That discovery is a "channel" called "Toy Man Television."

Although a fair amount of this channel is model railroading (and there are subjects other than railroading), there are some interesting preservation videos as well. The style is perhaps more railfanning, but there are subjects that I haven't seen covered anywhere else.

We'll start with what is a type of home page for the channel.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5S_XL ... uZfycO8rKQ

Among the videos are some that feature a fellow we know about, Dan Markoff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kk92rxZtCo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph0fo-DHlXw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaNdekD-N9Q

Then there is this magnificent house in Chicago which has a steam locomotive as only a small part of the collection--and believe me, this is amazing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1kXscncYb8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaWKj9ZzgG8

Here's the "Toy Man's" in Baltimore, although he's got some inaccuracies in his narration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awgZjiQo8gE

I'll let you explore some more on your own--I've got a lot to check out myself.

Isn't the locomotive at the Sanfilippo house former Texas and St. Louis? T&ST.L was a Cotton Belt predecessor.

Yes indeed, it's the Texas & St. Louis/Coeur d'Alene Railway & Navigation Co. 2-6-0 (Grant C/N 1459) that Henry Ford infamously converted from narrow gauge to standard gauge:

http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=1163

-Philip Marshall

Wow, Sanfilippo puts most museums to shame. It's another Age of Steam, but he collects stationary steam engines among other things. Apparently the neighbors won't let him fire up his boilers. Or run the railroad on his 100 acre estate. And the only way to get to see his magnificent collection is as part of a group at the many charity events they do. And it appears IRM is the recipient of some of the charity events.

Made his money in the nut business, and by patenting a method to automate the shelling of nuts among other things. Training was as a mechanical engineer which explains his fascination with collecting things mechanical while also being highly, highly ornate. About all you can say about his mansion/museum is WOW!!!!!

I have looked a number of his postings. There is also a good one on the Fort Collins streetcar operation.

ted 66

Got to visit the Sanfilippo collection as a fundraiser for Dave Kloke’s Lincoln Car project a couple years ago. Have to say it’s is a fantastic place to see if anyone gets the chance. It’s frequently opened up for fundraising purposes (I know IRM has had a couple there) so if your interested watch their website. It may not be cheap but you will not regret the money you spent.
If you do go, do not be late because you will want time to see everything. The collection is housed in two buildings. The main one has exhibits on three floors with a pipe organ being central on the main floor. The secondary building has the Merry-go-round as well as the train and several large stationary engines. Everything has been restored and and most are in working order.