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 Post subject: Signs/plates from preserved stations?
PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 1999 1:20 pm 

Let's start a new debate here.<br>This weekend, one of the original signs from the PRR tower at Huntingdon, Pa. was sold at auction for $4,600. Despite the fact that the tower is now preserved as a museum, the sign was not returned to its home, but instead went to a collector in eastern Pennsylvania. <br>Now, the former owner's father purchased it fair and square from the RR years ago. He decided the only fair way to decide who got the sign was to put it up for sale and stand back. Nonetheless, many argued for donation to the tower group. I do happen to know that both the former owner and the new owner have been and are generous benefactors to railroad preservation in general. <p>Some of the same thing has happened to locomotive number plates, nameplates, and builders plates, with plates and loco ending up in separate hands.<p>Without getting into the debate over property rights in the US, it occurs to me that $4,000 would go a long way towards shingles, paint, glass, etc, for preservation projects. How do we as rail enthusiasts compromise between free markets and "the sign belongs to the station"? And although we can't control people who are insane enough to spend $7,000 for a hunk of cast iron because it used to ride on a PRR T1, is there any way to attract those dollars that people are apparently dying to dispose of to railroad preservation?<br>



LNER4472@gatway.net


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Signs/plates from preserved stations?
PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 1999 7:55 pm 

With the demand for these things being so great, how long would the original sign last, hung back on the tower? I suggest the better approach might be to make an exact repro of the sign and hang that one. The PRR signs were standard items and should be relatively easy to reproduce, if the new owner of "HUNTINGDON" is not willing to have it copied (which would be something to ask him).<p>Of course, once hung on the restored tower, is the repro sign now the original? After all, it is serving its proper function, not decorating a den wall.<p>Personally, I feel that "doing the right thing" and placing artifacts like nameplates, signs, builders and number plates with the oganizations that hold the buildings and equipment this stuff came from, is the proper way to go. That said, if it is a new, start-up project, the present owner might want to wait and see if the restoration project is successful and for real. The first step to restoring a station, tower or locomotive is not getting the sign or builders plate. But it sure is the icing on the cake.<br>


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Signs/plates from preserved stations?
PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 1999 9:37 pm 

The oval number plate from our steam locomotive (C&O 2-8-4 #2789) "disappeared" from the engine when it was on display in West Side Park in Peru, Indiana. When the plate was offered to us after<br>we had moved the 2789 to our museum site in North Judson, Indiana we bit the bullet and purchased it because the engine simply did not look good without it. However, when we were offered the<br>builders plates a few years later (at an equally exorbitant price) we took a pass because we dicided that, although the missing plates would<br>have looked good on the locomotive, they were not<br>necessary to its appearance as the number plate<br>was. (For the record, the "seller" in each case<br>understood that the items had been "lifted" from<br>the engine but that they had been purchased in good faith and a bill of sale was shown.)<br> The bottom line is, does the item (building or<br>piece of equipment) NEED the original? Also (as<br>Mr. Pincus states) will it be safe? Each museum<br>will have to decide for itself.<br>


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Signs/plates from preserved stations?
PostPosted: Mon Feb 01, 1999 6:28 am 

I'm guessing the originality of an item such as a number or builder's plate is more important to the collector that spends big bucks for it so is can be displayed alone on a wall or in a case. Looking at a locomotive (or station, etc.) from a distance, I can't tell if the number plate is original or a replica and I doubt many other people, especially casual railfains or tourists, can tell or even care either. <p>A case in point is the PRR K4 Pacific #3750 at the RR Museum of PA. When set aside for preservation by PRR, it was renumbered to #1737, a much older K4 and given the original(?) number plate of that locomotive. In the '80s, it was restored to its original number using what had to be a replica number plate, but more important was is that the locomotive regained its original identity with a replica number plate rather than having an "original" plate with the wrong number. <br>



dave833@ix.netcom.com


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Signs/plates from preserved stations?
PostPosted: Mon Feb 01, 1999 10:26 am 

I would suggest that any rail preservation organization lucky enough to acquire the original station sign, builder's plate or number board of a rail artifact display it in a secure area apart from the artifact, unless the station or engine is in a protected enough environment to deter theft. Unfortunately, in today's world that seems to be the reality.<br>


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Signs/plates from preserved stations?
PostPosted: Mon Feb 01, 1999 4:47 pm 

One day at a local antique shop here in Omaha, I was surprised to see a UP number plate for sale. Upon closer inspection, it was on display for a forge that makes replicas. I believe the price was fifty bucks for a very believable plate. If anybody wants the name of the company, I can go and get it. It beats paying several thousand dollars.<p>In related news, before the equipment was moved in Council Bluffs to Railwest, I was surpised to see that the locomotive pretty much retained their expensive accessories. I noted that the builder's plate was missing the the CB&Q unit, but the bell and whistle were still there. Quite a surprise given that they were relatively accessible right up to the move. By the way, it was pretty neat to see them move that equipment. <p>Gerry K.<br>



hottshot65@aol.com


  
 
 Post subject: UP equipment in Council Bluffs moved?
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 1999 11:40 pm 

I was out in Omaha and Council Bluffs on business about a year ago and looked the equipment over. Do I understand that the UP 4-8-4 and the CB&Q 4-6-0 and the Solarium Club car have been moved?<br>



wyork@bright.net


  
 
 Post subject: Re: UP equipment in Council Bluffs moved?
PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 1999 9:05 am 

See the brief at the link below.



October 18th Brief
hkading@rypn.org


  
 
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