I understand Art Train will be moving it's display to trucks and will no longer be moving via rail. Has anyone heard the this rumor?

That's what we were told by Art Train's expediter, who rides with the equipment while it travels. It was here in Monticello, IL, in late October.

Kent

Two of the ArtTrain cars from a previous incarnation are at IRM in Union. What will happen to the current equipment, and any reports on condition?

Bob Kutella

So, what are they going to call it then...ArtTruck??

The current Art Train equipment was completely rebuilt 4-5 years ago from lightweight cars to replace the worn-out heavyweight/commuter cars used previously. It should all still be in excellent condition.

Chris.

Artrain was initially called Michigan Artrain when it was created in the early 1970's, and I've watched it with interest since then. They have had quite a bit of success at raising enough money to keep the operation going, but I always wondered how long they would keep at it in their railcar-based format, given the cost of maintaining their car fleet. A few years ago they replaced their AT&SF baggage car and 2 B&O coaches with an all-Budd consist built around a PRR twin-unit diner shell and another coach (?) with a NYC round-end obs for accommodation (this after converting the B&O heavyweights to roller bearings and interlocking couplers). The train operates out of a flashy private-car park next to NS in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

I always thought it was significant that the railroads were willing to transport this show, and even kick in substantial (by RR-museum standards) amounts of cash to transport a passenger train serving as an art museum, but wouldn't get near a preserved passenger train being exhibited for its own sake. Kind of tells you that industrial and history museums aren't yet perceived as high culture.

Artrain showed up in my home of Lansing at least four times. Of the places it was exhibited here (on a downtown power-plant spur, on the former express and private-car track at the PM/MC union station, and the MSU power-plant spur next to the displayed PM 1225), all have been torn up. It's got to be getting hard to find sidings to park and exhibit the train that are accessible to people, and that's probably another reason for the alleged truck conversion. But the last fund-raising hustle I got from Artrain mentioned nothing of this.

Artrain remains popular despite shows of high-concept art that frequently left small-towners scratching their heads at what they'd seen. Artrain always features actual artists at work on board, but they never took my suggestion to display the most popular indigenous art form of rural Shiawassee and Genesee Counties: tattooing.

My "ArtTruck" comment was a made bit in jest, although the Michigan ArtTrain operation will likely change the name since it will no longer be in a train. It is a shame it has come to this, but not unexpected, given the current environment and mindset of the Class I's.

ArtTrain has been in SW Georgia at least twice in the last 10 years. I visited it down the track from Albany in Pelham with the NASA art exhibit back in the late 1990's, and more recently, in Feb 2006, Thronateeska Heritage Center hosted ArtTrain with the "Native Views" exhibit at the museum here in Albany. Although I was not directly involved in the coordination of effort (that was left to the museum's Executive Director), he kept me apprised of everything since I am responsible for the ongoing restoration work and was in charge of cleaning up the display area.

It was interesting that the local NS Trainmaster held things up on signing the form allowing ArtTrain permission to be placed on Shed 1, a little-used stub track adjacent to the depot (which is the history museum). It was not until a contact was made in Atlanta, and it was pointed out that NS was a national sponsor of ArtTrain, that the form was finally signed. We are hoping to acquire the Shed tracks (1 and 2) and additional property behind the depot where Shed Tracks 3 and 4 were, which would resolve this issue in the future for any other rail display we might be able to bring in.

The small community of Pelham had a difficult time as well. They had to deal with a shortline as well as CSX, who owns part of the track the train had to traverse to get to the display location. The display location was finally set on an old spur near the depot. I think that track is gone now. Most of the small communities ArtTrain was intended to visit are losing or have lost appropriately located sidings where the train could be placed without endangering visitors. That's too bad, but a reality of today. However, if you think about it, moving to a truck-based operation will open up many more small communities to the traveling art exhibits.

BTW, a correction is necessary:

it is "Artrain" like Aarne indicated, not "ArtTrain" as I wrote in the above post. Sorry.

Link to home page:

http://www.artrainusa.org/

Confirmed via correspondence with ArTrain's President/CEO.

Well it seems to me a train of several cars is admirably suited to a linear exhibit where people can enter, walk through, and then leave at the other end. Anyone have any ideas how that might work with semi trailer trucks? Not well I would think. Maybe use old school buses and exit the back emergency door.

Bob Kutella

It will be interesting to see how the attendance does for future "Artruck" displays vs. Artrain. Somehow the attraction doesn't seem the same to me. But then, perhaps I am a bit prejudiced.

Les

It depends on how much they want to invest in the trucks. During one display our locomotive was involved in, one of the local tranist agencies brought out their safety truck. One side of the trailer opens up rather like some of the newer motorhomes, though some assembly was required. There are doors on both ends of the "pop out" portion and theater seats each with a motion base on the inside. They play a 3-D movie showing dangerous situations to avoid around their light rail trains on a screen on the inside wall of the "pop out" side.

I'm sure they could adapt a similar setup to their art displays.

Walk-through display trailers with pop-out sides are pretty common now. A line of them with portable canopies to provide a semi-protected walkway between them would be pretty easy.

Les,

You must remember the display was the art, not the train. To those of us who are enamored by anything rail, the fact the art was displayed in a train was an added bonus. To most patrons of Artrain, however, it was the art that mattered, and that's the way it was intended at its inception. I will admit that the exterior artwork on the display cars was interesting, making the cars part of the exhibit, but the fact remains that the inside art is the focus. It can be done as well in truck trailers as in the ex-passenger cars, and with considerably greater flexibility. The benefit to Artain USA, as I mentioned previously, is that it opens up a whole new market in non-rail connected small communities.

I seem to recall a space-related exhibit Thronateeska was investigating having here. It would have required space for 3 50-foot (or so) trailers arranged in a "C" formation. I'm sure the Artrain folks have already decided how to do future displays as trailer-based exhibits. It will take more truck trailers to have the same exhibit/demonstration/gift shop space as available in the current trainset, but I'm sure they have already considered this. It will be interesting to see what name they use and the required space for however many trailers they use.

Such lively discussion suggests there may be opportunities for some museums to organize and manage their own art shows. Artists are always looking for venues other than galleries to display their work, and a rail museum might have appeal.

To embark on such a venture which could have the potential for an extra income stream and publicity a museum wouild have to address the following issues:

1. museum policy on art subject matter: i.e. nudes?
2. space for display and power
3. parking
4. public safety—eliminate tripping hazards etc.
5. collection—fee for display and/or percentage of sale?
6. scheduling to avoid conflicting events of other nearby attractions
7. labor—Is the income potential worth the vounteer time for set-up, supervision, and clean-up?
8. publicity and advertising/budget for wide exposure

Sloan