I visited the operation on Jan.17th. as the guest of Mr. John Hankey who is one of the leaders in this ambitious effort. I also had the pleasure of hosting a dinner for key members of the restoration crew the prior evening.

I was very impressed by the dedication of all involved and I'm confident that they will succeed in restoring her to reliable service.

The trap they fell into in predicting a completion date has claimed lots of earlier victims and I'm sure they won't be the last. With all the unknowns involved in a top to bottom restoration like this,..... no one can calculate a completion date with any degree of certainty.

From photos recently taken and comments from mechanical pros like Kelly Anderson I'd say they'll be doing great if they have her in revenue service by this years Santa season.

More importantly is to do it right the first time...not rapidly to attempt to meet an arbitrary deadline.

I would encourage any fellow steam lovers who can to make a donation as they'll need all the support they can muster.

Best regards, Ross Rowland

There's never time to do it right, but there's time to do it over. Don't fall into that one either. NEVER post a date to run. Murphy loves that.

Just as info I tried to make an online donation this week and discovered that the WMSR Foundation page is under construction and thus all donations need to be sent by check to:

WMSR Foundation,Inc.
13 Canal Street
4th. Floor
Cumberland, Md. 21502

Hope all who can do so will kick in as they'll need all the help they can get to finish this job.

Thanks, Ross Rowland

Ross, there's been very little activity on the Foundation's Facebook page as well - plus I've heard very little over the past year (year-plus), if anything at all. I fear the Foundation is either dead or will be dormant for an extremely long time. Once Jody Shaw left the Foundation and the area, in my opinion, the Foundation activities slowed down to nothing now at all.

Fine sentiments Ross and I am in agreement with you. I sent them a check a couple
of months ago and did receive an acknowledgement.

Tom

Social Media Marketing 101.

Proper social media and internet marketing is a *chore* for which there has to be an assigned responsibility. It cannot be something that some member with a Facebook or Instagram account does just when they feel like it and randomly think about it. It has to be done routinely, just like the loco crew, dispatcher, ticket agent, and lawnmowing duties. You need to promote your special events, your meetings, your news, Thomas, that new coach, etc.

With a professional operation like the Strasburg, a state museum, or the Grand Canyon, this has to be part of someone's paid responsibilities. All volunteers? Find a young and savvy one.

The WMSR is kind of in that messy grey area between "volunteer" and "professional," which has been a problematic spot for many such organizations.

I strongly agree with Mr. Mitchell 4th. If I were in the WMSR's position I'd make a priority of getting the whole donation by website solved with urgency. Evidently its been this way for many months and Lord knows how many folks like me have tried to contribute and couldn't and just gave up ???

Hopefully they'll get on this soon??

Ross Rowland

I would like to interject here if I may. I was appointed foundation coordinator by Mr. Garner awhile back. Once I got the position if you look the foundation was becoming very active we painted the crew room , painted the turntable in Frostburg and worked on some freight cars along the way as well as 1309. I was also asked to be the photographer and posted progress photos frequently. We had a model shoot (AKA Rosie the Riveter shoot) . I worked hard for the railroad and along with other foundation members raised $8,000 from raffle drawings for photos I donated of the 734 during trips. The last two photo trips were coordinated and ran by me and the wonderful crew at the WMSR. Things were going good and the group was preparing for our next project. I was asked to prepare a report for Mr. Garner that he needed in 8 days. The next day I had to rush my uncle to the University of Maryland hospital with a life or death liver issue. I prepared the report in the waiting room of the hospital and was planning on driving it to Cumberland from my Home in Greencastle Pa to give to him the next day. Six days before he needed the report. Instead I received a call from Kevin Rice who said Mr. Garner wanted all the foundation stuff back and sent Kevin to get it. In my 26 years of management I have never treated an employee like this or not been man enough to speak with them. I have since called him a few times and work things out like a man. However he has not returned any calls or offered any explanation as to what happened. I do wish the railroad luck but not as excited as I once was.


Joe Goodrich

Wow - I'm sorry. I had no idea all this had happened. I apologize if I placed blame on you by any means. I forgot that you guys had done more work, ran the charters, etc. - again, my apologies.

No Apology needed Mike I just hope the operation gets turned around. Their was some real good people up there that left or was asked to leave because they seemed to be a threat. It seems if you had a suggestion to make things better or to raise funds , you were a threat and so they just let you go. I was a volunteer and told I would have a paid position once Mr. Garner took over the helm. However instead I got a text one evening after a board meeting that my position was approved only to find out later Mr. Garner sent the text to (me) the wrong person. That text was intended for John Hankey who at the time it was not known to me that he even applied for a job. I found out later a position was created as curator of what I can not tell you to this day. I guess he tells people stories that make others happy.

Sorry to hear that, Joe. At one time the WMSRF was a nice group of people willing to lend a helping hand... for free. As far as I can tell the group has been disbanded. The website is no longer active and the facebook group only reposts WMSR updates. Sad.

Overall not good. I have also just learned that one of the projects main proponents, Mr. John Hankey, has been "invited" to leave and has been out of the project for several months.

I sure hope that Mr.Garner knows what he's doing and these negative developments don't spell big trouble ahead??

I mailed my donation payable to the Foundation so we'll see what happens.

Ross Rowland

Ross -

Thanks for this little bit of information about Mr. Hankey. I had sent WMSR a note earlier this year concerning HVRM's C&O Kanawha and the 1309, and John sent me a very nice note in reply stating that he would have someone from their organization get ahold of me. Never heard a word after that, but that wasn't surprising to me. BUT, at least I now know the reason why it never happened!


Les

Have has the heavy boiler work been completed? Schedule for? Hydro Test?

I'm told by usually very solid sources that good progress is being made and that new tube installation has commenced, and that " most" of the firebox ( stays) work has been completed.

There's still a good bit of boiler work remaining prior to a hydro and following that of course is putting the running gear back together, insulation, jacketing, cab instrument plumbing, system electrical wiring, and of course reassembly & testing appliances.

Much too much remaining work to give even a WAG on completion.

As the only valid steam restoration saying goes....it'll be done when it's done.

Ross Rowland