.  If you were asked to start a train museum, what would be the key features, and how would you advertise these?

Protection of the displayed equipment.  It really sickened me to see how bad some of the locomotives at the Illinoise Railroad Museum are in.

          Purely for enjoyment purposes,

                  Barry
       

[Summertrainz]

heh train lovers 

1.mmm there hard to find on the upper east coast
what happened to the one off the jersey turnpike?
2. 2 times a year about
this year at least
3.nope... don't have the patience for paperwork or i didn't know about them
4. i like a museum with a large variety of trains primareley late steam era 20's -50's i find it impresive to find vast realistic mountain sides with steam trains chugging by.
5. me? start a train museum? key features.... well my likes as i said in number 4 well    advertising     everyone likes lookin at steam trains. put billboards of steam trains up
if thats what you mean by advertisng

cool and sry im not good at spelling..

[Beatle (TrainBrain)]

The only one I've been to is the one in Strasburg, PA. They've got a GG1 (that I don't remeber seeing cause I was 4 but we got a picture so it's there. ) I'd love to see the one in Baltimore.

[Paul W.]

The only one I've been to is the one in Strasburg, PA. They've got a GG1 that I don't remeber seeing cause I was 4 but we got a picture so it's there.  I'd love to see the one in Baltimore.



Yes, the PA RR museum has a GG1, and if you do get a chance to see the B&O in Baltimore, it's definitly worth the trip!

http://www.borail.org/

They did a great job of rebuilding the roundhouse after the Presidents day snow storm that collasped the roof. Some of the engines are still waiting for repairs, but they are in the roundhouse so you can see the damage.

[Beatle (TrainBrain)]

Great! Did you ever see the museum pictures with the collapsed roof (dumb question, EVERYONE has!)?