Arcade & Attica gets grant money

Hi All! Looks like Santa may have brought the A&A an early Christmas Gift. In yesterdays Buffalo News this little article gave the follwing details. Lets hope its not tied to the infamous "Green/Red" Buget that Erie County just passed and now is headed to the courts. It will be great to see the the A&A back under Steam! Will $80K be enough to get #18 back together? I sincerely hope so! S' Scott H.

WYOMING COUNTY
Attica & Arcade Railroad to get $80,000 grant - 12/14/2004
"State Sen. Dale M. Volker, R-Depew, announced Monday that he has arranged an $80,000 grant from the 2004-2005 state budget for the Attica & Arcade Railroad. The money will help Wyoming County's second-largest tourist attraction put a steam locomotive back on the tracks."
"The Attica & Arcade Railroad has been a part of Wyoming County's cultural and economic fabric for generations," Volker said. "To ensure that it remains viable, these funds will be utilized for improvements to its steam engine that has been inoperable due to mechanical problems."

If that is true, it would certainly be awesome. I have always thought that the Arcade and Attica Railroad was one of the largest tourist attractions in the area. I know people who live in the area who tell me that if the railroad folded tourism would just die. This money will certainly help get that steamer closer to running!