KRM Preservation Projects

SwadeTrainz · **Joined:** Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:42 pm **Posts:** 33

*Edit* Due to some questions and concerns in the comments below, I would like to state I'm NOT a spokesperson for the museum; I'm a volunteer who assists with restoration efforts when I can.

First of all, I did read the guidelines and all that good stuff, so I'm pretty sure this topic is allowed. I created this thread to answer a lot of questions on what the current state of the Kentucky Railway Museum (KRM) is. I've seen lots of questions on other threads about is this or that being preserved at the museum, so I'll list all of the projects I know of at this point.

L&N Pearl River- The coach was purchased by a volunteer (or so the BOD tells me) so they can work on it without the museum's permission, although no work has begun yet.

L&N 4-6-2 #152- The museum has raised a little over $30,000 at this point so they can tear 152 down and see what other work needs to be done to get it running for another 15 years.

L&N Woody Caboose #559- Not exactly sure what's going on with it, but they have it in the shop and are working on it, probably prepping it to use on excursions in place of the SOO caboose.

L&N #411- Completing the GP-7's repaint and renumbering/decals to an early L&N beep scheme.

Facebook Group Project: #2152 (#285)- Raising money to get the initial teardown of 2152 0-8-0 underway to see an exact amount of how much would be needed to restore her. (Their current goal is 70,000 by 2018).

Any other projects I missed that you guys know of let me know! I don't mind opinions of the museum being posted here as well, just keep "mud slinging" to minimum. This is a place for civilized conversation. We all have our opinion of the museum, but that doesn't mean there's a reason to be hateful towards one another.

SwadeTrainz · **Joined:** Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:42 pm **Posts:** 33

Agreed. They primarily have the CF-7 at this point as a backup until they have L&N 411 completed and get the BL-2 back to the "reliable" status, even though it hasn't had any regular use in the last 3-4 years. They claim the CF-7 is historically important since it's the last one of its kind in the original Santa Fe paint scheme, which is no longer the case since I've seen at least one other CF-7 in the Santa Fe scheme. The museum's solution for 770 on the other hand is to board up the windows and spray some primer on rusty spots. Who knows when they'll do some actual work on it.

Another project I forgot to mention is the museum is supposedly restoring the #1603 combine coach, although once again no visible work has occurred recently. The two open air coaches are now out of service as well since they're leaking badly and need new paint. Guessing those will be the next two up in front on 2152.

Pegasuspinto · **Joined:** Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:43 am **Posts:** 777

SwadeTrainz wrote:

First of all, I did read the guidelines and all that good stuff, so I'm pretty sure this topic is allowed. I created this thread to answer a lot of questions on what the current state of the Kentucky Railway Museum (KRM) is. I've seen lots of questions on other threads about is this or that being preserved at the museum, so I'll list all of the projects I know of at this point.museum, but that doesn't mean there's a reason to be hateful towards one another.

I don't mean to be disrespectful or to belittle you, but who are you, and why are you qualified to speak on the KRM operations? We're had threads here (and other places) where the user comes across sounding like a spokesperson and it turns out that they may not even belong to the group.

Robert

SwadeTrainz · **Joined:** Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:42 pm **Posts:** 33

I'm a volunteer at the museum who is involved in some projects and funding groups for the museum, such as a group trying to raise money for 2152, 770, etc

Dave · **Posted:** Mon Aug 10, 2015 1:34 pm

An involved volunteer can certainly post his or her impressions of what is going on. It is probably more accurate than the filtered information from people on the BOD who get second or third hand information, and have agendas that might not coincide with reality. Of course, it also is limited to what the working volunteers are told about the bigger picture. It's amazing how many organizations have managers and BOD that keep information carefully siloed.......

boilerwash · **Posted:** Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:37 pm

SwadeTrainz · **Joined:** Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:42 pm **Posts:** 33

Nice pics. I agree (although I try to be optimistic) that in reality the museum hasn't made any progress on hardly anything except on #309. I never noticed it before but those look like new windows on 1603; not sure why they'd install them though if the car is just going to sit. Similar situation with the Mt. Broderick, although I've been told the car is probably going to sit several more years before being restored. The BODs is very particular on what they tell us. I inquired once about a piece of equipment (I think it was a boxcar I don't remember, it was a few years back) and they said it "didn't matter."

Robm2716 · **Joined:** Thu Dec 01, 2011 3:03 pm **Posts:** 10

All,

I am Rob Minton and I am a member of KRM's board. I visit RYPN frequently and I am always willing to answer questions openly and honestly, as long as the discourse remains civil. The other members of the board are Charlie Buccola, Ray Temple, Jeri Burks, Don Parrish, Toby Asher, Maison Young, Bill Huston, and Tim Nelson. Our Executive Director is Greg Mathews. That is the current board and KRM management.

This board is committed to a policy of getting the museum back on sound financial footing and making sure that our future decisions are driven by our mission statement to preserve and interpret the history of railroads in Kentucky. To that end, we have paid down about $250,000 in debt over the past four years and we are working to put together a coordinated excursion train consist that will resemble a transition era L&N passenger train. Would we like to have an original L&N engine instead of a repainted Reading one? Sure we would, but it's what we have available and it's a good running engine.

Like most volunteer museums, we have more stuff than we can realistically maintain, given the 5-7 people that normally show up to work in the shop each week. We have to prioritize. Right now, the focus is on finishing up 411 (nee 309). We will start the boiler survey on 152 soon, and we will be installing the turntable from the joint C&O-NYC roundhouse in downtown Louisville. All these projects fit our mission statement.

So what questions does everyone want to ask? As I said, I will try to answer honestly and without spinning the truth. I do work a full time job, so my answers may be delayed until the evenings.

Rob Minton
KRM

SwadeTrainz · **Joined:** Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:42 pm **Posts:** 33

I've always liked the museum for as long as I can remember. I went to every Day Out With Thomas until I was about 7. I know the museum has its funding and volunteering problems, but I'm just wondering when will something get restored. I guess you could consider 152 and 411 as restorations, but I'm also talking about something new that hasn't run in years or at the museum before, like 770. I was told by volunteers at one point 35-40k was raised for 770 but the unit never saw the cash. Whether or not this is true I suppose the volunteers may've fibbed a bit, but I wish there had been a more concrete plan back when 770 had been freshly repainted. Also, since I haven't had time to inquire, what are the plans regarding the L&N #559 caboose?

On another note, my group's spokesperson has sent off an email to the museum in regards of us wanting to begin fundraising for 2152's restoration and we wanted to get the museum's approval to ensure they'd use the money for 2152. We also proposed that if 2152 was truly unrestorable or unrealistic (which with some money I do believe it could be brought back) could we raise funds for other L&N equipment, specifically mentioning 770 and the Jim Crow Combine #665, although I think at this point members in my group would settle on Mt. Broderick and the 1603 combine.

Andrew Durden · **Posted:** Tue Aug 11, 2015 10:34 am

CameronW wrote:

Robm2716 wrote:

All,

If you want an operational vintage L&N locomotive you have one right there waiting to be worked on.

Cameron

It's a bit difficult to perform an operational restoration on a locomotive with no prime movers.

SwadeTrainz · **Joined:** Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:42 pm **Posts:** 33

There are a lot of people who don't know 770 has no prime movers. I'm hopeful in the next few years the museum will get funding in place for 770 or 665. I've talked to volunteers and their estimate for a full restoration is in the 700,000 range for 770.

Emmo213 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 11, 2015 11:33 am

Robm2716 wrote:

Like most volunteer museums, we have more stuff than we can realistically maintain

Have you considered selling off equipment?

Lincoln Penn · **Joined:** Wed Feb 02, 2011 9:40 pm **Posts:** 841

SwadeTrainz wrote:

There are a lot of people who don't know 770 has no prime movers. I'm hopeful in the next few years the museum will get funding in place for 770 or 665. I've talked to volunteers and their estimate for a full restoration is in the 700,000 range for 770.

When this discussion started, I thought I remembered 770 being basically a shell when it was donated. Besides being an E6, it was used back in the '60's on a KRM/NRHS excursion train from Louisville to Bowling Green, KY and return. I think Mt. Broderick carried the markers on that run.

665 has a great deal of historic importance. Personally, though it has nothing to do with the car's significance, I remember riding in it behind the GENERAL in 1965.

Last, I don't care what color it is, a Santa Fe CF7 has nothing to do with the history of
railroads in Kentucky. I think that was acquired during a time when the museum wanted to become a tourist train operation rather than a museum, along with some other equipment equally irrelevant to KY railroad history.

Corrections happily accepted.

Dave · **Posted:** Tue Aug 11, 2015 11:44 am

Lots of inquiries about specific pieces of iron on wheels, only one so far about collections management. Let's look at big picture strategy: OK, you have some debt to retire and are working towards that - in what ways are you funding the retirement of that debt? Multiple equipment projects are under way - how are they prioritized, and why? Is there work going on to determine what a sustainable size collection would be for your organization, and what in your dead lines might be deaccessioned to reduce it to that level? What scope and intensity of operation if any is going to provide the best sustainable return and good visitor experience? Paid staff - is the cost worth the benefit gained and how have you quantified and proven that?

I'm asking because you aren't the only organization that needs badly to work on these things, and you have offered to be upfront and open about it. It can be painful, and perhaps you can share a practical approach others could adapt to make us all healthier and stronger.

SwadeTrainz · **Joined:** Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:42 pm **Posts:** 33

I've never heard of 770 being used for a KRM excursion but I'm probably wrong. It is my understanding it was a shell when donated.

KRM Preservation Projects

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