Danbury Railway Museum Thread

[Otto Vondrak]

What's new at Danbury Railway Museum? Besides temporary paint jobs and and Easter Bunny trains? Website hasn't been updated in quite some time.

-otto-

[eriemike]

What is the status of the B&M 1455 that is at the Danbury Museum? I know that there are plans to do a restoration of her. Is it going to be a cosmetic or a full working restoration?

[JonnyRay]

Its a crying shame with all the running Budd cars they have that none of them ever leave the yard. Budd car trips always seem to sell out.

[Otto Vondrak]

There is no money and no reason to do a mechanical restoration on the B&M steamer. Where are they going to run it? A cosmetic restoration would be nice, however. Same goes for the Budd cars. DRMX has no right to operate outside the gates of their yard.

[eriemike]

That is to bad that the 1455 isn't going to restored to operating condition, but if you don't have a place to run it, I guess you can't justify the cost. I have never been to Danbury, but I know that they have saved a lot of rolling stock, locomotives and such from near "death" experiences. At least they are able to stablize these priceless artifacts.

[New Haven 1]

The topic of this thread reminded me of a picture I have somewhere in my files. One of their engines they have for restoration ,an RS11, used to come to my hometown years ago. At the time it was Penn Central 7662. I have a shot of it sitting hooked up to another RS11 whose number is not visible. It's hard to believe that the engine was once really in nice shape back then.

[JonnyRay]

I sincerely hope someday they get some trackage rights, even a short 2 mile trip to the mall and back. There's so much "good stuff" in their yard, oh the photos and video run-by's. I hope someday to see a monthly Budd car trip.

[SRS402]

It is the 100th anniversary of the 1455 this year. She is getting some cosmetic work done for the ceremony in August. Our goal is to stabilize the condition of the locomotive and cosmetically resore it for now.
the Pfizer #1 SW-8 is recieving brake work and minor repairs.
The Electric Boat (New Haven 44 tonner 0814) is recieving work this year to make it run. Probably no paint job this year though.
the Long Island FA powerpack is going to be put back on trucks this year
The New Haven RS-11 1402 is being prepared for a paint job. years of service in a quarry have taken a toll on her she needs much work.
Work continues on our PRR RPO and NYC caboose.
Our biggest issue is trackwork that needs doing and nobody to do it.
The website will be getting some long overdue updates soon.

Randy Natale
Mechanical Department
Director Danbury Railway Museum

[JonnyRay]

Randy, what are the prospects for trackage rights? Anything happening on that front?

[shadyjay]

A little on, a little off-topic, but here's an idea for DRM to consider...

Does the Roger Williams cars still have third rail capability? If so, perhaps the DRM can lease them to Amtrak for them to use on the Vermonter? Amtrak wants the state of VT to buy diesel rail cars and run the Vermonter from New Haven to Vermont. Rather than buy new equipment, perhaps DRM and Amtrak can strike a deal to run the Roger Williams, allowing it to run into New York (without change of engines).

Possibility of happening is probably next to nil, but still an interesting idea, and such that could probably throw a large amount of cash in the DRM's direction.

[DutchRailnut]

The Roger Williams no longer has third rail capabilities it was taken off by PennCentral.
You will not see Roger Williams on Metro North Mainline due to the cars not having Cab signal/atc equipment.

As for trackage rights , unless the HHRC would let DRM operate on their track , any train on Metro North track will be operated by Metro North employees due to labor contracts, ALL passenger work belongs to MNCR operating union ACRE, only exeption is scheduled Amtrak trains.

[H.F.Malone]

DRM does not own the RW cars, or the B&O Speedliner diner, or the NH 41 RDC-1 car. They are privately-owned, as are a number of other items at DRM ("NYC" E9, "NYC" FPA-4s, Alco RSC-3, some passenger cars, etc.).

[RRBUFF]

What a change since the 1960's when we ran the Connecticut Valley #97 from Danbury to Canaan Ct. The Connecticut Valley Railroad Museum, now RMNE, and the Empire State RR Museum ran trips from GCT in NYC to Canaan, using the #97 from Danbury to Canaan. The New Haven allowed these trips, and their crews were biting at the bit to operate the steam trips. They also let us operate the engine with their people in the cab. There is a old video Rustic New England Steam by Crestline Studios showing these trips taken from 8 MM film.

[DutchRailnut]

Your not in 60's anymore and certification has changed a lot of past practices, your also no longer dealing with old school railroads.
But with buraucratic mega transit agency that does not want trouble with its labor unions.

[Noel Weaver]

Your not in 60's anymore and certification has changed a lot of past practices, your also no longer dealing with old school railroads.
But with buraucratic mega transit agency that does not want trouble with its labor unions.

I was chairman of the trip committee for the Canaan trip with 97 in 1968
and all of the trips operated with New Haven Railroad engine and train
crews. Part of the operating agreement was that the owner and
operator of the steam engine would also provide people who were
familiar with the operation of this particular engine which they did.
Incidentally, I still have all of the letters and correspondence that took
place between the various organizations that were involved in this
week of steam in Canaan. It was more than just a one way trip to
Canaan and lasted for eight days (Sunday through Sunday).
Noel Weaver