I just wanted to mention again that the "Edge of History" is about fifty years, and right now we are losing many of the folks who lived the history that was made in the 1970s. Unfortunately this is being accelerated by the Covid pandemic which is taking a toll among seniors and also making it difficult to do live interviews. This has impacted many writing projects this year.

PC

I've been trying to find out if a serious historian(s) is planning on writing a good, serious history of Amtrak, since it's 50th anniversary is on May 1. We recently lost former President Alan Boyd, and I'm sure most of those involved in Amtrak's early years are also no longer with us. It would be interesting to get the inside story of how some decisions about Amtrak were made over the years, especially the dealings with Congress and presidential administrations. Anybody know of a "historical monograph" that might be coming about the NRPC? I realize the fan publications will probably produce commemorative issues with a lot of photographs, but that is not what I am talking about. Even something along the lines of The Men Who Loved Trains about Amtrak would be of value.

New history is always being made -- and forgotten.
We need to get in the habit of recording some of these people and their stories.
Many years ago, I was passing through Palmerston, Ontario, once a busy rail centre. There was a building there for retired CNR fellows. I stopped and had a chat with a couple of men.
One gentleman told me about running 4100-series 2-10-2s east of Toronto during the war with everything they could pull! I wish I had had a recorder for that story.
A good friend talks about the "nuances" of past railroading. We can have the history, and the photos, but we have lost the nuances that come with the people who were there and knew how it was done.

Thanks for making me feel old.

IMO, this particular hobby, or whatever we prefer to call it, with a tiny handful of exceptions, has done an utterly lousy job of making even the slightest effort at recording and preserving oral history from those who were on the scene and participating at the time.

No matter what the issue is, all we seem to care about are pictures and videos.

Not just people, but how well is equipment being preserved from the era? I worry that since a mid century GE diesel or an era freight car lacks the appeal of say the steam and transition era equipment, I sometimes wonder how much "modern stuff" is being lost to the torch because its not yet in vogue to preserve.

I have participated in multiple history-related hobbies and have also noticed this. The contrast is particularly evident when compared to military, naval and aviation history activities and events, where participants, veterans, crew members, and the designers of the equipment are eagerly sought to take part and their stories and knowledge are highly valued and respected.

PC

Will the C40-8W be the next E7?

It's a real concern.

It's always amazed me how few of the early E units survive.

.

I think there is value in saving an interesting failure as well. It would be really interesting to have a Vauclain compound, for instance.

.

I've become increasingly jaded of late. I know that's difficult for some to believe. But I question with increasing frequency why I want to preserve anything with the increasing penchant for revisions to our history and an increasing apathy toward history in general. We've done some significant things, both internally and with our friends and associates. But does anyone outside a miniscule circle care?

The other thought about preserving the 1970s is how many of my young associates only want to talk about preserving the '90s and 00s. I'm not real popular when I remind them we're not done preserving relevant stuff from the 4 decades before that.

Also, someone really should have preserved a P30-CH...

As usual your mileage may vary.

I think we are also finally beginning to see the swing in the younger crowds having more influence in museum collections with more modern equipment, vs. the transition era mentality that plagues so many organizations.

Agree on should have preserved a "POOCH"; also at least the three-car UA Turbo set, and one of the imported French Turbo sets. They were all important parts of the story of Amtrak's evolution. Some would say you learn more from failure than success. I'm still hoping that more than an Acela power car gets saved, and even the Amfleet Conference Car (9800) should be set aside for preservation. I'm really saddened by what has become of former "Inspection Car" 10000, which belonged to Bill Kratville, since his death. That car was part of important specials in Amtrak's first 20 years.