I thought it worthy of discussion in a preservation forum like this to share with you a few images that were taken a few days ago in Miami Florida of perhaps a preservation effort that was not very well known to many. I am not certain if this subject matter was covered in great detail before, however, if so, at least the photographs bring the story current.

However the story specifically deals with the Hollywood Railroad Station Museum ( D/B/A) the Dorothy Walker Bush Great Floridian 2000 museum ) What is it ?...

Well its a bit complicated, but according to the Department of State, the Great Floridian Program honors residents for their significant contributions to the progress and welfare of the State of Florida. Dorothy Walker Bush, was the late grandmother of President George W Bush and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Dorothy Walker Bush lived in Florida from 1965 until her death in 1992 and was considered quite a rail enthusiast.

Now what is it all about ?

The apparent plan was to bring the Florida East Coast 253, New York Central Railroad heavyweight Seneca Valley, a Southern heavyweight RPO and a Jim Crow Central of Georgia combine or sorts to the Hollywood Florida Amtrak / Tri Rail Station and in theory replicate the Orange Blossom Special that apparently made its journey into Hollywood in 1927. The connection was Dorothy Bush was apparently on that train.

( now you are likely wondering .. how does a NYC observation car, a C of G combine, a Southern RPO and a FEC steam engine look like the Orange Blossom Special ? )

Anyway... if you thought this story had a good ending you would be mistaken....

This was all suppose to happen by June 2006... but those responsible, have spent upward to $300,000.00 in state grants from the Bureau of Historic Preservation which was specifically allocated to restore the cars to their original splendor and operable condition.

It seems after doing a bit of research, the money disappeared and virtually no or little work was done... so much so that the Florida Division of Historical Resources has demanded the grant money be returned, but those in charge of this project had disappeared ( much like the grant money )... To quote the state agency "There were some questionable expenditures of funds" says Dave Ferro from the state agency. It all appears to center around a gentleman by the name of Tony Campos, who apparently was the overseer of the grant money, and last heard... the State of Florida could not find Mr Campos, and had given him the ultimatum of returning the $300.000.00 plus or face legal action. The entire process was under investigation by the State Attorney's office in Broward County Florida. Apparently grants were written to put this group in line for over $1,000,000.00 through the States Bureau of Historic Preservation, but only over $300,000.00 was forwarded to the organization to restore the cars.

Now, with that all said, Shadow Transit Services of Pembroke Pines Florida, through public record in 2004 received $43,500.00 in state of Florida money every six months through some time in 2006 to do repairs on the cars that included rebuilding door frames, making welding repairs, ordering new air conditioning equipment removal and installation of new wiring. Shadow Transit Agency was paid over $250,000.00 over a two year period for the work on these cars...

So ... move the story to 2013, and the cars remain in Miami Florida along an inactive Florida East Coast siding. There is little sign if any that any of the $300.000.00 made it to the 3 cars. The locomotive as previously discussed on this forum left for Ft Pierce Florida....

So... it seems like a compelling story of wasted and or mismanaged grant money dedicated for the preservation of three heavyweight passenger cars and a steam locomotive.

My recent calls to the State of Florida Bureau of Historic Preservation have gone unanswered.

I include a few news paper articles of the events in question.

Money well spent... You be the judge ?

Sad state of affairs in railroad preservation.


Dean Levin

http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2006-04 ... ost-train/

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/ ... ist_bo.php

Pullman Seneca Valley

Jim Crow ( perhaps ex C of G )

Southern 4072

"Shadow" transit indeed! Could there be a much more obvious name for a scam?

When the state granted the money, did they ever check up??? I just finished working on a nearly million dollar grant project and there were numerous intermediate progress reports and check ups. Of course they were private grants.

I have to question why the state never checked up or followed through and then SURPRISE!

Too much political faith in entities considered "part of the family".

Despite all the mistreatment these cars have unfortunately received, at least they haven't had the fate of being set aflame by the spray-paint toting vandals (knock on wood), or having been swamped by a hurricane (again, knock on wood). Beyond the lack of windows and the intermediate rust, these cars still appear to be in relatively good condition, and would make good additions to a museum or private collection if funds could be arranged. Hopefully, when the state makes the move to seize the assets of these scammers, the resulting auction will provide the opportunity necessary to rescue these heavyweights.

"Seneca Valley":

Checked Tom Madden's CCR database and Terry Link's NYC roster pages for info on the "Seneca Valley":

According to Tom Madden's Pullman Project, 1 of 4 1DR-1BD buffet lounge observations constructed in Lot #6356 to Plan #3988A. Outshopped on 7/25/1930. Equipped with Pullman Mechanical air conditioning and outshopped 5/10/1934. Leased to the NYC between 7/7/1939 and 9/1940 for use on the Pacemaker as NYC #2598. Withdrawn from service on 3/27/1956 and sold to Royal American Shows.*

According to Terry Link's website, the 4 cars in Lot #6356 were constructed for NYC service, and all 4 saw service on the NYC through to their final retirement dates. Of the 3 sister cars, 2 were sold to the Purdy Company for scrapping, and NYC purchased the other car for scrapping.

Checked Jerry LaBoda's photo links website for any pictures and found 1: http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1098899

Tom Madden's Pullman Project (CCR database page): http://pullmanproject.com/Database.htm

Terry Link's NYC passenger car roster: http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/NYC-MODELS-PASS.htm

Jerry LaBoda's passenger car photo links: http://passcarphotos.info/

*Dean, can you confirm that the CofG and SOU heavyweights were also part of the RAS fleet?

Ooohh...may I please have that (possibly) Central of Georgia Ry. combine...please...

Actually, that would be worth investigating to see if it is actually CofGa heritage.

Speaking as a Central of Georgia Railway Historical Society board director, of course!

Stephen..

Thought you might want perhaps some further possible proof of its Central of Georgia heritage...

Car very well could be C of G # 362. ( if such a car with that number existed ? )

Dean

( I apologize I just realized I forgot to return your call )

( from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement )

South Florida Man Charged With Theft of State Grant Funds ( 2009 )


Florida Department of Law Enforcement special agents charged a South Florida man in a scheme in which state grant funds designated to refurbish historical trains were instead expended for personal use.

Anthony Campos, 57, of Hallandale Beach, was arrested by agents with FDLE’s Miami Regional Operations Center and charged with one count each of organized scheme to defraud and grand theft, both of which are first-degree felonies. Campos was also charged with grand theft in excess of $5,000 and one count of dealing in stolen property.

Agents said the charges stemmed from the alleged improper use of two state grants which Campos received from the Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources. The purpose of the grants was to repair, refurbish and restore select railroad cars that had historical value.

FDLE began investigating in January 2007. According to special agents, Campos received $300,000 in funds through the first grant in July 2004 and another $300,000 in grant funds through the second grant starting in July 2005. Funds were to be used in connection with restoring several railroad cars; however, few repairs and refurbishments were actually completed.

Agents determined that Campos opened a separate bank account for each grant he received and then transferred funds from the original accounts into new personal accounts, co-mingling the funds. Campos then used the funds for personal purposes not related to the grants to include meals at restaurants and travel related expenses. Campos is also accused of purchasing an identification card printer with state grant funds and then re-selling that item through an online service and keeping the proceeds of the sale.

Following his arrest, Campos was transported to the Broward County Jail.

For Further Information Contact:
Heather Smith, Kristen Perezluha or Mike Morrison
FDLE Office of Public Information

A very interesting story. This internet aspect and the resale of equipment have some curious parallels to another project I can recall.

The traction motors from the equipment in that (other) restoration were offered for sale on the internet by an electrical service shop that had not been paid for their work, while at the same time the restoration website was claiming that the completion of the train would be imminent if just a little more money came in.

That was about five years ago, the equipment in that restoration (which has been discussed occasionally on RYPN) is still in pieces and nowhere near completion.

There are a lot of folks in this industry/hobby that are good at taking things apart. Unfortunately there are far fewer that are good at getting it back together and running, on time and on budget.

PC

Dean, thanks for posting about this. Not to dwell on the "possible" CofGa car too much, the additional photos certainly seem to indicate that is its heritage. I might argue, however, that it is not actually a Jim Crow combine. That two-window compartment is very similar to a small compartment on another combine with which I'm very familiar, Charleston & Western Carolina 38. It has a 2-window compartment for the gentlemen to retire to for a smoke. We know this somewhat through inference, from the presence of match striker pads mounted on the wall in this compartment but not elsewhere, but also from the fact that a small, roughly 8 passenger compartment would not meet accommodation needs where "Jim Crow" cars would typically be used for segregation purposes. Plus, there are no separate bathroom facilities, just plainly marked "MEN" and "WOMEN" salons, one of each.

My guess is that the small compartment in "CG 362" is for the same purpose. Anyone else have experience or input on this line of thought? I've struggled with it for quite some time now, and that is the only rational explanation I have for such a small compartment. Is this worth a new thread? Feel free to start one if you think so!

From what roster info I do have, it would appear the car was built in the 1914-1917 time frame, but was off the roster by 1960 or perhaps before. A car diagram for combine ("baggage & passenger" in CofGa parlance) 377 shows an almost identical interior with bench seats facing inward along the wall under the 2 windows. It has the same number of windows as the car you photographed, but it has a Harriman-influence roof rather than the clerestory roof of "CG 362". No. 377 was built in 1917.

About the call, whenever you have a minute...

There's a jewel in this pile of ****, sadly its not the C of G combine or the NYC obs. I'd love to take a run at that Bag/RPO unfortunately too much else on the plate. Hopefully somebody will pick that thing up.

ETA

A few points about the Valley series cars. There were 16 built to that plan...in lots 6221 and 6356 (which includes the Seneca Valley). These cars had two lounge areas, a mid-car lounge and lounge in the end of the car with high windows. The 2 lounges were unique in their styling and separated by a single drawing-room and bedroom (that could be used en-suite). Being built during prohibition the car did not have a bar but did include a stylish soda fountain. I think a rather special feature is the high platform railing (no doubt intended for NYC's high speed trains).

If you have ever seen the old movie "Twentieth Century" you will recall the movie largely played out inside a stage-set that was styled after a "Valley" series car. You may remember the vivid stenciling on the panels over the windows and the dramatic bracket lights. Beebe highlighted this story in his "20th Century".

This is a car that deserves to have $2 or 3 million dropped on it. But why hand over a lot of cabbage to a "group"? who has no track record of having restored anything...not even Pushy the push-cart. It is a recipe for failure...and fail it did.

I would just LOVE to hear directly from Shadow Transit how this all played out...where the money went...who was making decisions. Any comments?

T7