Just found out about an effort to start a rail museum in St. Johnsbury, VT. As many of you know, the St. J & LC railroad was just condemned to a future as a trail. The city is also planning to remove the ex Canadian Pacific rail yard (which has a working turntable) and replace it with parking and a box store of the Wal-Mart ilk.

So, in the midst of that bad preservation news, a group of local buffs are seeking a future for the large depot and the turntable. They have acquired a CN streamlined sleeper to house thier initial collection and have attempted to get a FM locomotive since the Fairbanks company got its start there (a tid bit I had long forgotten).

There are numerous pieces of equipment appropriate to such a local effort, including some on the Steamtown get-'em'outta'here list (if any are left).

It is nice to see a new local effort come forward.

Rob

trains@robertjohndavis.com

Last I knew, Steamtown still had the last St.J&LC combine, a onetime B&M car, sitting on a flatcar. If it hasn't been cut up (it came close a couple of times), St.J 70 tonner No. 50 should still be around or in the Morrisville enginehouse, in bad condition but cosmetically restorable. Another one (No. 47 I think) was still working at a southern power plant a few years ago. Can't see much point in getting an FM unit. Fairbanks built scales at St. J and FM locos never came near the place as far as I know.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mikemcnh/flatcar/lvrc.html
ryarger@rypn.org

From 1997. Some quotable figures, accurate or not.

http://www.caledonianrecord.com/pages/local_news/story/35cec1a26
ryarger@rypn.org

> From 1997. Some quotable figures, accurate
> or not.

If you read that article you have to wonder how many of the snowmobiliers are tree huggers & caused their own problem in the first place Wooly

Sunflower Land Trust
wooly421@charter.net

Belongs to the Laurinburg & Southern.

http://www.fortunecity.com/westwood/vivienne/438/lrs109yard.html
ryarger@rypn.org

St.J is the classic Northern New England rail yard, it would be terrible to lose such a place to a lifeless and pointless Wal-Mart, that is killing of the charm that Vermont is known for from Mom & Pop stores to classic place like St.J. Do we Realy need another Wally World in the country! The station, yard, turntable, yard office, & ET&HKI Feed mill, I can't think of a more classic place in New England Railroading. I hope this group is Successful in there plains.

-Justin Franz



qcmrs18@yahoo.com

> Belongs to the Laurinburg & Southern.

I doubt this locomotive is still owned by the L&S. When the railroad was sold to Gulf and Ohio only one or two of the EMD switchers were included in the sale. Johnson Locomotive is the most likely owner assuming 47 survives. I have no idea if it does or not.

John Bohon



jhbohon@yahoo.com

A possible model for them to follow would be that of the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Preservation Society at Muddy Creek Forks, PA. They own a disconnected segment of the railroad and recently acquired SW-8(?) #82 from York Rail (the MAPA's successor).

They are more than a railroad museum, as they preserve many buildings in Muddy Creek. While I am not familer with St. Johnsbury it sounds as though it would be a good place to preserve the 'atmosphere' of rural Vermont. This would link this effortto accomplish goals beyond rail preservation - making the project eligible for more moral and $$$ support.

And (again, not knowing anything about the area) it also may be possible to force preservation of some important buildings, ROW and track, etc as part of new development and to have the new development zoned to blend in with the existing surroundings. Vermont towns have been the leaders in forcing Walmart to re-shape their buildings to match the town.



Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Preservation
altoonaroundhouse@umich.edu