While the sentiment is clear, and shared (as noted through far too many posts here), does allowing this signage and alteration of same to be seen, and remain, and now as a result posted across the internet, harm or help the effort ? No blame to Brother Glueck, no one is looking to shoot the messenger. And please, let's not start another endless thread of what's gone wrong, why it's a lost cause, etc. Until someone is firing up the scrapper's torches, this engine is still an artifact that needs and deserves attention, whether restored to display or operating status.
While I myself would admit to being a great fan of sarcasm, in many ways this reminds me a lot of the bad old days of heavy graffitti on the likes of the NYCTA, and CTA,, it sort of fosters an ideal that no one truly does care and this is basically a lost cause.
Similar things, on a much smaller scale are no doubt visible at any museum you can mention. To the casual weekend family visitors, what does this sign say ? What does someone's wise-acre posting in the dust on the side of a car inside the carbarn that reads "Wash Me" (or God forbid far worse) tell your visitors ?
In a brief conversation I had with someone earlier this week, they mentioned that a museum visitor had noted that "You don't have a museum, you have a collection".
This is a vitally important point, and the fact it was noted by a typical "weekend family visitor", as opposed to any of us so-called experts really calls out how important it is to see all of our efforts not as we see them (best we can do with limited budget, resources, volunteers, etc), but as our visiting public sees it. You're not going to see a sign like that at the Smithsonian, Chicago's MSI, or even your local historical society. In the unlikely event it did occur, you know it would be gone ASAP.
One man's opinion, this sign should have been removed immediately and replaced, and quite honestly I'd have no problem with noting that the original planned completion date of xx/xx/xxxx, has now been pushed back due to a need for (fill in the blank as you choose). The original sign should then have been squirreled away in the dark recesses of the steam shop, only to be resurrected and used as kindling for that first fire in the firebox.
We're public organizations, we have to present at a minimum a brave face, no matter the circumstances, in order to foster an interest and desire for our collective visitors to come back. Who's coming back each year to note that another year has passed since that sign was defaced ? On the other hand, I personally, among several others I can name, made a point of visiting on a near weekly basis when IRM started the heavy work of cutting into the Libertyliner and restoring it back to an Electroliner. (Just as an example)
Some progress, any progress, even the image that something is being done, even if you as a novice can't tell what by your naked eye, is better than a wise-acre comment on what is essentially, defaced museum property.
Image is everything.
I'll get down from my soapbox now, the view is great (I can see my house from up here), but I'm getting a nosebleed. (See, I like sarcasm)
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