From what I have learned Seashore is governed by a stockholder-based system of voting shares. We had a similar system in place at National Capital Trolley Museum until about 8 years ago. And we too were blocked by the share system when there was a recommendation supported by the leadership to de-accession one of the European cars.

Our founders followed Seashore's model when NCTM was incorporated in 1959. The theory was that members making large contributions would maintain a proportionate share of votes. Shares were awarded for cash donations or as in lieu of reimbursement for a valid purchase. Later we added "shares of responsibility" that were awarded to volunteers based on hours worked.

In the late 1990s it became clear the share system of governance had to go. It was an administrative burden and not good museum practice. But we had to wait until the time was right to amend the bylaws, which we eventually did when a straw count revealed enough votes after some of the key opposition had passed on or been won over. I am not sure if any other museums besides Seashore still follow the share system of governance.

Wesley

Fixed that for ya, Dave.........

If your funding plans including winning a massive court settlement, please PM me.....

David's points and my reply.

1. Pack your bags, return to Maine, as a full-time volunteer. End your boomer days.

This North Carolina winter is enough for me. Too many neat things at too many museums to work on! Anyhow, as I explain below, returning won't help spring the cars.

2. Become a member of Seashore, esepcially one with voting power.

I am a member. To have a meaningful vote I'd probably have to donate $30,000 of my children's inheritance.

3. Work within the organization to bring change, rally other members to support your goals and visions.

Many other members agree with me. One of the oldest active member calls the collection "bloated." The cars in the outback don't have years left while I try to work within the organization.

4. Be an active member, concerned not only with the equipment, but the long term health and viability of the organization.

The new Executive Director is doing just that. I'm optimistic. We've talked.

5. Read up on non-profit management, fundraising, endowments, etc. Offer to help the museum in these areas.

I was the Executive Director of a transportation related 501(c)3 for about a decade. I view Seashore as violating their 501(c)3 agreement by hording cars and not allowing them to be educational tools in new homes. David, as a lawyer, do you also work in 501(c) regulations areas?

6. Be suspicious of alleged city officials who claim that a particular piece of equipment is "theirs" and demand its return. (I don't think Wheeling was a municipal system when streetcars ran there).

The car ran there for decades. It belongs to the people of Wheeling as part of their heritage.

7. Suggest to volunteers who have been working 5-10-15 or more years on a restoration that the musuem should sell their hard work to fund other projects. Watch and learn from their reactions. (You might need quick reflexes for this, otherwise do at own risk.)

The Wheeling car may not have been a good example. I'm really interested in the 10s of cars Seashore has never touched and never will and those that they partially renovated and when funds from the sponsor ran out again became neglected.

With the cars they can maintain and keep running they could again be a world-class trolley museum. The new Executive Director is working hard on that. Hey! Seashore is a good trolley museum now. The restoration work they have done is excellent. They have a neat railway. Their bookstore and exhibit hall are among the best. The problem is the treasures rotting out back that are the organization's shame.

The museum I'm with, Trolley Museum of New York, got a mention in the attached article about slimming down their collections:

http://trn.trains.com/Interactive/Web%20Exclusives/2010/09/Slimming%20down%20to%20shape%20up.aspx

The pruning of the collection certainly wasn't a pleasant task, but with fewer mouths to feed, "Less is More."

While I am in favor of pruning collections in general, the statement that the 639 "belongs to Wheeling" is, in my opinion, absolutely wrong! Where have they been for the 56 years that the car has been at Seashore. The car belongs where it can best be preserved, displayed and operated. Right now, this would be Seashore.

Also, downsizing collections is not an easy task. I suspect that only a very few unrestored pieces at Seashore would be wanted by other museums. Electric City Trolley Museum has owned 41 pieces of equipment since it was set up. They now own 25, with one on their scrap list. Of the 16 pieces that were disposed of, only 6 went to established, successful trolley museums, and one to a local historical society after at least one museum turned it down. The rest were scrapped or sold for parts.

Then we have the opposite efforts, such as the recent three-way trade between Rockhill Trolley Museum, Shore Line and the DC area museum involving snow sweepers and trucks. That's how it's supposed work. No demands, no coercion, just honest desire and negotiation.

I don't agree with your premise. The car belongs where it will do the most teaching over the next say 100 years. I don't know where that is. Three places have been mentioned in this thread: Seashore, Wheeling, and PA Trolley Museum. To answer that question some research is necessary. The Wheeling Area Historical Society exists. A Google search turn up little on it.

But lets talk about a car that has been at Seashore for 50 years under a tarp. Seashore has Milwaukee car 861. I don't remember seeing it during last summer while I was volunteering there. It could be under a tarp. Anyhow, I'll use it as an example and assume it's under a tarp. It was donated to Seashore. What if East Troy had nothing similar to it? They do in their 821, but this is an example. What if East Troy asked Seashore for the car promising to restore it maybe to even running condition? As an under-a-tarp-car it has no value at Seashore. It is not a museum piece because the visitors can't learn from it. It will never be a museum piece because baring a miracle Seashore will never have the resources (volunteers and dollars) to restore it. So where does it belong? That's a no brainer. But will the Seashore management give it up? No. Never have when asked for cars in similar circumstances.

So you see Art, this is a tough nut to crack.



I've been told by more than one Seashore member that there is a list of what cars what museums want. I have never seen the list. Would love to.

And I'm not limiting homes for Seashore's cars to museums. Issaquah, WA just started a downtown trolley/tourist line. They spent big money renovating a car from Portugal. Maybe something from Seashore's outback would have been appropriate but I don't know enough about the situation to say. But now everyone who rides will think streetcars look like orange trams.

Here is a link to a 2007 photo of car 861 on display.
http://photos.cityrails.net/s/?p=92978

At Seashore there is a body of Capital Transit 197, a Jewett car that was last used as a house in Maryland. We were offered the car at NCTM, recognized we could not care for it at the time, and referred the owner to Seashore. Seashore took the car as a second representative from Washington, DC in their National Collection. It is not on our list of coveted cars and I'd dare say it never will be. I cite this as an example of why one cannot arbitrarily re-allocate Seashore's collection to others.

And regarding car swaps, we waited almost 20 years after writing a letter before finally receiving Washington Railway and Electric 650 from our friends at Shore Line. They had the car, and we knew where it was stored and finally one day the stars and planets lined up for a deal. This stuff takes time.

Wesley