I apologize if this is old news and I'm out of touch. Did the roundhouse, as reported in the link below, ever get built? If not, anyone know the status?
https://lancasteronline.com/news/state-railroad-museum-in-strasburg-to-build-6-1-million-roundhouse/article_6845616f-03c8-538f-8a09-e12c6d344c16.html

It has not been built, there's been zero news on the design, fundraising, when construction might begin, etc etc from the museum. They ARE still getting locomotives "Ready for the Roundhouse" by doing cosmetic work and restorations - but radio silence otherwise.

I have a feeling it's one of those things, like so many other projects elsewhere in the past 4 years, that the timeline has been shoved back by the one-two punch of COVID and inflation.

I'm sure that it might be the case - but then again:

https://www.wesa.fm/education/2013-04-2 ... ter-county

"The museum is finalizing the design and then will open up construction bidding. Fox said the museum plans to break ground in the spring of next year on the 1,600-square-foot roundhouse and open it by late 2015."

They had six and a half years BEFORE COVID hit for the roundhouse to be planned and built.

Also, in January of 2019, they completed the fundraising for the "Ready for the Roundhouse" campaign:

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... torations/

There have been no updates (that I've seen) since a 2017 Trains Magazine article, where it quoted:

"Railroad museum officials say the state’s Historical & Museum Commission has approved all documents and drawings for the proposed six-stall, $6.1 million roundhouse. He expects the Commission to solicit bids for construction soon, with groundbreaking in the spring. Construction would be completed in 18 months, he said. "

Why hasn't there been any public updates since? The museum can leave out any construction/completion timeframes if they want - I'm just thinking it would be nice, even for donors, to get some sort of an update as to what's going on with the project (and why all the delays).

Big Jim-thanks for the updates, such as they are (or aren't).

My understanding from Brother Laepple (before his recent passing) was that the hold-up had to do with a bureaucratic snafu in the way funding is/was being allocated in Harrisburg. I believe at one point a freeze was imposed on the Pa. Historic & Museum Commission budget over broader state funding issues (see the seemingly three-times-annually-by-now "budget showdowns" happening on the Federal level), and the allocation for the roundhouse was one of the victims. It comes down to "the money has to be there in the bank before you can write the first check, and they keep NOT making the line-item deposit to cover those checks....."

This is very much the downside of running a museum or archive on the government teat. The argument could be made that had the roundhouse project been made a private-fundraising project (not technically possible in this case for what would be state assets when completed), the roundhouse could have been done by now........

And seemingly the common problem of newly restored pieces pushing out stock from current indoor exhibit outside continues as restoration efforts outpace building construction in the meantime.

Joshua

I had asked on my last visit (Spring 2023) and one of the members from the Friends group who was selling raffle tickets as a fundraiser for the "Ready for the Roundhouse" campaign said that the roundhouse had been delayed due the bureaucratic snafu that Alex mentioned in an early reply and that construction cost have now gone up which has compounded the issue.

The Commonwealth is currently having another of those budgetary snafus which may result in SEPTA discontinuing all service on one of its lines (on which it has invested milliions) and reducing service upwards of 30% on the rest.

Phil Mulligan

I hope that the Commonwealth doesn't pass something screwy again like they did with Act 44 back in 2007 to help fund SEPTA. That really hurt all of us who travel the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The former $6.10 passenger car toll from Carlisle to New Stanton is now $42.90 if you don't have EZ-Pass! I honestly don't know why/how commercial truckers could justify driving the PA TPK now.

I have to wonder if the museum would be better off in its overall mission in the hands of a non-profit as opposed to the gub'mint.... just a general wondering...

There's already a "Friends of" group and the roundhouse hasn't been built. Removing the primary source of funding just to remove the government aspect would be cutting off your nose to spite your face.

RRMPA and FRM (Friends of the RR Museum) work particularly well and the Commonwealth does a good job of appointing staff. The Roundhouse will be a very expensive project and will need funded using BOTH donated (FRM) and taxpayer (RRMPS) funds.

We (ECTMA) and Lackawanna County work well with a nonprofit - County relationship and are currently restoring two Scranton trolleys.

Phil Mulligan

There will always be pro's and con's to any type of setup but having a government agency that doesn't understand railroad museums / history does seem to have some drawbacks.

In addition to the roundhouse issue, it's a real shame there is not a better partnership with the Strasburg Railroad next door. Ideally, the museum would have equipment restored to operating condition for special excursions and events.

Still one of the best railroad museums in the country, I visited last year and they have done an excellent job displaying a large variety of equipment.

RRMPA DID have Strasburg R R operate its equipment (also on Amtrak) but their policy is now to not operate their equipment for fear of wearing out its "historic fabric."

Phil Mulligan