Services to Railroad Museums

There is a Railswap ad for services being offered to museums and tourist railroads that might be of interest:

http://railswap.org/osc/classifieds/ind ... tem&id=797

The services offered cover a lot of the planning and business side that most museum railroaders don't have the time to do.

nice self promotion there Mr.
a lot of the services you offer would endanger the tax exempt status of Museums, specially if donated locomotives or cars were being used for revenue service other than Museum duty.

Not true. Doesn't explain the half dozen museums hauling freight right now. It is all in how it is done.

As for self-promotion, yes, but I'm offering to do this work for free, to help out the cause of preservation. How-by increasing revenues. Don't dog out what you don't understand.

Good luck to you in your efforts to help out. I used to think that it would be great to do similar work, but after seeing how some organizations operate, my views started to change. A lot of the organizations in preservation and railroad history turn out to be "Good Old Boys" clubs, they get a clique in charge, and the resistance to changing anything is tremendous. I think a part of this is that they have their "comfortable" relationships all set up with service suppliers who are their friends, and somebody showing up at the door who actually has a successful business background represents a threat to the established way they do things. It would be interesting to hear of what you encounter.

MX

This also includes new members with fresh ideas which the public might enjoy (the reason a museum exists) who get ignored or belittled if it infringes upon the status quo of the club.

And who would want to stay with that bunch, even if you do like trains?

Of course, this is why many museums die. The perpetuation of the museum isn't as important as "protecting" the club. When the club dies off, there is no one to carry the torch.

Unfortunately the contributions of volunteers in the museum field also tends to be overlooked and unappreciated.

A great deal is made of a few famous photographers, some of whom never shared information or techniques with anyone or made any effort to teach or volunteer.

Meanwhile the army of volunteers who work hard and do tasks and events for the organizations are frequently taken for granted.

MX

I directed a transportation museum with a concentration in rail history, back in the 1970's
I would say that most rail Museums that I have been to get at least half and as much as virtually all, of their labor from volunteers.
Volunteers always bitch. But they get the job done. Every Museum should have volunteers, and I say this considering the volunteer's viewpoint.
It is an unparalleled opportunity to get close to an era of history that is of personal interest.
It is a chance to do things that literally can not be done elsewhere.
Suggestions:
Honor them
Have them on the Board of Directors.
Listen to them
Have them directly involved in planning.
Make sure that you recruit young volunteers
Learn to tolerate proclivities
They are there by choice, not for the money