Did anybody see this website? Is this a new company or is it a different name for an old company?

http://www.eikoninternational.com/Home.html

It looks like the Edwards Motor Car Company to me with a new name.

Check this link at Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwards_Rail_Car_Company

It looks like they are finally moving to North Carolina. Based on what you read, it looks like their market may be mostly export and they probably picked up some new investors, hence the name change.

Edwards Car has an unhappy customer also.

That Wikipedia is interesting...I guess you can go on there and say anything about yourself...even if it is a shading of the truth.
I'm just saying...

"I'm fairly certain that the information the article currently presents is unbiased."

I am fairly certain that you don't know the facts as they stand or you would not have made that statement.

For what it is worth, my wife is a teacher and her school forbids the use of Wikipedia as a source for papers and scholarly projects because it is so unreliable and shaded. It would be wonderful if Wikipedia was the perfect tool that it could be...but it is frequently used by various persons to further their own agenda. Reader beware!!!

"I am aware of previous opinions expressed on the matter, on this forum, and will comment that such opinions have no place at wikipedia."

I hope nobody thinks that I would change inforamtion on Wikipedia about a given subject. However...readers of Wikipedia should be aware that there are misleading facts in place about a specific restoration. Not lies mind you...but an imcomplete accounting of events. Somebody researching a company to restore their choo choo might stumble on the Edwards Wikipedia entry and think that other parties were responsible for the fine work of others.

I need to post pictures of the Wisconsin as it looked when it entered the museum property in Florida. That photo combined with a list of all the many craftspeople (and their contributions) who have been working on the car should help clear the air. That would make it absolutly certain who did what. And no matter who tries to whitewash the truth they will find the voices of the 100 or more who know what is really happening.

I didn't mean to start a controversy. Others are concerned about what goes on behind the scenes on Wikipedia and have developed a site to look at the situation. You might look at this; http://wikidashboard.parc.com/ .

Wikipedia is a secondary or tertiary source, just like the hard copy encyclopedias. Most of the time that's good enough. When it really matters, it can give direction to locating primary sources.

WARNING:

Let's keep this one civil.

First of all...I have never edited anything on Wikipedia nor do I know of anybody who has. I tend to leave Wiki to itself because it is so...unpredictable. (ever read the citation for Che Guevera?)

The current status of the Wisconsin is this. Edwards did the following jobs: they recovered the roof (great job), resided the car (again, good job), rebuilt the vestibules (brilliant welder on staff), made components for the window system (hit and miss) and painted the car...which was very problematic and required a lot of reworking. Everything else that was done to the car (or is currently being done to the car) has been done by volunteers, the staff at the museum of skilled crafts people paid for by generous donors. I think they have over $750,000 in that car as she sits today. I think that it is very likely the most fabulous static Pullman car in the world.

To read the Wikipedia citation it would lead somebody to think that Edwards is responsible for the way the car looks now as it sits in Florida. We do know that people representing Edwards have been scrambling hard to get credit for that work and have begged the museum for photos and so fourth...which makes my gut crawl. I am proud of the work I do but I would never take credit for others work...NEVER!

Edwards is in a tough spot. I think to be honest and ask forgiveness and admit some shortcomings would be a much better way to survive then to shade the truth. When the car was in Montgomery they called it "the train" and "that old caboose"...there is just no way they were capable of completing the work on that car...no way. I am not sure why they thought they could restore a private railroad car.

So my open suggestion to Edwards is this: Point out the positive work you have completed, find your strengths and stay within those set of skills and finally...admit fault and move on. Deception serves no one well.

Everybody needs to get to Sarasota and see the Wisconsin...it will take your breath away.

There is a story posted on "Flimsies" that outlines the current status of the Wisconsin. The article mistakingly attributes the North Carolina Transportation Museum with the restoration work.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20 ... _car_ride#

I found the article interesting and noticed the cost of the car was around $11,000. This made me think..... This was about the going price for a passenger locomotive on the time (Wilmington and Western's ex MSC 4-4-0 cost about $10,000 in 1909). I think if you look at the cost of a new passenger locomotive today and compared it to a fancy private jet you might find they are also comparable in price.

Anyway the car is a fabulous part of history that we're lucky to have in 2009.

Hey Termite7...the last time I posted here, apologized and tried to set the record straight, pointing out mistakes and error in judgment...that was not good enough for you and you seemed hell bent on beating me further in the ground.

Edwards did accomplished more tasks on the Wisconsin than you pointed out. We have NEVER claimed to have "done it all"...and if you consider one email to David Duncan asking for pictures of the car "begging"...then it just proves again that you have an axe to grind. If you would be brave enough to come out from your hiding behind a phony name, I would be glad to engage with you in a constructive conversation. I know who you are and you do not know all the facts and details of the contract or the many revisions and changes made by the museum. No where can you find anyone from Edwards making reference to "how much" we did or in any way taking credit for the entire job. As a matter of fact, the most we feel we can report is to quote what the museum has publicly said about our contribution to the project.

Have we made mistakes....on this and other projects....you bet. I respectfully would like to point out that all I can do is try to learn from the mistakes and move forward. How about the positive projects and good work accomplished by our crews. Again, it sounds like you have a personal axe to grind.

Steve Torrico, PRes.
Edwards Rail Car Co.

ST, this is a mature discussion about Wikipedia and proper uses of Wikipedia. Nobody is out to get you...sorry if it gets under your skin.

There was more work done on the project but it was either so poorly done that it had to be reworked or it was actually done by subcontractors that were at the time complaining about non-payment. Also so many parts went missing I would consider those specific jobs as "counter productive".

I do have some pictures I could share...like a picture of the dining room table sitting in a pool of water or the dining room chairs covered in dirt and being used as saw horses. We could post those on Wikipedia. Would that be a proper use of Wikipedia? No, it would not be and I would not do that.

I was told by the shop guys in Montgomery that "we don't see Steve down here anymore"...so...I do not think you have a good handle on what really happened in Montgomery. You may have been let down by your people down there, I am not your problem. Oceans of Love, T7

WOW...I think you have done a wonderful thing here. I am always a beleiver in "less is more". Thank you for your efforts and understanding in this complex issue.

I will let you know when the restoration is officially "finished" and then you can edit the article to better reflect the current status of the Wisconsin.

They are very close to nearing the end of the restoration. Some gracious donors have given funds to replicate the furniture for the observation lounge, the missing brass bed in JR's stateroom and perhaps to have carpet made for the whole car. Some electrical work needs to be finished, the crews room and kitchen needs some TLC and an assorted few other details. Already the exhibit has immense "wow appeal" to people who walk into the room and see that big shiny object. Historians and preservation buffs can be satisfied to know that a LOT of thought and study was made to each area to assure a very accurate and careful interpertation of the car.

I would encourage RYPN readers to visit and submit their observations and thoughts.

T7 says "hugs not drugs".

Against my better judgement...

I was in montgomery as a sub-contractor working for Edwards on another project while the wisconsin was on going(I can say that I was never owed a dime and was treated very well by steve, he was always there)and that car was a mess as it showed up! Nothing more than a hunting cabin on wheels... The dinning room table and chairs are far from original to the car and I honestly cannot believe they stayed with the car into it's current state of preservation. And what was stolen??? I know of one piece that was in fact was stolen from the car and that happened while I was there. The shop is in the ghetto, not edwards fault. What else was stolen? The rotted carpet( 60's era)? The fiberglass shower unit? The modern stove in the kitchen? Or just some of the other randomly accumulated crap that showed up while the thing sat in the woods? There was virtually nothing left from original construction in the way of fixtures, I can think of 2..the balance was much newer.
With what was left of the car in regards to the era it is now being displayed in it at very best would be considered a Historic Replica. Great that it was preserved but for god sake, let it go.