This just came to my attention today down at the airshow in Quonset, RI. They're in need of a new home for the collection and need the necessary funds to do it... That's the long and short of it anyway. Read more at the article;
http://www.providencejournal.com/news/2 ... k-of-funds

Just the tip of the iceberg. Presently about 25% of the US locomotive fleet is parked, and it is not because the economy is good. Watch for many more difficult and challenging situations for museums and non-profits in the near future.

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/m ... oon--20598

PC

I think it's fair to point out that article from progressive railroading is 7 years old now. I'm not saying there are not problems now by any means but that data if old.

As I noted in the post above, presently about 25% of the US locomotive fleet is parked (reportedly 4991 units as of 5/9/16). The numbers are right back where they were in 2009. The railroads provide a good "leading" (time-wise) indicator of what is going on in the economy.

Museums and non-profits need to be prepared for economic circumstances similar to what was experienced seven years ago.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-05-0 ... ic-plunges

PC

My take is that there is more background that is not being reported regarding the state funding and that loss. Is it a case of no firm business plan showing the economic benefit of the requested state $4M investment? Or lack of leverage with the private commitments of $18M? Perhaps they were working against an agency's planned use for the location?

There are likely more factors to this situation than solely blaming the state's budget.

When you read the original article carefully, it seems like the biggest drivers for the lack of investment in the Museum are lack of planning, and perhaps, lack of perceived interest.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame, another Rhode Island Museum completed a multimillion dollar capital and expansion campaign just a few years ago resulting in an amazing looking museum that I'd probably go see- and I don't even play or care too much for tennis!

Based on statistics collected from a variety of museums across the country, the past several years have been really excellent for museum growth and development. So when I read something like this, it usually represents a 'red flag' to me.

The point is that in today's culture you can't simply take your worth for granted or expect people to understand your museums intrinsic worth. Instead, you have to develop an excellent reputation, cultivate community involvement, institute meaningful programs, and excite a group of visitors about your work. Only then can you justify a huge outlay of cash, especially from government.

That being said, I have no idea if the Quonset museum has crossed their t's and dotted their i's. If they have, there should be some support within their community that mounts to help save them.

Interesting question to leave you with- if your museum was faced with closure would your community step in to save it? (Community, by the way, can be expressed in many ways- local & regional (geographic) political, interest, membership). Would they all be positively motivated to step forward and help if the going got tough? If not, something is not quite right.

Stephen

Excellent question. I would posit the soap operas playing out in the Catskills and Adirondacks right now as examples of what happens when the power players in a community not only don't give a hoot about the railroad or history, they are in fact actively hostile to both.

Well what in the plan calls for millions of dollars? At minimum the aircraft need storage under cover, so why not adapt the ideas that the Southeast Narrow Gauge and Shortline Museum laid out in their display pavilion? Compared to what they have laid out, modifications to an existing car barn design and it's ensuing construction would certainly be cheaper than... Whatever they're hoping for. Sure they'll need to downsize, but there's plenty of space in Quonset (for those not familiar with the base, there were massive yards used to unload troop trains back during World War II. The track was all removed, for the most part.). It's just a matter of trying to make a deal with the Quonset Development Corp on some space, decide on what will be held onto and moving it to the site.

I think this may be part of the problem. If the museum can't convey even the most basic explanation of their projected spending to interested stakeholders, how are they going to convince those with no specific interest?
Simply spending less could be shortsighted, although it may be neccessary for the long-term preservation of their collection

Stephen

Hate to say this, but I think advertisement might have been one of their problems. I have lived in eastern Connecticut for the last 15 years and western Connecticut for prior 25 years, in addition to volunteering at my local RR museum, have gone to a lot of the small Industrial/Technical museums in lower New England, but I had never heard of an Air museum in Quonset point. Talked with an ex-pilot that goes to many Air & Space museums, and he had heard of them but never had a reason to go there.

The only Air/Navy museum I knew in the area was the USS Saratoga Naval Museum that had the Russian Sub in Providence (that sunk due to her location in relation to the city flood pumps, sunk in 2007), they were trying to get CV-60 Carrier USS Saratoga for the museum and locate it in the old navy docks on Quonset Point (CV-60 was scrapped due to hull concerns by Navy, but sister carrier CV-67 USS JFK was put out for museum proposals) Project has migrated to team up with RI Aviation Hall of Fame to get the JFK to Rhode Island (this may be why the Air museum didn't get the funds [larger group with established plans and prior success in running a museum]). The Saratoga museum and now the RIAHOF/JFK museum have always had a tech center, job training center & museum combined business plan for their proposed site.

Rich C.