This evening, I become aware of the following Chicago Tribune article carrying the dateline of April 18, 2001. It reports vandalism at and thefts from the Illionis Railway Museum occuring during recent months.

Brian Norden

Chicago Tribune Article
bnorden@gateway.net

Why would anyone interested in railroading, historical or present day, do such an act? This isn't the first time this has happend recently. Several B&O signals were stolen from an ACTIVE CSX line! Whoever did this is sick. The only people that would take horns from IRM, marker lamps from ITM cabooses, IC lanterns or 4501's builder plates would be railfans, are poeple well versed as to the value of what they are taking is. If anyone knows who did this, either shoot them or turn them in!

Mike
This evening, I become aware of the
> following Chicago Tribune article carrying
> the dateline of April 18, 2001. It reports
> vandalism at and thefts from the Illionis
> Railway Museum occuring during recent
> months.

> Brian Norden


masticke@indiana.edu

Even though I live in the Pacific Northwest, I have visited the IRM and found it to be a first class facility. It is in a rural and relatively isolated location and I have no idea if there is an on-site watchman but I doubt it. Perhaps Kevin McCabe could let us know the details, but it is a tragedy of our times that these thugs are driven to deface others' property. If we all had fat wallets, we'd have enclosed facilities with security gates and guards galore. But that is for another discussion. Kevin, I hope that fingerprints can be found on the spray cans and if punished, you give the criminals a large supply of sandpaper and point them to your line of steamers - say something small like that 2900 class Santa Fe. Wish I were closer.



shawsinoly@msn.com

One big reason? Ego, "I have it, and you don't.. ha ha!"
Another reason? Greed,this stuff is getting outrageously expensive, and e-bay makes a quick and easy fence.

Actually, yhis story parallels...our local antique farm machinery club had well over a dozen whistles swiped one year (a coons age or two back), including a big 8" dome top Lunkenheimer "steamboat" 3-chime...
The cops didn't seem real concerned, so we spread the word to other local clubs, with a detailed list of what was missing. It only took about 2 weeks before we got a call. I got to be the one to go identify them (I was just a kid, but seemed to be the only one who knew what they all looked like.)
Anyway, it turned out to be the teenage kids of a not very active member, they then sold em to an antique store 35 miles awy. The antique dealer (fence?) claimed he was totally innocent... he told the cops that the kids said they "found the whistles in a junkyard"...yeah, right, some junkyard!
The state police let the kids off with a slap on the wrist, in return for testifying against the dealer. I'm not sure justice was served, but we did eventually get all but 2 whistles back.

More recently we got "lucky" again, some thieves broke in and stole a brand new 1-1/2" injector, No we didn't catch them this time, but the idiots missed an antique 2" Nathan that was on the same shelf (The new one was shiny, the good one was painted blue),

I understand that these dirtbags probably knew what they were stealing, that's why they took it. But I think to associate these slimeballs with all of us true railfans is incorrect. I'm sure everyone on this board is a true railfan in that they would never disrespect a museum or railroad equipment in general by taking something that didn't belong to them. We're the railfans, guys, they're just fools. I hope they get caught and the IRM gets their stuff back. Just my $0.02

Seth


sethajackson@hotmail.com

> I understand that these dirtbags probably
> knew what they were stealing, that's why
> they took it. But I think to associate these
> slimeballs with all of us true railfans is
> incorrect. I'm sure everyone on this board
> is a true railfan in that they would never
> disrespect a museum or railroad equipment in
> general by taking something that didn't
> belong to them. We're the railfans, guys,
> they're just fools. I hope they get caught
> and the IRM gets their stuff back. Just my
> $0.02

> Seth
One way to deal with this problem would be to mark in an unobtrucive place the name of the museum and/or the engine it is on upon whistles, bells, and builder's plates. On the back of our plates we stamp "stolen from Roaring Camp" and the Engine number. The Southern Pacific used to stamp the road number into the top of bells so there is precedent.

ironbartom@aol.com

When they "recorvered" (see above) the whistles that were stolen from the club at Portersville, the nice policemen gave us a kit containing what was called a "theft prevention and recovery plan."
Basically it is a notebook, part of which gave rather simple tips. The rest was of more interest, and very easy to duplicate,unless there is a lot of turnover in the collection.

Basically, you are supposed to indelibly mark the piece in an unobtrusive but easily accessible spot with the owner's name and an easily verifyable number (your SS # or federal EIN (if a business) works great, a drivers liscence # is a close second). Then you put a picture of the item, date of aquisition (and/or the day you recorded it), purchase price or estimated value, physical measurements, and the location of where you stamped it, and any other distinguising marks on the handy form (easy to enough to make your own form).
Once you have recorded all this information, for every piece in the collection (at least those likely to be stolen), they recommended you make at least one copy, preferrably two. One for your files, one on file in a safe deposit, or your insurance company. And the last one someplace off site but easily accessable (your BoD president's house, for instance).
Ya, its a pain, especially if your collection changes a lot, you may not be able to actually mark the items. But some of this information museums at least already record in the process of a restoration.
The whole point is, you now have a positive way of identifying all the items in your collection, and one that is admisable as evidence if necessary. The other thing is, if all your members are aware of the process, it decreases the likelyhood of an "inside job", which the police seem to believe are more common than just plain theft.

> This evening, I become aware of the
> following Chicago Tribune article carrying
> the dateline of April 18, 2001. It reports
> vandalism at and thefts from the Illionis
> Railway Museum occuring during recent
> months.

> Brian Norden

It is unfortunate that the Trib decided to run the article, despite our pleas not to do so (and I'm personally ticked off that they yet again dredged up a stupid quote about Lionel from their archives which had been misattributed to me years ago--I'm never going to live it down, even though I didn't say it). Perhaps some good will come of it, in that we had several calls yesterday offering donations and help.

We are obviously concerned that any mention of either the grafitti or the thefts (even on a railfan board, as my hunch is these idiots are probably following several such boards) may just encourage copycats or return visits. As for the thefts, yes, it was likely a railfan, if only because anyone else has no idea as to the value of the horns. Whether we like it or not, we probably have the same percentage of SOB's in our "clan" as any other group.

We have taken some new security measures, which will perhaps give a rude surprise to anyone trying this again (and no, unfortunately, it does not involve hooking up certain items to the 600V overhead--but that's a lovely thought).

Thanks to all of you for your concern and expressions of support, we really do appreciate it. In the meantime, if you hear anything, let me know, as I've personally posted a reward.


Kevinmccabe@avenew.com

> It is unfortunate that the Trib decided to
> run the article, despite our pleas not to do
> so (and I'm personally ticked off that they
> yet again dredged up a stupid quote about
> Lionel from their archives which had been
> misattributed to me years ago--I'm never
> going to live it down, even though I didn't
> say it). Perhaps some good will come of it,
> in that we had several calls yesterday
> offering donations and help.

> We are obviously concerned that any mention
> of either the grafitti or the thefts (even
> on a railfan board, as my hunch is these
> idiots are probably following several such
> boards) may just encourage copycats or
> return visits. As for the thefts, yes, it
> was likely a railfan, if only because anyone
> else has no idea as to the value of the
> horns. Whether we like it or not, we
> probably have the same percentage of SOB's
> in our "clan" as any other group.

> We have taken some new security measures,
> which will perhaps give a rude surprise to
> anyone trying this again (and no,
> unfortunately, it does not involve hooking
> up certain items to the 600V overhead--but
> that's a lovely thought).

> Thanks to all of you for your concern and
> expressions of support, we really do
> appreciate it. In the meantime, if you hear
> anything, let me know, as I've personally
> posted a reward.

Don't be so sure it was a "railfan" at all that took the horns; I understand these are popular for highway trucks. Putting ID on the artifacts seems an excellent idea: if they reappear in a railfan setting, someone who knows where to look and has a copy of the complaint can ID them on the spot.

Electric City Trolley Museum Associ

> Don't be so sure it was a
> "railfan" at all that took the
> horns; I understand these are popular for
> highway trucks. Putting ID on the artifacts
> seems an excellent idea: if they reappear in
> a railfan setting, someone who knows where
> to look and has a copy of the complaint can
> ID them on the spot.

I agree, these are air horns and convert easily to semi truck use. I'm putting the word out with my trucker friends to keep their eyes open at the truck stops for anyone looking to make a buck with used air horns. You might also try the pawn shops in the Chicago area or, god forbid, the scrap and recycling yards. You now have a set of eyes here in Ohio working for you, eyes that have shed tears at your loss.


Ladypardus@cs.com

I have to wonder when and where the numerous grafitti artists manage to apply their art work to so many railcars. I've worked in railroad yards for 23 years now and have never seen anyone with a spray can, yet their artwork is everywhere..

bobyar2001@yahoo.com

you were going to say the only way to end this problem is to find a dark corner of the property and bury the bast.....ds.
However, most of them would fit nicely inside a very hot firebox.

ronbrin@eoni.com

> I have to wonder when and where the numerous
> grafitti artists manage to apply their art
> work to so many railcars. I've worked in
> railroad yards for 23 years now and have
> never seen anyone with a spray can, yet
> their artwork is everywhere..

Bob, I would say most of the grafitti is applied when the car is on an industry siding and not in the railyard. More time to do the dirty deed.

phess@webkorner.com

The very words "grafitti" and "tagging" are just a way of hiding the fact that it is VANDALISM, plain and simple. These other cutesy words for it are used to make it somehow more respectable. Call it what it is!

> We have taken some new security measures,
> which will perhaps give a rude surprise to
> anyone trying this again (and no,
> unfortunately, it does not involve hooking
> up certain items to the 600V overhead--but
> that's a lovely thought).

Nah... That's too quick. You need a couple of Rotweilers with some missing teeth(means they need more bites!). No payroll problem, other than a couple bags of Ol'Roy from Wally World. That'll keep them looking for fresh meat...

Jay611@home.com