With all due respect, this thread has devolved from a "can someone save these cars?' thread into a not-very-worthy "bash the Children's Museum" thread.

I would kindly suggest to Brother Webster that most of us are not very interested in the minutiae of how the current situation evolved; rather, we want to know IF saving these cars is 1) a worthy goal, and 2) realistically feasible. The malestrom surrounding this Museum is only important with regards to if the cars will be preserved and how, and/or what might be demanded of any potential saviors as a result (donation? auction? scrap value? etc.).

The museum remains closed due to codes violations found in a May 19, 2014, inspection. The visit generated a 20-page list of issues that the museum is still working to remedy.

A judge ruled Wednesday in favor of the besieged Children’s Museum over the ouster of a board member who had raised questions about the museum’s finances. But after a recent report by the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office confirmed some issues with recordkeeping at the museum, the former board member – Chris Gordon – said he is happy to be off its Board of Directors.

The Children’s Museum’s troubles began about a year ago when a disgruntled former board member, Chris Gordon, began to speak publicly about issues he saw with museum management. It soon came to light that in 2011 Brown believed she had been given 60 percent ownership of the museum building at 311 Main St. The structure is valued at about $500,000. Brown and board members said the transfer of ownership was to compensate for back pay.

It later turned out that, unbeknownst to Brown or the board, the transfer never was completed formally. Other issues included unusual handling of grant funds and the fact that the museum had a large number of accounts at several banks.

Then, in May 2014, codes officers from the Utica Fire Department inspected the museum and found a lengthy list of violations. The museum hadn’t been inspected in at least 10 years. Utica Fire Chief Russ Brooks said the museum has done “an enormous amount of work and improvement to make themselves a safe place for children.”

The Children’s Museum finally is reopening. It’s been nearly a year since the museum was shut down over a lengthy list of fire code violations......The museum will be open regularly from 9 a.m. to around 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, Domser said.

On July 18th, the president of the Utica/Mohawk Valley chapter of the National Railway Historical Society was contacted by the Children's Museum and asked to move the locomotive outside the museum, as the building was in the process of being sold and undergoing the necessary approvals. President Harry Lenz expects moving the locomotive to cost $50,000-$60,000.

Has the Children's Museum rescued itself, have they decided to keep the equipment, or ????

[Museum President Marlene Brown] retired in March 2015 and the museum re-opened a month later. That August, Elizabeth Slocum Brando became interim executive director, but she left the following July when her contract expired. Brando was a bright spot and worked diligently with the museum’s board to turn things around. Helen Schwartz, an experienced exhibition developer and museum consultant who has worked at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, later assumed the leadership role as board president and kept the wheels turning. Volunteers, too, have been a blessing.

Things improved. More good news came one year ago when it was announced that the museum had agreed to a managerial contract with Kids Oneida. By doing so, Kids Oneida — conveniently located directly across the street — began providing “operational and administrative support, development and marketing support and strategic planning” to the museum.

A year later, Kids Oneida executive director Steve Bulger says things are great.

"We're extremely happy," said Bulger. "Attendance numbers are up, sponorships have increased and we have many new exhibits. We couldn't be happier 12 months later."

As for community chatter about the possible sale of the museum's building, Bulger did not deny that people are looking.

"People are definitely interested in purchasing it as well as the Kids Oneida building (the old Utica Daily Press)," he said, citing the development taking place in the Bagg's Square area, making these locations particularly attractive.

UTICA — The Utica Children's Museum is getting a new home.

ICAN, the nonprofit organization that manages the museum, announced Wednesday the museum's current location at 311 Main St. is being sold as part of plans to relocate the museum to a new state-of-the-art family family center on Memorial Parkway.

On July 18, 2019, the Chapter was told to plan on removing our display should the Museum relocate. We had little information to work with as the Museum had a confidentiality agreement. We did move the 4th floor display including our New York Central Mohawk Division dispatchers boards. They are now at the Rochester & Genesee Valley Rail Museum in Rush, New York.

The problem with relocating the rail equipment is the cost. The Chapter has several leads for groups wanting the display, but like us don't have the money to move it. An out of state party wants the dining car and caboose and will pay for the removal. The locomotive may remain and get scrapped in place.

We have asked the Museum and buyer to contribute but they have declined our proposal. The Museum had scheduled a news conference in early March so by the time of our next meeting, there may be more to talk about.

His proposal is to remove the ex-Santa Fe dining car and PRR Caboose from the Children's Museum's grounds at no cost to the Chapter. He proposes to scrap our display locomotive, however, and share any profits from its scrapping with us.

I'm not sure what shape it's in NOW, but this is the locomotive in question... if those are equally spaced axles, that makes it an RSC-2 I think.

That's really a museum unit, deserves better than scrap, but you can't take it out in a pickup. It's not far from live rail though. That photo description says there is no prime mover left in it so the scrap value is probably reduced by about 30%.