I stopped in Worthington on a business trip last week and took some photos at the Ohio Railway Museum - photos on NERail.org here:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/show/?byrail:2:Ohio_Railway_Museum

Some observations:
The construction company office next to the parking lot is still in use, but the warehouse the next lot over has been torn down. The diesel rebuilding company is also gone, though its small shop building still stands. During my visit heavy construction equipment was doing grading on the former warehouse site, which is only 100'-200' or so from ORM's museum property and right alongside the museum main line. One brand new building had already been framed and signs advertised "Office Condos for Sale" (the number on the signs was 614-989-5274 in case you want to live next to a railway museum!). I would speculate that this is not good news for the museum.
Sitting outside the fence was the Toronto street railway crane and a Burro, of which I took a photo. I recall reading in a newspaper article posted to Flimsies that ORM planned to dispose of (scrap?) two cranes, and I suspect these are the ones in question.
The condition of the collection varies considerably. Most of the electrics are tarped. Exceptions include Columbus streetcar 703, which is in reasonably good condition; CTA 4441, in very poor condition; Pittsburgh 1772, in good condition; IT 450, in good condition; Y&OR 7, just repainted and in good condition; and Eastern Michigan 7763, in moderate condition but completely exposed to the elements. Of the steam-road equipment, some - notably the "Times Square" - is looking pretty bad, while the 578 and some of the PRR heavyweights still look reasonably good.

I realize that Frank’s photos are roster shots, but unless there is a lot more to the site than they capture, I can see why this place has had its difficulties. It doesn’t seem to be the kind of place to take mom and the kids. God forbid you have a little-one in a stroller. And while tarps provide necessary protection for the equipment, the inability to see the collection has to be a major disappointment to anyone who visits. This may be the most visitor unfriendly "museum" environment I’ve ever seen.

Really? IRM was worse - back in 1965. A lot of places started out like this. Unfortunately, little or no progress has been made at Worthington since some time in the 70s. Most museums have had to put considerable thought and effort into improving the visitor environment. Monticello and North Freedom are some other good examples - I can remember when they looked like this too!

Hey I was in Worthington to drop off a GE axle at Silcott's the other day. I was confused since I guess there used to be a huge building that was torn down adjacent to the ORM and Silcott site. All I saw was dirt and construction! I didn't have time to peep the ORM equipment.

Frank Hicks wrote, "I stopped in Worthington and took some photos at the Ohio Railway Museum."



Hi,

Does anyone know the road number of the C&O caboose in the photos? Or where it was before coming to the Museum?

Thanks, Roger

Or what the situation is with the Erie doodlebug.

Les

The caboose in question was formerly in downtown Columbus, Ohio attached to the Center Of Science and Industry in an alley between buildings. It came to ORM when COSI moved to it's new home on the west side of downtown. Visitors could file through it through a corridor from the main building. Due to this however, I understand one end or side of the caboose has been removed so it would fit flush to the building. The inside as I remember though was totally complete and very well displayed. I have not walked through it in many years and could not get a great look at it from outside the fence the last time I was at the museum. I will run by there and try to figure out a number for you as I only live just a couple miles from there. I will try to get some photos, but I can't guarantee it.

Ryan Parkevich

teqdiver wrote, "The caboose was formerly in Columbus, Ohio attached to the Center Of Science and Industry."



C&O 90762, Worthington, OH.

Frank:

Most of the stuff there at Worthington appears to be in pretty bad shape. But in a couple of the shots you took there are some hints of a train depot, which appears to be in fairly decent condition. Is this an authentic station, or a reproduction? If authentic, what is its history?

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana)

Les Beckman wrote, "In a couple of the shots there are hints of a train depot, which appears to be in fairly decent condition. Is this an authentic station or a reproduction?"



Reproduction.

http://www.ohiorailwaymuseum.org/museum/museummpg.html

Roger