Save the Lion Gardiner

Preston J. McEvoy · **Posted:** Fri Jun 05, 2015 3:42 pm

We need your help NOW to save one of the most historic dining cars in America.
Fabled chalice of the stars, the Lion Gardiner was the dining car for one of the most famous trains of American railroading's golden age--the Twentieth Century Limited. Sole survivor of its class, the Lion Gardiner is a relic from the era of Downton Abbey and the Great Gatsby, representing a pinnacle of class and style not to be seen again.

In 2012, the Lion Gardiner was named as one of just a handful of artifacts on the National Railway Historical Society's first ever Most...-At-Risk List, a register of the nation's imminently-threatened resources of highest significance. The car must be moved in 30 days or it will be scrapped in place. Our modest goal of $20,000 will give this irreplaceable grand dame of the rails a new lease on life, moving it to the Colebrookale Railroad for stabilization and eventual restoration.

Please support us before it is too late! Secure donations are tax deductible https://fundly.com/save-the-lion-gardiner-1#gallery/1

Reading T1 2124 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2015 12:33 pm

What is necessitating its scrapping? Is it that it's simply that far gone?

Tim Moriarty · **Joined:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:25 pm **Posts:** 372

It need not be scrapped, but here's the reason it must move, quoting from the website link Preston provided: "The Lion Gardiner is currently resting on the Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMR), near the end of that Railroad’s useable track. The CMR is pushing very hard to open the rest of its line for service, and the Gardiner is, unfortunately, in the way. The car must be moved very soon or it will be scrapped. A new home has been located for the Gardiner, offering some bright hope for the future. The Colebrookdale Railroad in Southeastern Pennsylvania is restoring a fleet of Edwardian-era cars for service through the Secret Valley, a largely-unknown but remarkably beautiful corridor with an important iron-making past. Funds are being raised to move the car to safety, then ultimately stabilize and restore it. The CMR has offered to donate the cost of craning the car on the northern end of the move."

Overmod · **Joined:** Thu May 24, 2012 1:37 pm **Posts:** 2492

I am tempted to say 'crane it so it is parallel to the active track, clear of any desired movement' and block or crib it there, then crane it again when the money for the full move has been raised.

Surely CMSR won't mind running the crane twice, if for nothing else than the positive publicity involved with saving the (important!) car.

(Of course, we'll also see what that says about the preservation community if financial support for the full move dries up as soon as there's no immediate prospect of the gas axes firing up...)

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Jun 08, 2015 10:49 am

Overmod wrote:

(Of course, we'll also see what that says about the preservation community if financial support for the full move dries up as soon as there's no immediate prospect of the gas axes firing up...)

What it says is "We don't have unlimited bags full of money."

rock island lines · **Joined:** Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:20 pm **Posts:** 487

There's a video on Youtube of the car being moved, so I'm puzzled why they can't simply pull it out and park it on a siding if it's "in the way". What's the full story here?

Dennis Storzek · **Posted:** Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:41 pm

Likely all the sidings are in town. If you've followed the "Save the Catskill Mountain Railroad" thread for a while, you'd know that the group is at war with the town, and not exactly winning. Very likely the reason the car was up at "end o' track" was to get the junker OUT of town, so I doubt they want to bring it back.

rock island lines · **Joined:** Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:20 pm **Posts:** 487

^^^
Ahhh. Yes I'd forgotten about that, Dennis. I think you're probably right. Thanx.

sbhunterca · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:58 am **Posts:** 728

As long as CMSR was OK with the idea, placing a bit of fill, bending the rails, and shifting it onto a dead track beside the mainline would be a far cheaper temporary fix than craning it to the side.

It would clear the mainline, allow track work to continue full tilt, and buy time to raise funds. If no funds were forthcoming, scrapping would still be an option without having wasted a small fortune in crane rental.

I don't know, but suspect the car's present derelict condition and the hostile local government combine to make simply moving the car out to an existing siding impossible. Perhaps Ernie can confirm if this is the case.

Steve Hunter

G. W. Laepple · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1182

CMRR is an all-volunteer group with limited human resources. There is a deadline for the removal of this car, and they have neither the time nor the desire to lay temporary track to hold the car for a few days, weeks or months while others raise the money to move it. This particular car's story has been known for years, and no one has stepped up. Will the Colebrookdale guys be able to pull off a Hail Mary save? Only time will tell, and there are about 28 days left.

Reading T1 2124 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 08, 2015 3:48 pm

Can anyone tell me what color the coches of the orginal 20th Century Limited were, I'm making a Lego model to post on Lego Ideas to drum up some awareness. I'll post a link once it's done. Also, Might someone who is involved give the camera crew a kick in the pants to make a new publicity video including Project 02 and Save the Lion Gardiner, Just a thought?

eehiv · **Joined:** Tue Feb 28, 2006 8:54 pm **Posts:** 1336

The Lion Gardiner while at the Valley Railroad:

jackdude101 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 17, 2015 8:34 am

In case you were not aware, someone posted a Lego model concept of the Lion Gardiner on the Lego Ideas website just yesterday here: https://ideas.lego.com/projects/105448

Lego Ideas is a new program Lego is doing where anyone can submit an idea for a new Lego set and if it gets 10,000 votes on its page, Lego will consider selling it! Getting votes for this Lego Idea will in turn help the cause for the real-life Lion Gardiner by raising awareness for it. Sharing it on Facebook and Twitter (especially Facebook) will help spread the word even more.

On a related note, I have my own historical train-related Lego Idea based on the 1869 Golden Spike Ceremony in Utah on the Lego Ideas website here: https://ideas.lego.com/projects/95531

Reading T1 2124 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 17, 2015 10:41 am

That lego model is mine, thanks for sharing on here. My initial purpose of building it was, as previously mentioned, to bring awareness to the cause. I have already put on a SEPTA Silverliner 2 (https://ideas.lego.com/projects/98846) and Lehigh Valley Speeder 7473 (https://ideas.lego.com/projects/104895).

Reading T1 2124 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 24, 2015 5:12 pm

This should be an interesting topic to watch. As time dwindles, the Colebrookdale Railroad has announced what I'm assuming to be a last ditch effort, a train on the 4th of July to Pottstown for fireworks. They have also officially announced fundraising for the Lion Gardiner in the Boyertown Times. Hopefully we'll watch the fundraising campaign heat up. They're communicated goal is now $16,000.