Easiest way to put it is because of the Rivet Counters, history buffs and Foamers. Non railroad history and art museum, usually will have a catalog of their items available upon request by people in the field (usually researchers) featuring items on display and in storage, and these catalogs will have basic information about each item. The published roster is basically the same thing, except more of the general public is interested in getting copies then the one from the Natural History museum.

Keep in mind, at least for places like the Ct Eastern RR Museum, the `published' Roster is not professionally published, it is laser printed, stapled and folded run off 5-10 copies at a time. They are also designed for the people that want to know more about some of the equipment, buildings or the site then most of the docents remember. In addition we use it as a teaching aide for the new docents, so they can get familiarized with the histories. Some of us keep a copy in our back pocket on the days we sign up to take care of tours, just in case.

Since we started selling them, we have gone through at least 20-30 copies in the last 3 years (but only have added 4 docents).

Rich C.

Boothbay now lists the Baldwin Warren paper engines but for a few years they were not on their roster. I looked all over trying to find where they went after New Jersey but no one I talked to seemed to know. Someone then told me they were at Boothbay but at that time they weren't listed, However some old decrepit old Henshel? was.
I for one, want to know what you have at your museum!

M.NIX

Ugol's Law: "You're not the only one".

The main lobbyist is unlikely to be the only person interested in the car.

How many times have we seen Museum B go to museum A, say "That derelict. We want it." Museum A lets it go, Museum B promptly rolls it into the shop and restores it. Happens all the time. With older equipment it's the only way it's going to happen, as there are so few pieces still in the wild. That's part of a museum's useful function, hold onto pieces until interest/time arises. But it's not going to happen if Museum A's possession of the artifact is a secret.

Since traction is my #1 interest in railway preservation (and contemporary operation), I find the PNAERC list most useful and consult it quite often. If I'm planning a vacation trip and wonder if a certain example of trolley technology exists, it's right there (one of my disappoinments was in finding out that no example of the Illinois Terminal version of the PE Hollywood car survived). One can even get a list of the cars in a given state, and decide how to route a journey. As far as individual museums publishing rosters, this has been made a lot easier by the Internet, although even maintaining a website takes a certain amount of dedication so it doesn't get "stale".

For those of us immersed in the maintenance, repair, restoration and parts side, having a technically detailed roster can be very helpful. I often refer to Jeff Hakner and Frank Hick's, "Preserved North American Electric Railway Eqpt." site as I can find details such as type of traction motors, controllers, line breakers, compressors, air valves, trucks etc., used on specific cars.

From this information, I can narrow down who might be interested in surplus parts I have available or combine efforts to manufacture parts we and others might need. Same goes for drawings we run across. If I find an item which will be useful to other museums using the same components, I can notify them and supply copies.

Gord McOuat
OERHA / Halton County