Much has been made of the negative effect of high scrap prices on railway preservation such as thefts and the scrapping of equipment that might otherwise be available for preservation.

However, there is a positive effect, the ability to turn surplus material into much-needed cash.

Now is the time for railway museums to do a housecleaning, and turn the Junque that tends to accumulate into income as well as clean up the appearance of the property. Take the parts you want off the piece of rolling stock you got for a parts source and scrap the remains. I am sure that any museum has items that will never be used just waiting to be salvaged.

This is a good time to rid youselves of those rotted out hulks of heavyweight passenger cars and perhaps make enough money to put a paint job on a salvagable car.

I have a big pile of scrap over at our site which I have nicknamed the "Fundraising Dept."!

Sort out scrap copper. I have heard it is worth around $3 per pound!