Washington Post on NCTM fire cause: update 9/30

Erik Ledbetter · **Posted:** Tue Sep 30, 2003 7:39 am

From the Washington Post Metro Section, 9/30, Page B03:

Lightning Ruled Out in Museum Blaze

Lightning has been ruled out as the cause of Sunday's fire at the National Capital Trolley Museum in Silver Spring, a spokesman for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service said yesterday.

After consulting with National Weather Service and private meteorologists, investigators said there were no ground strikes of lightning at the time of the fire, said Pete Piringer, a fire service spokesman. He said they have not ruled out an electrical problem or arson as the cause of the blaze, which destroyed eight antique trolley cars and caused more than $8 million in damage.

The county fire marshal, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maryland-National Capital Park Police are investigating. Anyone who might have been in the area at the time of the fire or may have information about the blaze is asked to call 240-777-2263.

eledbetter@rypn.org

Wesley Paulson · **Posted:** Tue Sep 30, 2003 8:32 am

Visual inspection from close range shows severe body damage to CTCo 1053, as well as all other cars in the building. The site is unsafe and remains under investigation. The disposition of the remains of all cars involved will be determined at a later time along with an appropriate fundraising campaign.

The Museum has an existing building fund for the long-planned replacement of the building that was destroyed. Contributions to that fund are always welcome.

Wesley Paulson

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue Sep 30, 2003 8:48 am

> The Museum has an existing building fund for
> the long-planned replacement of the building
> that was destroyed. Contributions to that
> fund are always welcome.

Just for the record, does the surviving carbarn housing the rest of the collection have fire protection, such as sprinklers? If not, what's more cost-effective--to equip the existing carbarn with a sprinkler system for the duration, or to build the new building with sprinklers ASAP?

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

Stephen Hussar · **Posted:** Tue Sep 30, 2003 9:25 am

I've noticed a few museums and smaller groups using Paypal for donations. VMT used it for the restoration fund for the 1218 and now keeps it as a general fundraising tool. And I'm familiar with a group in NYC keeping the 1931 fireboat "John J. Harvey" in service, using Paypal for many donations.

Setting up the account, and a link to it, can't take much time or effort and it would seem to open the doors to a much broader range of potential contributors. I have no connection to it other than I have an account and I know it works. Has anyone had any negative experiences with Paypal?

SJHussar@aol.com

Evan · **Posted:** Tue Sep 30, 2003 11:33 am

We use it. See our "The Trolley Museum Needs You" page at the attached link for Paypal buttons. However, I can't say it is a land office business. Paypal is just a tool for receiving money; on its own it doesn't help gain page 'hits' or otherise help with promotion.

An example of a page using Paypal buttons.
n2xjk@yahoo.com

Stu Slaymaker · **Posted:** Tue Sep 30, 2003 4:14 pm

SAVE THE 1053!!!!

> Visual inspection from close range shows
> severe body damage to CTCo 1053, as well as
> all other cars in the building. The site is
> unsafe and remains under investigation. The
> disposition of the remains of all cars
> involved will be determined at a later time
> along with an appropriate fundraising
> campaign.

> The Museum has an existing building fund for
> the long-planned replacement of the building
> that was destroyed. Contributions to that
> fund are always welcome.

> Wesley Paulson

sbs5cats@kc.rr.com

Stu Slaymaker · **Posted:** Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:42 pm

> SAVE THE 1053!!!!
Sadly, several emails received today confirmed 1053's body is badly buckled and warped and may have collapsed on to the trucks. It is considered NOT salvageable by those who have seen it. Sorry.

sbs5cats@kc.rr.com

Stephen Hussar · **Posted:** Wed Oct 01, 2003 2:41 pm

> Paypal is just a
> tool for receiving money; on its own it
> doesn't help gain page 'hits' or otherise
> help with promotion.

Understood. I was actually more curious as to whether anyone has had any problems with it...

Thanks for the link to your site.

SJHussar@aol.com

Tim Stuy · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2003 1:29 pm

We have had good luck both with donations and our store using Paypal. No problems to report after a year of use.

Try it out! :)

Tim Stuy

ELDCPS Donation Page

James Hefner · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2003 3:18 pm

I have been using it for even longer with my "Surviving World Steam" Project. It has not only allowed me to accept credit cards without a merchant account, but has allowed me to accept overseas orders without any additional cost to them or me.

With half of my orders coming from overseas, this has been a godsend. I have had no problems with it to date.

I have recieved what looked like an official e-mail from PayPal asking for my password and account information. I realized this was a hoax, and forwarded it to PayPal; you should NEVER send personal information or passwords of any kind in any e-mail back to anyone, nor should you download any attachment "from Microsoft" or anywhere else no matter how authentic it looks. Neither Paypal or Microsoft or e-bay etc. etc. would request or send you anything important like that via e-mail.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

> We have had good luck both with donations
> and our store using Paypal. No problems to
> report after a year of use.

> Try it out! :)

> Tim Stuy

Surviving World Steam Project
james1@pernet.net