Railroad Forums 

  • **LONG ISLAND PRESERVATION NEWS**

  • Discussion of the past and present operations of the Long Island Rail Road.
Discussion of the past and present operations of the Long Island Rail Road.

Moderator: Liquidcamphor

 #243934  by GP38
 
jayrmli wrote:My point with Locust Tower was that a few months ago some posted here that the tower was abandoned and ready for demolition. None of which apparently was true.

Jay
Mr Dermody (the LIRR President) spoke at a NRHS-LIST meeting I went to last month, and the topic of PD came up. He made it very clear that "within days" of the closure of PD, the stairways would be ripped off the tower to prevent tresspassing. The tower would probably remain until some time in June when they would have removed whatever they had stored downstairs out. At that point, if nothing materialized with the Village of Patchogue, or that Bethpage group he mentioned (the only two groups mentioned at all, and he was not optomistic about either), that in all likeliness PD would be razed in June some time. He was very clear on the subject.

 #244919  by Otto Vondrak
 
I think we're beating a dead horse here. This thread was intended for active museum restoration projects. But since we brought it up...

7285- Your tune always seems the same- instead of asking when something will be saved, why not take a leadership role instead and take charge if you believe in this project so badly? Or formally present your idea to a restoration group? Talk is cheap, especially here on RAILROAD.NET where you get what you pay for.

-otto-
 #245892  by fordhamroad
 
-Hellooo....

-Would some of our forum members who are members of LI Railroad Museums please give us a mention of what will be open, hours etc. this Spring and Summer, current update on special events etc.

Thanks


Roger
 #247844  by alcoAL
 
From the Friends of 35:

The Mineola Chamber of Commerce Fair will be held at Mineola Memorial Park SAT 5/20/06 from 11am to 4pm. Caboose #50 will be the centerpiece, with many visitors touring the interior and viewing our workmanship as well as what we are doing in Oyster Bay. Volunteers are welcome! The fair will be held at Mineola Memorial Park located on Marcellus Road between Garfield and Jackson Avenues, one block south of Jericho Tpke. Volunteers meet at the park at 10am for setup.
 #247845  by alcoAL
 
From a RMLI Press Release:

While our Riverhead location is always open on Saturdays from March to December, we are pleased to announce the opening of our 14th tourist season at our Greenport and Riverhead facilities on the Memorial Day weekend, starting May 27, 2006. Thereafter, we will be open at both locations every Saturday, Sunday and the Monday Holidays through Columbus Day weekend, October 7-9, 2006. The hours at Greenport are from 11 am to 4 pm, while at Riverhead our hours are from 10 am to 4 pm.

Admission is $3.00 for adults, $1.50 for children 5-12 years old, and under 5 FREE, with an additional charge of $2.00 each for the guided tour for those over 5 years old. Tickets are good on the same day for both locations.

For directions to the museum sites, call 631-477-0439 for the Greenport site and 631-727-7920 for the Riverhead site and then select option 6 from the telephone menu.

A special event, “Riverhead Railroad Festival ’06”, will be held this year on August 26th and 27th at the Riverhead site. The theme this year is “Railroad Museum of Long Island - 15th Anniversary”. Details of this event will be published in July when they are finalized. A second special event, “RMLI Hobo Homecoming” will be held on September 30th and October 1st at the Riverhead site. Associated with the Hobo Homecoming will be a “BlueGrass and Folk Music Night” on the evening of September 30th at the Vail-Leavitt Music Hall in Riverhead. Details of this event will be published in August when they are finalized.

ANY QUESTIONS, PM ME. -AL

 #264135  by stevo
 
this isn't on the LIRR, but it's in maine, at the seashore trolley museum. we have an old MP54 just sitting there. recently i found out that the only thing that is wrong with it, aside from the physical appearance, is something electrical in the circuit box. if anyone has an electrical diagram or can lead me to one, that would be great.

 #269760  by Lupo 10
 
From Twin Forks Chapter NRHS

Current project is the restoration of flatside caboose C-60. Things look great with the new paint inside after stripping to bare metal last year and the addition of a new bunk cushion. the outside has also been painted into Orange and the roof stipped and primed. Most of the roof has also been painted at this point into black. The caboose will hopefully be showcased (pending staffing) at the RMLI railfest the last weekend in August.

Other future projects include work on our ATSF flat car which when researched with the ATSF technical & historical society was said to be quite a find. The flat is primed in places at this point but former ATSF markings are still visible from up close. The car will be restored to ATSF.

The remaining equipment including Caboose #1 in Hicksville are on back burner status.

Also on deck is the continued restoration of the Greenport turntable in conjunction with RMLI and the Boyscouts.

We work the last Saturday of every month but impromptu work sessions have developed as you only need 2 for a work session.

We're also selling tickets to a trip to the New Hope & Ivyland and NYSW Chinese Steam excursion by charter bus on August 5th. Contact the chapter for more details.

Contact the chapter at [email protected] for further info

 #279592  by Retroboy
 
Can anyone tell me what is going on with 39?

 #280255  by n2qhvRMLI
 
Retroboy,

The tender has been restored and returned to the Riverhead site. You can see the freshly painted tender at the Riverhead Railroad Festival this coming August 26 and 27. She is sitting on blocks as we still have some maintenance to perform on her trucks and frame.

Work on the boiler continues at BoilerMatic in Medford. As with all locomotive boiler projects, the expected time of completion seems to move farther down the calendar as work proceeds and engineering issues are dealt with to satisfaction. We now hope to see the boiler back at Riverhead sometime in 2007.

Money continues to be an issue regarding work on the drive train and running gear. We estimate an additional $150,000.00 is needed to complete restoration of that part of the locomotive. Fundraising is ongoing and any leads on funding are always appreciated and will be followed up. Until a benefactor or sponsor comes along we continue to accept nickles, dimes and dollars toward the restoration process.

That's about it for now. I hope to see everyone at Railroad Festival and our new event, the Riverhead Hobo Homecoming on September 30 and October 1. This event takes place right in the middle of harvest season on the North Fork so we hope many of you "Pumpkin Picker's" will stop in and enjoy some great music and storytelling under the tent. Your support of the Museum and its ongoing progects will be appreciated.

THX,
de Don, n2qhvRMLI

 #280274  by Long Island 9627
 
Any News on The Pullman Cars ? when is work going to started on them.

Thank's

 #280578  by n2qhvRMLI
 
Long Island 9627,

I'll leave that answer up to jayrmli as he knows much more about the structural steel under the flooring on those cars. Jay??

de Don n2qhvRMLI

 #284718  by Work Extra
 
Also on the topic of the Pullman cars,

Would It be possible for a full analysis to be given as to what needs to be done. To get the cars in safe condition to role (excluding furniture)

What work needs to be done?
How much would it cost?

Before the museum looses a Pullman car to the ravages of time. Can a program be set in place to have sole dedication to the cars restoration. And have members be dedicated to the Pullman and the Pullman only.

I don’t know much on resources and how monies are allocated to projects, however I would Like to see something set up just for the Pullmans. And have a team of say 6 dedicated members whose sole duty is to restore one Pullman at a time.

I some one my give me information I would be glad to help with the organization of the project. I am well aware that time and location do play havoc on some to get out to RMLI then again these are all factors we need to look at and make a definite work schedule and be very strict on it.

Locomotive 39 will run, very soon, but we can’t all focus on project 39 and forget that the 2900s are rotting to the rails. 39 not having a ready to run consist will be a waste.

If any once Don, or Jay, can explain the process and what needs to be done it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 #297312  by Mr rt
 
1. Join the association
2. Talk it up with some friends
3. Attend the accos meeting, see what kind of support for this proj
4. Become a project leader
5. Dip into you pocket

Scared away yet ????

What you are going to find is that there is a lot of railfans out there who'll be right there to eat the bread that Henny Penny has baked.
This is not a bad thing if they have joined the assoc. & put in a little extra money to help finance a project.
Getting something done falls to a few ... too few.
If you want to be one of those few, then
1. Have grand plans, but set your sights lower for the project,
i.e. an achievable goal, with completion in a short time (yr or less).
2. Be dedicated to see it through to the end,
even it's only you.

I'm a member of three museums (not Engione 39) & found that this attitude has made my particiatuion in these museums rewarding,
e.g. I'm taking a day off Monday to work with the Project Leader on a SI RT subway car ... the goal has been to paint the roof ... we're in our 2nd year of doing that (we're more then 3/4 done). There has been about a dozen folks helping, but typically it's 2 or 3 & a core group of less then 1/2 a dozen.
I'm also a Trustee of that museum ... after the last meeting I was asked to help drill some holes in a NYC subway car door threshold & sand turnstile paddles. My fellow Trustee went to the town green in uniform to pass out flyers (they we having a fair). We two had some time to kill & wanted to do something useful.
At a 2nd museum I took six days off work to fill in for their regular operators who needed to be somewhere else that particular day.

The Pullmans, should they be restored, sure, but it ain't going to happen by wishing & hoping !

 #298136  by midwest fred
 
2 years to paint the roof of a transit car ? ? ? Sorry, this just seems a bit..... long?

If the guys around NYC are serious about getting things done you need serious $$$ to finance ops. With all the money around NYC you'd think that in 30+ years there would have been more than one ISTEA grant (39) handled? Virtually no place else in the USA or on earth is there more poeple and money in such a small area. The perfect place for an operating museum. This equation boils down to politics and managerial aptiitude. Some relationship building needs to take place, and some risks need to be taken.....

By the way, I enjoy the physical labor as well, but you gotta explain why so long on the car roof.

Fred.

 #300956  by Nova55
 
Mr. rt makes very good points in his post...

Im an active member in bolth RMLI and Twin Forks, and am out there every few weeks. Each and every time, its always the same bunch of us doing the work. The amount of work needed aint gonna get accomplished with that. no way, no how. simple as that. we make good progress in time, but its slow going.

I have been involved with Twin Forks for about a year and a half now, over which time we held monthy work sessions for C-60. Same 4-5 people each time. But ya know what, 60 is now fully restored interior wise and is almost done exterior. It has taken well over a year and a half now and it would have been sooner if we have the help.. Along with 60, the ATSF flatcar was fully primed, the Spreader was cleaned out in prep for restoration next year, and some joint projects with RMLI.

- Paul Strubeck
Twin Forks Membership Director
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