I'm impressed, we managed to make it all the way through 4 pages and 59 posts before someone started acting childish and slinging mud.

Contrats "Steam This" you are a real class act. Stay classy.

"SteamThis,"

Any validity your responses may have are thoroughly negated by both the hostile and personal attacks upon an individual and the "hiding behind a pseudonym" angle.

If you were to go back and respond in a factual, point-by-point manner while keeping your emotions in check, you'd do wonders for your operation's image. As things stand now, however, even though you aren't an official voice of BGRM, I now think as little of BGRM as I do KRM.

And that's actually pretty bad.

Wouldn't hurt to learn 3rd grade spelling and syntax before you post as well, if you wish to be taken seriously.

dave

Far be it for me to try and get a topic back on track..... :)

I have seen that BGRM has made attempts at actually getting things better for their museum. They sold off some equipment, have done track work, and have been actively recruiting in KY for new folks to keep their group alive. I don't know if the new station has been complete, but they had been laying the foundation last time i was there. I can see that they are atleast making attempts at getting a core idea going.

Joe

I've kept an eye on this topic for some time now, mostly because I was interested in hearing about the KRM, since I've never been there before.

I'd like to point out that I know nothing of management styles and little about restoration, so I'm not going to point my fingers at the KRM's folks and say, "Hey, you guys should take more care of your equipment!" I wouldn't want someone to come up to me and say, "Hey, you got the wrong details on your Civil War drawings! You suck!" So, therefore, I will keep my mouth shut and support these groups as best as I can.

The talks of the KRM here reminds me of the talks about the VMT in Roanoke, VA and how it used to be. Certain pieces of equipment were never cared for, and left to rust. And other things got all the money...blah blah. We can chat about the problems of both museums until the cows come home, but it does no good to purposely point out a groups shortcomings. I think we'd all be happier if we just see what they HAVE done, praise them for that, help them out with future projects, and keep these museum's alive for the future generations.

Now the VMT is picking up their feet and are slowly getting back on track, and so I think the KRM will turn around too.

Good luck to all groups.

Martin

"Steam This" has been warned...

Please discontinue commenting on his comments...

Please continue discussing railroad preservation in Kentucky...

Randy
Your always friendly moderator.... maybe mostly friendly moderator...

Martin, I would go further and say that VMT is a shining example of how an organization can turn itself around if the will is there. Six years ago my comments on the place would be (and were) similar to some of the things said here about KRM and BGRM. I was at the VMT Volunteer Appreciation Dinner tonight. There were over 100 folks there, including many who were some of the strongest critics six years ago. The "current administration" took over in 2006. At that time they had something like 15 volunteers, and attendance was down in to the mid-teens from a high of about 60,000 annually. In the past 5 years they have grown the volunteer base to over 100, tripled the membership, raised attendance to close to 40,000, deacessed considerable "out of state" equipment, have received a number of significant grants, and established a successful special events program including operating rides. They have also completed a long term development plan and are working in partnership with other organizations on a project that may result in regular operations and a proper restoration shop. Plus, stuff is getting painted. It all comes down to having good leaders with a long term vision. If things keep going as they are now, VMT is well on its way to being a "major league" player in rail preservation.

Gary,

I visited VMT last November when I was in town on business. I was impressed, as it looked like work was being done to improve the collection. Certainly, not everything was pristine, but I did see paint contractors working on a locomotive, and noticed that all of the "nice" equipment was up front, and the not so nice equipment was largely out of immediate public view.

I can't wait to visit again in a few years and see the progress.

(Points at "SteamThis" Rant)

And this ladies and gentlemen is a fine example of the great people you'll be working with at BGRM after you pay your membership fees.

Can't imagine why they can't keep any volunteers since they're such nice folks.:)

Apparently you did not read what i wrote i do NOT volunteer at the museum i am a frequent rider and railfan in the area. To say i hide behind a name fine i will come out from this name. If Boilerwash would like to me the real me that would be fine i would love to talk to him in person i have no reason to not. The fact remains that he has a personal vendetta against this museum. Personal attacks are not allowed but apparently if he wants to attack a museum with unfounded claims its fine. Real leadership that shows.

Good Day

ahh.. in the spirit of turning this thread into something positive.... I had a an opportunity to speak with a young lady in Bowling Green at the ex L&N depot, who had the responsibility of taking care of the station and equipment... Although I don't believe per say she was involved with the actual restoration work ( which is done by volunteers ) she asked me a few questions, and had a few things they needed as a group... Of particular interest to her, were dining car chairs, for the ex Southern Pacific / Amtrak diner that were either correct for that particular car, or period correct for a diner of that age... Per the photographs attached of the SP diner, it has a mixed matched set of chairs, some being railroad chairs, other being auditorium style chairs.... I never knew much of the happenings in Bowling Green, but even though they ( in theory ) are replicating an L&N train set, they seem to have the overall best interest of the equipment, and the public at heart... So if anyone has a spare set of 1940 era dining car chairs ( I think many were produced by... was it General Fireproofing of Youngstown Ohio... perhaps a deal could be struck....( in a back room at the depot was a pile.. perhaps 6-8 wood bottomed art deco style to some extent... chairs that they claim were in the car.. that perhaps could have been original ?... Not too sure .. if anyone has a photograph or could link a photograph showing the original chairs .. that would be helpful )

I am not a spokesman nor involved in their activities, however just thought that perhaps we could change the course of the discussion to something more positive... and perhaps a group has a large collection of un-needed chairs, that could go to what would seem like a very good home ( yes.. even in Kentucky ) .. I could provide more information if necessary...


Dean Levin

In case anyone has a remote interest, a good friend Robert Zenk, emailed me a photograph of sister car 10204 in service in 1968... ( Robert took a tremendous amount oh high quality SP photographs prior to Amtrak...)

In the photograph you can see car 10204 in use, which shows its diner - lounge configuration and the chairs that were on the car, that match a handful of the chairs on the car in Bowling Green KY... if you compare the current pictures with the 1968 photographs, note the murals from 1968 and the images today.... alot of interesting things... such as the car kept its original tables ..

so... sorry to carry this thread a different direction ( in theory we are still in Kentucky ) ... however we are talking SP dining car chairs for a car built for the San Francisco Overland being replicated as an L&N diner ( .. but it is in Kentucky... )

Any help finding this group some more matching chairs would likely mean a tremendous amout to those in Bowling Green....again.. I can provide the contact information should someone or a group be willing to help...


Dean Levin

SP diner 10202 ... in the SP era and today ..it would appear in Bowling Green only the visible side of the cars ( to the public ) have seen paint and lettering ( not sure why ? ) ....it was said that this car was involved in an Amtrak derailment that led to its retirement... does anyone have any information about this incident ?


Dean Levin

I'm a veteran of Bluegrass RR Museum as a volunteer, and Big South Fork Scenic Railway as a paid professional. Both are here in Kentucky, and I've been through the ups and downs with both of them, and have the caked on mud and battle scars to prove it. I've seen the ups and downs at KRM. With that in mind, I'll keep my posts to the original topic.

I had the opportunity to perform a hydro test on this engine back in the late 1980's when it was all in one piece. It had been taken apart by volunteers a few years ago in an effort to do some preservation work, but this is as far as the work progressed. I talked with the folks at the storage area today, and they assured me that a container with all the parts was shipped along with the engine, and that container was packed by several volunteers and the prior owner of the engine over several days. Thus, I can only hope that everything is accounted for.

I had to work in LaGrange, KY today, so took my camera to take a few pics:

Steam loco mechanics will note a few differences from our "built in USA" stuff:

1) There are what appear to be transverse thru stay rods in the wrapper sheet that go across the firebox. Just above them are two hand plate washouts.

2) There is no equalization....each axle is sprung independently. Notice how the springs attach to the spring hangers.

3) The crank pins and collars are one piece. The rod brasses must be split and go over and then taken up to fit.