Graffiti is not a sufficient coat of paint. As it would not properly cover all surfaces, or be uniform, have proper layers, prep or quality of paint for that matter. Not to mention most of all unsightly..........

I know. It was a bad suggestion. But seriously, just a protective coat of paint would be nice.

Well, I think the obvious point of all this is the fact that a beach front railroad museum sounds wonderful, but the only worse place to try to preserve anything might be an active volcano caldera. The salt air was/is dissolving everything there in any case, the storm surge was just a hastener for the inevitable. One of the common, beaten to death topics of Texas Rail Preservation is which was the poorest choice for the location of a railroad museum-the War Zone that is the neighborhood around Fair Park in Dallas, or the electrolytic hell hole and storm magnet that Galveston is.

Maybe they should keep their museum on a massive enclosed car ferry. That'll take care of any storm surge ;)

I asked on the museum's facebook page why no equipment was evacuated, this was their reply:

So it looks like they have a good long-term plan. I do agree that keeping historic equipment in Galveston isn't the best of ideas due to the corrosive nature of the environment there, but it's a popular tourist attraction and helps get younger people interested in trains. Don't forget that most Americans under 40-45 years old have never ridden a train!

CD

With all due respect, these people, or at least whoever is answering your questions on Facebook, are idiots. Their understanding of rail industry regulation is pathetic, and we should all shutter to think what they might be "teaching" the public about railroading. FRA's inter-change rules? Really??? And the freight stuff is the "expensive" stuff to service????

The "plan" sounds good, but if I were the Class 1 that would be moving their equipment and they didn't know anymore about it than this, I wouldn't touch their stuff for fear of what they'd done to it. And we sit and wonder why some railroads don't want to deal with museums and tourist lines. Right here is your answer. Idiots....

What? The freight cars are nearly all solid ('friction') bearing, and would require a LOT of money to convert. Additionally, a flat car or box car isn't going to be damaged by a storm surge as much as a Pullman. Most of the equipment has been there since the early 80s and most of it was antiquated at the time. Is UP or BNSF going to move a bunch of antique equipment without current COTS - and on solid bearings - on next to no notice? It appears that their plan is to bring nearly everything to interchange standards and maintain it at that level. What's wrong with this plan?

CD

OK, let me say a couple of things and then I'll see if I can break it down for you. 1) I have no bone to pick with you. You reported what they said and shouldn't take anything I've said personal. 2) I like the plan. To the extent practical, make the stuff serviceable and keep it that way so it can be moved when the time comes. That is exactly what I'd do if I were in their shoes.

Lets break down their reply to you from facebook:

"In the past, the Museum equipment was evacuated off the island. In the early 90's the FRA's changed and you could not inter-change friction bearing equipment without special notification." The "FRA's" does NOT regulate the interchange of rail equipment from one railroad to the next. They never have and don't care. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) maintains rules for the unrestricted interchange of freight cars among railroads. Unless something has changed very recently there is no prohibition on the use of Journal Friction Bearings by the FRA. FRA has some basic guidance for how they should be maintained, but you are welcome to use them in any class of service you see fit. You do NOT have to provide "special notification" to the FRA if your going to move a car with friction bearing journals, at least not because it is so equipped. AAR banned friction bearings from unrestricted interchange in the '90s. However railroads can (if they are so disposed) accept friction bearing equipment for shipment and several had friction bearing work train (non interchange) equipment long after the AAR ban. Also, two railroads can mutually agree to accept friction bearing equipment from one another; they are no longer obligated to, but they can if they want to!

"T Only a few pieces of rolling stock had roller bearings. None of the equipment had current COT&S." COT&S is no longer a requirement under AAR interchange rules for freight cars and hasn't been for some time. AAR requires air brake testing and repair at certain time intervals or for certain causes. When testing is required only components requiring service get serviced. For the most part FRA defers to the AAR rules for servicing requirements on freight brake equipment. The FRA does have some guidance for COT&S on passenger type brake systems.

"Our requirements now are all rolling stock that is being restored or replaced will comply with FRA inter-change rules, with exception of box cars, flat cars and tank cars (Due to the extensive costs)." Again, WHAT FRA interchange rules??? If they mean AAR interchange rules then that only covers their freight cars. If they do mean AAR interchange for their freight then they're telling us that the collection is going to be under the 40/50 year old age limit. Over age would be a condition that does not meet AAR interchange rules. If they are talking passenger equipment, the AAR has not had rules governing the interchange of passenger cars since shortly after the creation of Amtrak.

" It is our goal to have a blue carded locomotive and equipment in compliance in the event evacuation would be necessary. The #1 priority for the RR industry is to evacuate all of their hazardous rail cars from threat area. This begins approximately five days before predicted impact area. During this time, the railroads relocate all their rolling equipment, take down all grade crossing guards and basically shut down all operations. Our goal is to have a train ready for their crews to man and relocate in this time frame." Again a good plan. I just wonder about their ability to pull it off based on their obviously limited understanding of the regulations that apply to them.

Here it is in a nutshell:

FRA = Government = Federal Law regarding equipment safety (and rail transport in general) = CFRs.

AAR = Industry Association = mutually agreed to (by the railroads) rules for unrestricted interchange of FREIGHT equipment = "Interchange Rules"

Idiots = whoever wrote the Facebook reply not knowing what he or she is talking about in this regard = bad information getting to the general public on a topic they should know about and one that is not that blasted hard to figure out.

ETA

For what little it's worth, Connecticut DOT F7A's 6690/6691, former ex-SP 6443/WAG 2200/PATrain 6690 and ex-TNO 365/WAG 2300/PATrain 6691, were photographed on the ex-B&O between Baltimore and Washington yesterday en route to Galveston, wearing well-weathered New Haven paint scheme and RPCX reporting marks:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2571740

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2571736

Ok guys....time to stop beating them up. Mistakes were made and the inevitable diaster happened. Some of these mistakes were made by people long gone from the museum. The current director ws formerly a volunteer there when I was there several years ago and frankly,he inherited a mess. To clean up that mess,it takes something they have had in short supply...money. In truth, with very few exceptions,every piece of equipment was operational and was kept that way. In fact,the museum has had to evacuate its equipment before..with friction berings. I know,because I was the one making up the train and getting it out of town. Without getting into a lot of details,the museum had very friendly relations with a Class One and those relations allowed the museum to do many things..including running steam on the main line. Twice. They are getting things together down there..and if you are truly concerned,send a check,or donate some elbow grease. They need it.

Al, do you know where in Galveston they are headed? Thanks.

Later!
Mr. Ed

Man, why couldn't RMNE at least keep one of those old girls. Those two were the first thing I saw when I arrived at the Naugatuck back in August (BTW, I was on the trip where a lady got stung in the eye and we had to wait a half an hour for EMTs to show up. Howard knows what I'm refering to). TO bad I may never see them again. :(

Dylan,

They just do not align with our mission/collection objectives at the RMNE. Other than working for CDOT Shoreline East, they have no ties to New England whatsoever.

This exchange is actually a best case scenario for all parties involved. The equipment is headed to a home where it is valued and will be properly cared for. I have a feeling we will see more of this trend in the future.

They will be going to the Galveston Railroad Museum at 2602 Santa Fe Place, Galveston, TX.

http://www.galvestonrrmuseum.com/

As Brent said, these units have little significance to our collection. This has been discussed at length in another forum of which you are a member. RMNE has plenty of FL-9s that should satisfy your hunger for F-units.

My home town is just 45 minutes from Galveston. I visit about four times a year and I'd be happy to update you when I am in Galveston again.