> Whatever I say, I may accidentally tarnish
> the truth for one visitor while showing it
> accurately to another. Both versions of the
> truth may be true, but presenting that
> notion on a short span of Mila Wall is
> fairly difficult.

> --Malcolm

I think we have success if our guests develop a point of view about our exhibit's topics, or better, consider what the accurate portrayal really is. If they are only there for the train ride, we've missed something.

To clarify my previous point about sticking to what we know, answering questions like "How many 18-wheelers would it take to move the contents of a typical stack train? Which mode creates more pollution? Which mode has the better safety record? How is a diesel locomotive an electric locomotive? Why did many Eastern locos burn coal while more Western ones seemed to burn oil? Why is coal transport so important to us?

At our museum, these questions seem far more appropriate than discussing Hitler's misuse of trains to transport Jews to concentration camps, for example. Out west though, I could see creating an exhibit on the role the SP played in the Japanese internment. The point being that not all museums are called to cure the world's ills via education or enlightenment through their exhibits, especially if precious resources are diverted from projects that better fit the mission.


wyld@oc-net.com

answering questions like
> "How many 18-wheelers would it take to
> move the contents of a typical stack train?
> Which mode creates more pollution? Which
> mode has the better safety record? How is a
> diesel locomotive an electric locomotive?
> Why did many Eastern locos burn coal while
> more Western ones seemed to burn oil?

In general agreed, but if your visitors are capable of asking questions that indicate the knowledge of what a typical stack train is and what fuels were used in steam locomotives regionally, they certainly are miles ahead of the average visitor found in most railroad museums. I would LOVE to have meaningful discussions with visitors like that. Only dedicated railfans or other railroaders seem to come that well prepared.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

I still like the simplified description of a steam engine that one parent told his preschooler.
"They burn coal to make white smoke, and the white smoke makes the wheels go 'round."

I also wouldn't mind a dollar for every time I heard a startled "Hey! There's a fire in there!" while firing traction engines (steam tractors... similar, but simpler and much smaller than a lokey) at antique equipment shows.

You have made some good points--things to consider any time we think we have to be everything to everyone.



grinnellglacier@yahoo.com