I was reading an earlier thread on the inclusion of the human factor in the exhibit of railroad artifacts which suggested a variety of means to accomplish this in order to provide more meaning or relevance to the museum experience.
I grew up in post war suburbia a couple of blocks away from the Mundelein station of the CNS&M and spent a lot of my time in the shadow of the station eaves being the pesky kid who peppered the motormen on layover with a lot of silly questions . I was in an environment where the daily ebb and flow of the station saw bundles of Chicago newspapers muscled off the cars, the crowds of commuters stepping down from cars making their way to the parking lot and the daily ballet of trolley tenders, brakemen and the motormen routinely orchestrating “flying” of switches when working the interchange. When I took my kids to IRM, as excellent a museum as I’ve seen, I was saddened when I saw my former cars out of the context of their former working environment as my children viewed them as quaint but meaningless relics which perturbed me. However as much criticism as Steamtown has absorbed I must say the when we viewed this movie in the theater, by the time the lights came up they as well as myself were transformed by the experience. You could tell the older railfans by their misty eyes. A picture in this day and age is certainly worth much more than a thousand words. As we left, I thought such an introduction to a museum experience was a must for other facilities, even if it was somewhat generic in scope. It would be a great tool that does not require a lot of volunteer labor. Maybe funds could be pooled to produce such a video as the equipment is already there, the volunteers could dress in period costume and tell the necessary back story. I think most of the public views rail artifacts isolated from their context albeit preserved in amber,
as less meaningful to their own as well as the surrounding community histories.


B_Duensing@msn.com

> (snip) When I took my kids to IRM, as
> excellent a museum as IÂ’ve seen, I was
> saddened when I saw my former cars out of
> the context of their former working
> environment as my children viewed them as
> quaint but meaningless relics which
> perturbed me.

I'm not sure I understand this. IRM runs North Shore cars all the time - it's as close to their former working environment as humanly possible. Do you have any feasible suggestions?

> I'm not sure I understand this. IRM runs
> North Shore cars all the time - it's as
> close to their former working environment as
> humanly possible. Do you have any feasible
> suggestions?

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I did not intend to imply any criticism of IRM. I think it is one of the most amazing examples of what this type of organization can do. However, what did surprise me was how effective a video presentation can be. It also surprised me that others did not use them as educational tools as well although perhaps not in such a grand scale as it is utilized at Steamtown, complete with a full theater and a Hollywood type production..
The Steam and Steel video serves itÂ’s purpose very well as far as an introduction to a museum, or for that matter the context of the social and economic fabric this equipment served within. My grandson still enjoys his copy which I bought him in the gift shop. This is additional income for the facility as well. I was perturbed not at IRM but at the conclusion that there was no realistic or feasible way anyone could affordably replicate that so, as in the example of my kids, they could appreciate the world that these machines inhabited and why they were created. ThatÂ’s what a video presentation can, however, do very effectively.
For example, if they could have watched a short video presentation on interurbans or on The North Shore or the museum in general, it would have given them more support in “getting it” in terms of what this equipment represents, other than the equipment in of itself or the museum environment can feasibly provide. It seems practical in my naivety as well as relatively inexpensive to do.
A video player and a large screen tv in a station corner, or in some other location
It was merely a suggestion of how to enhance the museum experience and perhaps bring in some money. Perhaps not.



B_Duensing@msn.com