I cant believe someone would stoup to that level to obtain railroad artifacts. I have been spreading the word around the North Carolina and Tennessee tourist railroads. Who knows who could be next.

I hope precautions are taken all around the country to save what is rightfully the property of the owners. As for making number plates I do know someone who does have a Baldwin Number Plate Pattern if that helps the situation in making copies of what was lost. Also I dont want to raise the question but has anyone checked with the EBT to see if things are safe there i know in the summer when i was there many highly valuable things were on the property that were not secure. I would hate for more of this to continue. I personnally going to check our engines everyday till the season starts.

Tim

tssmith@boone.net

I contacted David Brightbill at EBT last night and informed him of what happened. He assured me that he would take a look. He reminded me that it is there practice to remove any valuable items from the locomotives during the off season and store them in a safe place. I hope that whoever did this is caught and the items all returned. These are valuable and important historic items that belong in their proper place!!!

Aaron



asholley@hotmail.com

While we enthusiasts are currently burning up the lines with this topic, the regular antique network might not be aware of it, thus making an ordinary antique dealer a possible target for disposal of the hot property. A likely story might be "My grandfather collected these. I have no interest in trains, so what would you give me for them?"

With the widespread use of e-mail and discussion groups, it should be fairly easy to broadcast an APB about these items to non-rail recipients. There may even be a stolen antiques discussion group.

ryarger@rypn.org

> While we enthusiasts are currently burning
> up the lines with this topic, the regular
> antique network might not be aware of it,
> thus making an ordinary antique dealer a
> possible target for disposal of the hot
> property. A likely story might be "My
> grandfather collected these. I have no
> interest in trains, so what would you give
> me for them?"

> With the widespread use of e-mail and
> discussion groups, it should be fairly easy
> to broadcast an APB about these items to
> non-rail recipients. There may even be a
> stolen antiques discussion group.

Remember when the D&S ringed their yard at Durango with a tall fence, strategically located boxcars and other equipment adjacent to the fence, placed locking gates over the tracks leading from the yard and hired gun-toting security guards who "hassled" the innocent railfan throngs.....? I seem to recall the outcry from many of us decrying being denied our god-given right to traipse around their property unsupervised to loot, plunder or become injured. Now after this sad incident at Strasburg and the call-to-arms to protect these valuable items, please think twice when you believe you are being unjustly singled out when questioned by musuem or railroad security as to your presence on their property. The C&TS is a wonderful place to visit just because you can go anywhere and do anything in the yard. While this certainly contributes to the experience, I worry about them suffering from the same sort of incident. We can't have it both ways. So how much of your "freedom" are you really willing to give up? Just interested in your thoughts after some real soul-searching on this subject.
Don C.

milw261@comcast.net

The information has already been posted on Harry's Smokstak, a popular forum for antique farm engine collectors, 2 of the narrow gauge boards, and a live steam modeller's board.

Sadly, for all the noise they can generate, I'd guess that only a very small percentage of hobbyists and collectors frequent ANY boards. Perhaps, if your organization doesn't have a meeting coming up soon, then phoning local club members and known collectors might not be a bad idea.

The original post said:

> We at the Strasburg Rail Road ask for the
> help of the community to return our property
> to us, and to bring these criminals to
> justice. If anyone has any information,
> please call the Strasburg Rail Road at
> 717-687-8421.

I have yet to see a description of the plates, so here's from memory:

As I recall, 31's number plate is oval, reads "Strasburg Rail Road" on the outside and "31" in the center, looking like an oval version of a CNR plate. 90 has a standard round Baldwin front number plate with "90" in the center, and 475 has a round N&W-type plate with no lettering and "475" in the center.

SRC people please correct me if I'm wrong.



Electric City Trolley Museum Association

This irritates me to no end.I sent an email to everyone i know to be on the lookut for these items.I will even put things up at work.I truly hope these __________________ are caught.

steamtrain90@aol.com

An alert box has been added to my website to put everyone that visits on alert for these items. I personally am doing everything in my power to locate them as best I can (searching auction sites and the like).

Take care everyone.

Mike DiMunno

http://www.SJRail.com
JJMDiMunno@aol.com

It is not as bad as all that. The SRC or any other tourist railroad out there does not necessarily have to resort to the fence method. You can still protect these priceless pieces of equipment and not have to hire the army to get this accomplished. Strasburg offices have been broken into before and money taken. Also I believe one of the gift shops and if I am not mistaken this is not the first time the engine house has been broken into. Correct me if I am wrong SRC people. But I do know for a fact that the offices were busted into. It was in the local papers. I was told by someone on the inside that all the passenger cars now have locks on the doors and all windows as an added protection. Thats a great idea. Well how about better locks or doors on the buildings? How about a security system? If they had this problem before, what could have been done maybe to prevent this latest attack? Sometimes there is no perfect system but I do believe as far as buildings go, thieves can be stopped 99% of the time or caught quickly if they do beak in and its too late for them to get out before the men in blue arrive.

Anyhow, it is not a case of give up all your freedom for the protection of historic railroad equipment. Most railfans are ok folk and only want to get close to the rumble and the roar of the trains. Some are #@%**@#!! But most are not. There is no need to let the _____ throw us into a panic and go haywire into brainy ideas such as building a frontline defense with fences, barricades, and the like. It is hard these days to have nice things without them getting damaged by the lower underclass of society. But remember the underclass will never go away no matter how many fences we put between us and them or how many social programs we create to try and satisfy them.

Fences can be cut or climbed. But strong doors, an alarm system tied into the police system, maybe a guard, and other precautions can go a long way to protect the railroad. How do you think the larger railroads do it? Maybe we can learn from them. Yes they case people away from their yards and facilities. But the small tourist railroads donÂ’t have expensive merchandise to protectÂ… merchandise these vermin want such as TVÂ’s and such.

However, for the moment friends lets just keep our eyes and ears open that we may catch these lower-than-the-gutter vermin and how they don't ruin the railroads and museums trying to preserve the past.

Best of wishes and luck to the SRC. May God go with you folks.

Regards,
Andrew

This was a bad day for Railfans everywhere, your operation is what everyone wants to have. This is ild question but did they touch BEDT 15's number plates? aka Thomas? Just asking and good luck in captureing these cant say it

BEDT15@aol.com

> It is not as bad as all that. The SRC or any
> other tourist railroad out there does not
> necessarily have to resort to the fence
> method. You can still protect these
> priceless pieces of equipment and not have
> to hire the army to get this accomplished.
> Strasburg offices have been broken into
> before and money taken. Also I believe one
> of the gift shops and if I am not mistaken
> this is not the first time the engine house
> has been broken into. Correct me if I am
> wrong SRC people. But I do know for a fact
> that the offices were busted into. It was in
> the local papers. I was told by someone on
> the inside that all the passenger cars now
> have locks on the doors and all windows as
> an added protection. Thats a great idea.
> Well how about better locks or doors on the
> buildings? How about a security system? If
> they had this problem before, what could
> have been done maybe to prevent this latest
> attack? Sometimes there is no perfect system
> but I do believe as far as buildings go,
> thieves can be stopped 99% of the time or
> caught quickly if they do beak in and its
> too late for them to get out before the men
> in blue arrive.

> Anyhow, it is not a case of give up all your
> freedom for the protection of historic
> railroad equipment. Most railfans are ok
> folk and only want to get close to the
> rumble and the roar of the trains. Some are
> #@%**@#!! But most are not. There is no need
> to let the _____ throw us into a panic and
> go haywire into brainy ideas such as
> building a frontline defense with fences,
> barricades, and the like. It is hard these
> days to have nice things without them
> getting damaged by the lower underclass of
> society. But remember the underclass will
> never go away no matter how many fences we
> put between us and them or how many social
> programs we create to try and satisfy them.

> Fences can be cut or climbed. But strong
> doors, an alarm system tied into the police
> system, maybe a guard, and other precautions
> can go a long way to protect the railroad.
> How do you think the larger railroads do it?
> Maybe we can learn from them. Yes they case
> people away from their yards and facilities.
> But the small tourist railroads donÂ’t have
> expensive merchandise to protectÂ…
> merchandise these vermin want such as TVÂ’s
> and such.

> However, for the moment friends lets just
> keep our eyes and ears open that we may
> catch these lower-than-the-gutter vermin and
> how they don't ruin the railroads and
> museums trying to preserve the past.

> Best of wishes and luck to the SRC. May God
> go with you folks.

> Regards,
> Andrew

Andrew,
You missed the whole point of my post. I am not suggesting that every operation adopt the strategy of the D&S. All that I am saying is, that IF some groups are driven to similar security measures, don't take them to task for trying to protect their collections and making the fan population forfeit what they believe is their God-given right to stroll around the property unimpeded. Unfortunately, everyone may have to pay the price for the actions of one or two self-centered, selfish people.

Don C.

milw261@comcast.net