News article about an effort to relocate some or all of the MNGRM collection from Portland to Bridgton:
http://www.bridgton.com/rrmuseum.php
Return of the Rails, the organization created for the relocation:
http://www.returnoftherails.com/
The following was posted on the MNG discussion group, April 25th of this year:
Quote:
To Members and Friends of the Maine Narrow Gauge:
Responding to inside and outside forces, from paying market rent to a poor economy, the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum is facing realities head on. The impact of these forces on MNGRR has been substantial. The MNGRR Board is meeting the challenge with equally substantial actions.
Here are the steps we are taking:
• Launching a capital campaign to raise $150,000 this Spring;
• Increasing grant-writing, including hiring a grant-writing consultant;
• Improving Polar Express for higher returns;
• Soliciting donations of antiques and railroadiana items for a fund-raising auction to be held this summer;
• Increasing railroad ticket sales by partnering with Portland Discovery Tours;
• Researching alternate locations for a possible future home for the collection and/or the museum;
• Reducing expenses by using volunteers to assist paid staff with retail and administrative duties.;
• Analyzing our collection to determine what, if any, items could be sold.
The possible sale of collection items is being carefully considered. What is the “core” collection? What can be sold in order to preserve the most significant part of the collection? We have more than we can care for adequately at this time and in this economy.
No decision has been made about selling any part of our collection. We are simply exploring alternatives. Our first approach would be to the museums that currently hold pieces of our collection, to see if they would be interested in purchasing those items now on loan from us. We are also asking the public, donors, and our members to buy individual items with the purpose of donating them back to the museum to assure that the collection stay together as a whole and to reduce our debt on the collection loan. Each item considered would be individually examined.
A strong collections policy and committee advise the Board in this process.
Erv.
Erv. Bickford
President of the Board
April 20, 2010
Responding to inside and outside forces, from paying market rent to a poor economy, the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum is facing realities head on. The impact of these forces on MNGRR has been substantial. The MNGRR Board is meeting the challenge with equally substantial actions.
Here are the steps we are taking:
• Launching a capital campaign to raise $150,000 this Spring;
• Increasing grant-writing, including hiring a grant-writing consultant;
• Improving Polar Express for higher returns;
• Soliciting donations of antiques and railroadiana items for a fund-raising auction to be held this summer;
• Increasing railroad ticket sales by partnering with Portland Discovery Tours;
• Researching alternate locations for a possible future home for the collection and/or the museum;
• Reducing expenses by using volunteers to assist paid staff with retail and administrative duties.;
• Analyzing our collection to determine what, if any, items could be sold.
The possible sale of collection items is being carefully considered. What is the “core” collection? What can be sold in order to preserve the most significant part of the collection? We have more than we can care for adequately at this time and in this economy.
No decision has been made about selling any part of our collection. We are simply exploring alternatives. Our first approach would be to the museums that currently hold pieces of our collection, to see if they would be interested in purchasing those items now on loan from us. We are also asking the public, donors, and our members to buy individual items with the purpose of donating them back to the museum to assure that the collection stay together as a whole and to reduce our debt on the collection loan. Each item considered would be individually examined.
A strong collections policy and committee advise the Board in this process.
Erv.
Erv. Bickford
President of the Board
April 20, 2010
