I went to the township public works area with a few other members to see if we could find material that had disappeared from the site. We found it, all right. Close to 200 ties and most of the 100 year old beams from the coal tipple are now retaining walls that keep different grades of stone apart. And holding them up is about twenty of our 10' angle irons cut into assorted lengths being used as supports into the ground and angled out from the top.

We then were guided to a pile of metal where all of our I beams are (about 20 pieces) one huge and heavy work table with pipe vise still attached, and two heavy duty pedastools we got from a donor. Also in the pile were the rest of the 10' angle.

Now back at the station, all of the rails, barrels of tie plates, ties, crossing gates and anything else that was stored down the trail is now spread out near the county easement and the station. When they were moved, there were 35 barrrels of tie plates. There are now 32. Guess they have developed the ability to walk.

We noticed heavy tire tracks in the ground leading up to a very disorhanized pile of ties. Then we realized, these are the ties that they couldn't use at the PW building so they just brought them back and dumped them.

Our piles of road shavings is almost gone. We found that too. There is an underground drain pipe that goes from one side of the trail to the other. Over the years from neglect on part of the township, this has caved in to the point that the trail was in danger of falling in at the edges. Not now! They dumped the ends of the coal tipple beams in there and backfilled with our road shavings. The trail is now stable for the time being, but there is no drain between the retention pond on one side and the stream on the other.

We also found the remains of some of the original stone curbing from the original mid 1800s staion that was stored along with the rail and ties. They are now broken and crushed.

But as many of us here on this board that are active in museums and restoration/preservation, history is becoming a casualty of progress.

Later!
Mr. Ed

Mr. Ed -

Sounds to me like it is a good thing you guys are getting out of there. Mt. Holly sounds like it offers the chance for a much more harmonius relationship.

Les

It would also pay to contemplate the degree to which the trust's own actions had a hand in the outcome. So as to benefit from lessons learned.

Any Updates on the equipment or either site?

NO.

How is the equipment move going? Is that soft ground firming up yet?

Well, at least if I'm going to bring up a formerly dead topic, at least I actually HAVE something new:

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/b ... f1269.html



More at the link.

Someone should get a referrendum (sp?) on the ballot & let the Pemberton residents decide if they want the museum & railcars.

I was not at the protest, but I would have been there if I could. Some issues as I understand them:

1. The legal agreement in question was a license, not a lease. A license gives the PTHT less rights and is instantly revocable, if the relevant conditions are fulfilled. This is what happened with the previous license, although it's debatable whether the license was legally revoked.

2. The Board of Trustees voted to sign the new license agreement. In part this was due to the Township's threat to sue them individually.

3. A copy of the signed license agreement was delivered by registered letter to Pemberton Township. Five days later, the mayor still had not signed it. I think this happened back in July.

4. At a subsequent membership meeting (during the five day period), the membership voted to ask the Trustees to abandon the unsigned license and to appeal the legal ruling that supported the revocation of the previous license.

5. The Trustees voted to do as the membership asked. The township was informed that the Trust was appealing the previous ruling.

I suspect that the mayor did not sign the license because he does not actually want the Trust to be at the station under any circumstances. I expect that the mayor would have further altered the license agreement to make more demands on the Trust.

In my opinion the new license agreement was not good for the Trust or its artifacts. Among other things, the Trust would have given up the right to sue the Township under any circumstances whatsoever. That would only lead to further abuse by the Township.

-Mark

Well I guess I'm a bit confused now. So, they are STILL fighting to stay in Pemberton? Did they give up the Mt. Holly alternative? Or was Mt. Holly even a genuine alternative?

Les

Mount Holly was a contingent plan, if the some of the cars have to move. I won't claim that it was a well developed plan. I am now doubtful of the politics involved in a move to Mount Holly. The town might like it, but the one of the Burlington County Freeholders is a friend of the mayor of Pemberton, and Mount Holly is the county seat.

I do know that the Mount Holly station, which has twice failed to succeed as a restaurant, has been purchased by a speculator who hopes to resell it for a profit. Unless that person could be persuaded to donate it, it's not going to be available to the Trust.

It's important for the membership of RYPN to realize that the PTHT is mostly made up of people without the skills and knowledge found here. They are not likely to achieve the level of preservation that you would like to see. Most of them will never see your comments. For example, President Adrian Leonard does not even own a computer.

I was on RYPN for years before I joined PTHT in 2008. I have tried to bring things I've learned on RYPN* to PTHT. I've tried to share news about PTHT and it's struggle to survive to RYPN. I refuse to publish much negative info about PTHT, I don't want to contribute to its problems. If this makes me look like a fool sometimes, so be it.

It could be very helpful if RYPN members within reasonable driving distance of PTHT joined the organization. More knowledgeable, practical people would be a big help in finding a solution, if there is one to be found.

-Mark

*Things I've learned from RYPN
1. Own the land that holds your artifacts.
2. Own the railroad if you are operating.
3. Have a collections policy.
4. Have a deaccession policy.
5. Put up good signs.
6. Use good paint.
7. Have clean rest rooms. (PTHT did that.)

It sounds like it's a personnel issue here then too.

I'm sorry, but in 2012, and this is inexcusable. If you lead a group that you want to succeed, you need to adapt to and adopt the technologies and practices that will do that. If not, don't be surprised when the world passes you by.

The saga continues per the below newspaper link. Not sure how serious this is (there have been many court orders associated with this) but perhaps its worth contacting the trust and offering to help out with some sort homes for the good stuff.


http://m.phillyburbs.com/news/local/bur ... d877c.html

J.R.

When is the Mayor up for reelection?

Jim:
The mayor's position is not up for election for another year or two, I forget which off hand. So, either November 2013 or 2014.
J.R.