After reading about the cancellation of operations at Steamtown for April 2004- I think I will weigh in on the matter and Steamtown in general. I'm sorry if anybody feels this isn't fair, but I think that we need to get the word out. We pay taxes and should get something for it. Some of you are forced to compete with Steamtown.I have visited Steamtown for years and I believe in it's idea. I don't believe in what it actually has (n't) done, especially in recent years.

I have friends there, maybe some that write here. I don't want guilt by association-so I will be anonymous but feel free to email. For those of you who think that this is unfair - you should know that park management spent a good deal of time trying to track down a similar post a few years ago. (A note to management - its not very smart to try to collect paper copies of an internet post.)

The current dispute is nothing new. It has gone on for some time. Last years opening weekend of Moscow excursions were delayed due to property/trackage disputes with the operating partners as well-NOT due to mechanical issues with the 2317 as was publicly stated by the superintendent's office. Yes, I am saying that was a false statement.

IMHO, mismanagement seems to be all over the park service. By way of example, the Washington Times recently reported that the park service spent millions of dollars on trips abroad. When inspectors asked about the purpose of the trips-they were told that the NPS was consulting with foreign governments about park management. They were only able to prove that they were paid for about 1 percent of the trips. This of course ignores the fact that the NPS is only supposed to be attending to our parks, not acting as an international consulting company.

As I see it, there are three major problems at Steamtown.

The first is the HR practices. Personality seems to be the big part of every job. The current Public Relations person is pleasant, but came from law enforcement, and as far as anybody knows had no marketing, sales or PR background. Over the winter the railroad guys were put under the shop forces, to be supervised by the shop chief-an electrician-again a pleasant enough fellow-but not somebody who ever ran an engine. Quite frankly, its not like he needed more to do-when all the engines aren't running. Several years ago, an individual was hired to be a train dispatcher without ANY railroad background.

The second problem is a lack of business skill. In matters great and small things aren't done right. On March 3 of this year, all volunteers received a memo about ethics from the superintendent. (Ironically, these concerns didn't seem to affect Steamtown from blaming the 2317 for postponing the opening in 2003) It discussed an Executive Order issued in 1990. It applies to officers and employees of the government. The Volunteer Services Agreement specifically says volunteers are not employees, except for liability issues. The letter had a huge typo. In the 1990's, the park let a prominent engine go- the CP 2816. They never offered them for sale just sold them for some promises. Although its nice too see it in good (better) hands-OUR property isn't supposed to be given away to foreign corporations.

The list of organizations that Steamtown has had problems with is scary: University of Scranton, Steamtown Volunteer Association, Lackawanna County Railroad Authority, the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad Authority,the local Chapter of the NRHS, the Central New York Chapter-the list goes on. When visitors ask "where's the steam", there's always some elaborate but bogus excuse. After a while you just say they don't play well with others.

Finally, the third problem is that they just don't want to run trains. If they have to, it'll be on their terms. A lot of folks think that this is part of a plan to get rid of steamtown as an NPS thing.

I suggest that if you want to see Steamtown saved, write your congressman and ask for answers.



voxverum@yahoo.com

>When visitors ask "where's the steam," there's always some elaborate but bogus excuse.

For what it's worth, Steamtown isn't the only museum with steam in its name without operating steam locomotives. Some museums don't even properly care for steam engines as displays.

My point is that time is running out for many RR museums. Unless drastic changes are made in accountability, public appeal, finances, and management, a lot of museums are going to be out of business in the next 10 years. It'll be too late for the Thomas the Tank generation to save them.

> In the 1990's, the park let a
> prominent engine go- the CP 2816.

If you know this to be true, this is a violation of a variety of federal laws that require assets to be protected from loss, misappropriation, misuse-etc. The first place to start is to report it on "fraudnet" on gao.gov. You can report it anonymously.

I have often wondered what the compensation was for the 2816.

Superheater@rrmail.com

Hello All

There was compensation for the 2816 in a way. The NPS was able to have a few pieces of equipment moved free of charge or paid for by CPRS.

They were -

Shipment of the grey mechanical refrigerator car to Scranton (already donated to Steamtown).

A caboose and wooden combine (movie car) to a museum in CT (RMNE?).

So in the end, for the 2816 Steamtown got a car they already owned and two cars moved for someone else.

Dave Crosby

bing@epix.net