East Brookfield Station Fire

You might want to consider the idea that the newly re-established North Brookfield RR will be making inroads to make its CSX connection with a lead track toward the northerly embankment of the existing bridge. This might necessitate removal of the remains of the EB station ASAP and definitely by 2012. Business is business in the railroad industry. The industry is not out to follow railfan dreams.

Dylan, First of all I truly admire your enthusiasm about special missions regarding railroads that all of us can embrace as affectionadios and preservationists. Yes, we love the lore of the rails and all of the elements that have left an impact upon all of us. But at the same time we have to look at the reality of it all. I'd love to personally see the East Brookfield station restored to its original splendor, make it a museum, and maybe even make you its curator, but I also have to pepper that ideal with the reality of it all. Unless you can find a deep-pockets benefactor who decides to toss money into the wind without regard of seeing any kind of return on his investment, It's NOT going to happen. I applaud you for taking a lot of heat in this thread and not giving up despite the criticism you've endured. All of us know that your passion lies in the restoration of a wonderful piece of architecture designed by the famous firm rooted in the establishments of H.H. Richardson.

Whatever you do, I hope you realize that you might be trying to push a very large boulder up a very steep hill.

I remember being very young and being very idealistic about railroads. There's nothing wrong with that! I used that personal trait of mine to accomplish many things but on a reasonable level in the railroad hobby world. I hope some day we could sit down and make some sense of this. Your ideals as a railroad enthusiast are to be commended, but I'd love to sit with you and get you grounded in the reality of this industry.

What is the point of this project? The station was nice in its heyday but now it is completely worthless. What would be the point of rebuilding the station on another site? who would visit it? It would probably be more cost effective to just get old drawings from the original building and build a replica. It is nice to see a 15 year old getting involved in something but I think you probably could put your efforts into better and more productive uses. Lets face it this project is not going to happen.

tahawus84 wrote:What is the point of this project? The station was nice in its heyday but now it is completely worthless. What would be the point of rebuilding the station on another site? who would visit it? It would probably be more cost effective to just get old drawings from the original building and build a replica. It is nice to see a 15 year old getting involved in something but I think you probably could put your efforts into better and more productive uses. Lets face it this project is not going to happen.

Well, first off, the point that I've stuck to is the fact that its something my grandfather would have wanted to see me do, and that I have a chance to do something bigger than I could hope. Secondly, we really only want to save the building facing. With an external footprint provided by the granite facing, we know the dimensions. Dan and Dennis did manage to find enough plans and interior details to start some computer designs. Depending on what is salvageable would determine if this would categorize as a replica or a rebuild. Now, I'm going to hide now, and once there is anything concrete (like the first meeting of the youth division), then there will be more posted here, on the website, the facebook page, and in other places.

This is becoming the Seinfeld of rr.net threads.

Cadet57 wrote:This is becoming the Seinfeld of rr.net threads.

(Gottasayit, gottasayit, gotta say it!)
Hey Jerry! You'll never guess what I just hoyd!

These pretzels... are making me THIRSTY!!!


OK folks, you've got until midnight to get the Seinfeld stuff out of your system, and then we have to go back on topic. I'm only allowing this because it's my favorite sitcom of all time.

It's the thread about nothing!

Conway Scenic thread = Serenity Now

daylight4449 wrote: Anywho, I'll be getting my flak jacket now and heading to my bunker now.

Don't provoke fire, you won't need a flak jacket.

Don't lob bombs, you won't need a bunker.

Understand?

daylight4449 wrote:Now, I'm going to hide now, and once there is anything concrete (like the first meeting of the youth division), then there will be more posted here, on the website, the facebook page, and in other places.

Hiding from what? Warranted criticism? Helpful advice? Facts? Reality?

Dylan, this isn't about YOU.

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote:

daylight4449 wrote:Now, I'm going to hide now, and once there is anything concrete (like the first meeting of the youth division), then there will be more posted here, on the website, the facebook page, and in other places.

Hiding from what? Warranted criticism? Helpful advice? Facts? Reality?

Dylan, this isn't about YOU.

-otto-

That criticism has been helpful, seeing it pointed out flaws in our plan. The only reason I'm using the term "hiding" is to indicate that I'm fairly annoyed with the consistent lack of professionalism (but I'm one to talk seeing that I'm someone who's had similar problems, especially in this thread), and the fact that I feel that I'm taking all the flak for a group I'm part of. Is that flak deserved, yes, considering I've basically run in circles, and in retrospect takes completely away from the content of any news I'm trying to give. That's why I didn't bother with this thread over the last summer, hoping that people would cool down somewhat. But, looks like I have a history of being wrong. I can't convince anyone of what I'm doing, I can only give information and hope that someone draws their own conclusion, and the criticisim has been helpful. Dan monitors this thread regularly, so he knows whats been said, and the approach that the group is taking has been modified, mostly on our coordinating and planning, so we don't screw this effort up and so we have a remote chance of success. And no, it's not about me, it's about the success of this effort and preserving history. I can the reasoning I'm involved, but in the end, it was never about me.

Dylan, I have several questions you need to answer to make this thread even more entertaining or plausible.

Why hasn't your friend Dan responded to any of this if he's monitoring the thread? Is he a member?

Is Dan just letting you run on hoping your enthusiasm might generate some kind of result?

Are you comfortable, as a 16 year old, inferring that everyone else most likely much wiser here is acting unprofessionally with their comments to you? That's downright insulting! Some of us here are actually from the rail industry!

Are you aware that many railroad professionals are responding to you, a currently professional student rounding up a bunch of perhaps 10-14 year olds maybe to move 500# granite blocks? That's what you seem to suggest.

Are you bound by Non-Disclosure-Agreements and then use that position of "I know something you don't know!" to play a coy game? A reliable source tells me he has heard from your area of a group who are going to completely foot the bill to restore the station. (I don't believe it.) But ELABORATE! If you're 16, an NDA cannot be allowed if you're lower than legal age to sign one.

And you might want to keep an eye out for the Caterpillar D-8 that's ready to make way for the lead for the NBRR to join CSX. You have done your very best to test everyone's patience here while at the same time this does become somewhat entertaining. I sincerely hope you find more maturity to become a pillar of the railroad community just for your zeal and agressiveness. Take this as CONSTRUCTIVE criticism.

SERENITY NOW!!!!!! (Moderator--Consider removing this pointless thread!)

There's been no activity on the group's official site since June. I think until we hear from someone else who is not Dylan, we should consider the project dormant for now.

http://eastbrookfielddepot.com/

-otto-

UPDATE: Things are looking positive
June 6, 2011
by eastbrookfielddepot

After a long thaw from the cold winter, the remains of the depot began to emerge from under the snow and ice. With this thaw, it seems CSX may finally be warming up to the idea of salvaging what we can from the depot and working with our group after all! Could it be that the efforts of the group may finally be paying off? Could our newest and most energetic member, Dylan Lambert, have somehow convinced the right people within CSX to work with us? The exact reasons we are not sure but something seems to be finally breaking in the depot’s favor. In early April, members of the East Brookfield Depot Foundation were asked to meet with CSX representatives on-site at the depot once again. The purpose of the meeting was to help build a business case to actually salvage what we can from the depot. It was nice to meet with CSX on-site finally because they were able to see first hand that this depot can be salvaged. For one, the depot itself is not that big of a building. Although the costs to rebuild the depot are in the $500K to $1MIL range they are still relatively low compared to the costs to rebuild other much larger trains stations...

These corn nuts taste like.......corn nuts!

Sorry Dylan, but the station is a goner.....

Maybe we should go back to......501....eh, Otto?