Friends, railroaders and railfans:

Yes, there are any number of appeals out there for supporting restorations, newbuilds (T1) or other worthy rail-related causes. In this case, instead of a huge project, just a small amount ($2000 total) will fund a protective tarp for our wooden B&M coach. So if only a few people can donate the equivalent of lunch money, it will enable purchase of a life-saving cover for a fragile asset.

It's at the Contoocook Riverway Association in Contoocook (Hopkinton), NH. We can't afford the $300,000 that would be needed to build a barn for this car. So please, please consider just a small $10-$20 donation to this GoFundMe campaign to protect one of the last unaltered B&M coaches from the ravages of New Hampshire winters.

Unlike a locomotive, the outer layers and soon the framing of a wooden car decay rapidly once the paint wears off, and that's just beginning now. Let's halt the decay before it goes any further and give us time to do a proper restoration!

If only 125 people donate $16 each, the tarp will be fully funded.

And, please don't be offended by the kindergarten language in the campaign text, it's targeted to everyone including the general public who have little railroad knowledge.

I hope there will be many of you who will recognize the urgency (winter is coming soon) and the modesty of the request ...

Here is the GoFundMe link:
https://www.gofundme.com/heritage-railway-car-cover

and the Contoocook Riverway web site:
http://www.contoocookdepot.org

Many thanks to all who respond !!

Long time visitors to this website will remember that the rescue and restoration of this car by David Woodbury was documented in a series of articles posted to RYPN. One of them is linked below.

http://www.rypn.org/rypn_files/articles/Articles/bm1246-part1/index.html

Others are available via archive.org.

Thanks for the details Thomas, I neglected to mention that here. Mr. Woodbury lived in New Boston, NH a few miles down the road from Hopkinton, and donated the car to our museum 10 years ago. Since then, the car has had to endure full exposure to the elements but we're now in a position to arrest that decay (it's not too late, the car still is not too bad) and preserve it properly, provided we can protect it from the winter snow and ice.

We now have the necessary trade skills on board, railroad veterans to ensure accuracy and completeness, and retired people with lots of man-hours to contribute. One of us has recently been to Mid Continent Railway Museum for an extended study of restoration methods first hand with the great restoration crew there.

Even if you don't want to donate, that's ok, but if everyone here will share the GoFundMe campaign to as many Facebook friends as possible, and post updates and reminders, the campaign will get out in front of a lot more potential donors. Share this on other railroad boards and pages too if you can, spread it far and wide.

We appreciate all assistance provided from this board. Let's get this girl a new overcoat !

https://www.gofundme.com/heritage-railway-car-cover

I would rather send a check direct rather then to gofundme I believe they take a cut . Where could I send a check.
Thank You
Al

$300,000 for a barn?! I hope that is a lot more then just a 'barn' for one or two cars

To alzubal and everyone who wishes to donate directly, please make the check payable to "Contoocook Riverway Association".

The mailing address is:
Contoocook Riverway Association
PO Box 789
Contoocook, NH 03229

On the note line of the check write "1246 tarp" and the funds will be allocated to the tarp and not go into the general fund. Many thanks in advance alzubal and to all others who generously give.

To those who use Facebook and/or Twitter, a reminder to please share the GoFundMe campaign as widely as possible, and tell the recipients to share, let's make it exponential and meet the target amount soon ... after only 9 days we're almost halfway there !!

Thanks to all !!!

http://www.gofundme.com/heritage-railway-car-cover
http://www.concoocookdepot.org

I sure hope you are planning to buy a tarp that "breaths" and then use spacers between it and the roof of the car. Otherwise you risk trapping moisture under the tarp and accelerating wood rot for the car. Pvc pipe works well for spacers.

Thanks Ron Goldfeder, for the wise advice. We're taking steps to avoid and mitigate trapped moisture, including your suggestion. The tarp will have breathers built into the side walls to ventilate and reduce wind stress on the fabric and fastenings. The corners will be laced together rather than have yacht-style zippers. All attachment points will have reinforced grommets. There will be frequent inspections to make sure that the car is kept dry under the covering.

With other museums successfully protecting wooden cars with tarps (Mid Continent for one), I'm confident we'll succeed. The other alternatives within our reach (due to financial constraints) offer less protection or none at all. We plan to leave the car uncovered during the summer months for accessibility, knowing that it's the snow and ice storms that have done most of the (thankfully recoverable) damage. A barn is currently not possible and may never be possible. Moving the car into the covered bridge each winter has been considered and is not a practical alternative at this time.

There will shortly be a specific and detailed maintenance plan for the car and depot that will be used to guide us in ongoing care for the museum's assets. It will be an integral part of the museum's master plan.

Again thanks for your suggestion and I hope my response has answered any doubts that you may have had.

Good Monday evening everyone … coming back with a hopeful reminder … we're still only 50% toward the goal to fund a tarp for this unique (and apparently somewhat well-known) car.

Although it looks good in the photo, it's not water tight, and if not protected from the snow this winter, more damage will accumulate so a cover is essential.

As far as I know, this coach, 1246, and combine 1244 (nicely restored by the B&M Society in Lowell, MA), are the only two intact, unmodified, surviving B&M wood open-platform cars from the 30-car group built at Pullman in 1907. If there are any others intact, please correct me, although I know of at least one "basket case" in MA.

Some have expressed a desire to mail direct so here is the address of the Association (don't ask why it's called Riverway and not Railway!):

Contoocook Riverway Association
PO Box 789
Contoocook, NH 03229

On the note line of the check write "1246 tarp" and the funds will be allocated to the tarp and not go into the general fund.

To those who use Facebook and/or Twitter, a reminder to please share the GoFundMe campaign as widely as possible, and tell the recipients to also share !!

Thanks to all !!!

http://www.gofundme.com/heritage-railway-car-cover
http://www.concoocookdepot.org

Thanks to all who contribute and/or share !