Steam & Excursion > Maine Central #470...

Any news from those involved in the restoration? What is happening?

They have a Facebook page that is updated often. They are still in the "send (lots) of money" stage.

Tim

They have had a couple of fund raisers and I made a sizable donation. When I got the report back on the last fund drive, they had raised a little of $2K and I had donated $470 of that. That does not bode well. I understand that they have raised the $25K to purchase the locomotive. That is only a drop in the bucket on what they will need. I wish them well and really want it to succeed, but I have some fears that we might end up with another locomotive torn about in pieces. There are simply too many projects out there begging for funds.

I suppose it's not proper etiquette to list your donation by dollar
amount, but I for one APPLAUD your contribution - a very generous
one at that - thank you!

I too made a donation through the Indiegogo site some time back (and
I can be found under the donors list - can anyone here?). As for your
donation being a large percentage of that campaign, I can sympathize
- I madea donation to the PRR T1 Trust and later saw that they were
accepting donations in the form of T-shirts on E-bay. I bought one
and saw that I was only the 6th person to do so despite some 50
T-shirts being vailable.

Sad railfans in general seem so stingy yet so vocal.

I encourage everyone to divert a tank of gas worth of cash to your
favorite group or restoration - more if you can spare it.

Here are just a few of those I made a donation to this year alone:

http://www.newenglandsteam.org/support

http://www.prrt1steamlocomotivetrust.org/

http://www.rmli.us/RMLI/Engine_39.html

http://www.movingfullsteamahead.com/content/co1309

https://www.facebook.com/ProjectNp1364

http://www.project3713.com/

/Mitch

So Mitch, how about donating to the Friends of SP4449 plus the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation?

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So Mitch, how about donating to the Friends of
> SP4449 plus the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation?


So many steam preservation groups, so few funds...

I suppose the typical railfan response would be:
"Check out their calendar this year - I gave them
use of my photo for free". While that helps, it
in fact save these groups money but it does not
add to the coffers. Unless, of course, the
calendars are sold.

That's not to say I have not supported that group
nor was my list anywhere near complete. My name
could be found in the donors list - just find Ross
Rowland on the list - or many others, and then
just scroll down to find my own.

I've always been impressed to find Ross's name
listed so prominently in several donors lists.
Would love to see more from others.

/Mitch

---

This is the sad but truth of the matter about doing locomotive restorations via donations in today's world. People want to see the locomotives run but seems to be very few who donate to the cause. Now once the locomotive running it seems to me with the right business plan and cost control you can keep yourself funded but its the start up of fixing old #5 that you beat your head into the wall with asking people for donations. I just look at the excursions folks are willing to drive miles to ride behind at a 100.00 ticket price.

I think I have posted here before my greatest fear is once the governmental grant money runs out does the music stop for running steam in general? If I had the money I would be the first to put up my own funds to fund 470 and all of the other projects out there. Its sad that we are one of the richest nations in the world but yet philanthropy is not that the top of the list.

I feel this is where our industry has to reinvent itself. I seems to me people will come out in truck loads to walk for cancer, bike for diabetes, or any other cause that is out there. Maybe it is just me but seems we need to understand how these folks do it and could it be retrofitted as a funding campaign to fit fix old number #5?

I would encourage people not to jump so quickly to the its not going to happen side as this just breeds people who get the idea that donating to a steam locomotive project is never a worth while cause. It always takes longer then expected when doing locomotive a project. You find items that you didn't plan for or after doing the ultra sound old #5 needs 300 more stay bolts then planned to do. I just look around and think because someone is taking a chance and stuck there neck out to take the risk that we have 1309 going to WMSR and ORHF in a wonder facility in Portland,OR to name a few. Just Saying.

Thanks for reading.
SMH



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/14 10:29 by nkpsteam779.