Another work party is planned for this Sunday afternoon. Goal is to complete efforts to have it ready for its move out of the Septa facility. PM me is interested in lending a hand.

Via PyPN we have pulled together a pretty good group of guys (young and not so young), but could always use more help.

Many thanks,
J.R.

Thanks to JR and his quickly assembled, crew the car is being tarped for a move. It looks like there is an interested party has come forward who will give it a new home and life. Thanks guys for coming forward on this project.

Fred Heilich

Yes, bravo, well done.

Not out of the woods yet. Still need to get it out of the septa facility and up closer to West Chester. So far it all looks good in that regard.

Really have to thank those that helped on this, Chris, Jake, and Ed in particular. We should have one new guy this weekend as well.

I can't have some news from the exporail museum try with this email (info@exporail.org)

I hope you can save this car

We have been in touch with Exporail, but they can not help out in this case.

I heard about this car from a thread on Face Book, a thread where someone stated that posting stuff to RyPN is pointless because they never gets anything done, looks like they were wrong.

I would be interested in hearing an analysis of the "success rate" of "somebody's gotta save this!" posts to TrainOrders, Facebook, Kalmbach's forums, etc.

I've gotten a great many small things done by posting here or as a result of things posted here. I've been a party ing etting a couple big things done the same way. Small things are much easier to accomplish, but are worthy.... and most smaller things aren't emergency announcements of dire consequences only to be forestalled by almost deus ex machina style intervention.

If we want to prevent loss, let's proactively find ways to do so before the situation becomes critical. If circumstances prevent that, it's probably lost before anything else can be done. JR has provided something here that is truly commendable and unusual...... by building a team and working to create circumstances that could allow for success.

It's funny, those same people who "support" this effort 110% on social media, literally have NO way of helping us out. Financially, physically, or socially. Usually those posting the "gotta save this" threads just hope that someone is farawayland who owns Big Business Inc. can do something with this thing they heard or saw. JR, myself, Ed, and Jake are all out here doing, not discussing. I didn't tell anyone the wagontop boxcar at W&W HAD to be saved, I knew it and I did it (working process, mind you).

If someone cares, they'll go out and do it. Followers will hopefully arrive. Don't turn your "project" "fascination" "hopes" into someone elses problem.

To answer your question with my .02 cents, the success rate is low and will continue to stay that way until someone realizes what the problem is...

Christian B.

Although saves are rare, my hunch is that the number of saves is a little higher than one might expect, but such saves are just not made that public. As Christian pointed out, he has quietly saved a boxcar in need. Rick Rowland’s shunter save was really done very quietly behind the scenes until it was moved. I’d add the MEC car that had been in NH and is now at the Colebrookdale as a true save, although little has been said about it. Three very quiet saves really.

Yes, this J&S coach effort grew largely out of some desperate RyPN postings which initially caught my eye. Being not far from my office in MD, I thought it worth a look. In truth, I had given up on the car until Christian came along and said he could help out. These contacts all have legs back to RyPN postings so I would not call it a quiet save really as it was somewhat publically discussed here on RyPN and on FB. The Lion Gardiner is probably a “hybrid” with a combination of public and private efforts but all led ultimately to it being saved.

But what do the quiet saves and publicly discussed saves have in common? Generally its behind the scenes discussions which in some fashion brings in people who can make something happen.

In the grand scheme of things, I would agree that the success rate is low. Look at the Steamtown scrappings as an example. They are not alone, not uncommon even. Every museum or collection has those pieces that are sliding back into the dirt from whence they came. For the four saves mentioned here, there are probably a dozen that have gone to the dumpster over the same period of time.

How can this trend be reversed? To me this gets into the related RyPN discussions on volunteers and of youth. Again, I had given up on the coach until Christian offered to help out. Me being a certified old fart, I would tend to call this a passing of the torch. And then I look at the Allentown and Auburn RR where so much good work is being done, largely by a young group of guys. Again, a passing of the torch. What I see is a need for us old guys to stand back and give the young guys, and gals, a chance. They are out there. They want to help. Let them.

J.R.

We had another successful work session today and the car looks to be ready for its move out of the WCRR this week assuming all the planets align properly. Many thanks to Ed Rizzo, Christian Bentley, Jake Nardozzi, and Bob Elseworth for coming out over the past two work sessions needed to prep the car for a move. Bob gets the award for coming the furthest to help out today, all the way from Tennessee! Again, many thanks guys. The car has a future because a gang of all ages stepped up to the plate here. Really have to thank John Anshant and the WCRHA for their support and hospitality. It has been a pleasure to work with them.

Stay tuned for an update on the move of the car.

J.R.

good news i hope you can save this item

Just to bump this: the car was stabilized and made ready first for rail pickup, then directly for road pickup when an opportunity for direct transport came up. The truck, when it arrived, was unable to negotiate some features of the route to access the car where it was stored, despite the high professional skill of the provider and its employees. Mr. May's team had made appropriate contingency plans, however, and continued with the communication and work needed to move the car to a suitable safe storage and pickup location. Yesterday, the car was moved to a 'prepared' location at the West Chester yard, where it should be secure until it is tarped and loaded properly for its trip to Minnesota.

There are some good pictures of the work done to the car, and the move, and I hope Mr. May will post them here.

Now who says RyPN volunteering is all talk and no action?

Yes, the car was moved safely from the SEPTA site to West Chester. Christian Bentley chased the move and provides the attached. I'll leave it up to Christian if he would like to post additional photos.

The next step is for the new owner to truck it out. Details will be provided once the move has been accomplished or if the new owner would like to post something himself sooner.

It was a great effort here, again via RyPN and a couple of folks who stepped up the plate. Key here was to simply show an interest and to come out and help. I find it interesting that the age of the folks who came out ranged in age from 19 to mid 60s I guess. I think that says something positive about the state if our hobby.

Really need to thank the WCRHS folks for their support in making this happen. This move was not an easy thing to pull off but they got it done and they are providing some space for the car until it is trucked out.

J.R.