Announcements > !! Trainorders is looking for museums to accept a sizable gift !!

About ten years ago I began a project to build a traveling science exhibition sharing the technology of railroad signal devices.  The exhibition was named Signal Science. At the time I was rather anxious to move beyond just the web site and branch into developing interactive museum technologies.  My goal was to earn revenue through exhibition booking fees to large science centers that would host the exhibition. As the years passed I continued building the exhibition, and earlier this year I finished the project.

Much has changed since I began Signal Science. My aspirations to becoming a supplier of museum technology has waned as much of my time is distracted by such things as managing this ever growing web site, an ever demanding day job, and family. When I began the project I was in my early 30’s with lots of energy, but now in my mid 40’s I can no longer work those 90 hour weeks like I use to. Back in those days I woke up at 6am, went to my day job at 7am, and after getting home at 5pm, went to work on Trainorders and the signal exhibit until midnight.  I can’t do that anymore. As I ran out of energy, the museum exhibit went to the side.  Not being a quitter, I saw this project to the end, though it took longer than I envisioned.

What next?  Originally, I had intended to tour this technological marvel, but I don’t have the energy to do it.  Something has to give, and it isn’t going to be my day job, it is not going to be Trainorders, and it isn’t going to my family.  I spent much of the last ten years building this exhibition with my son Mason who graduates high school this June. I have no intentions of this becoming his project. It was my vision and he needs to build his own.  

After spending so much of my life on Signal Science, the last thing I intend to do is to liquidate the signals to collectors and scrap the amazing technology that operates it.  Instead, I plan to gift it to one or more museum or historical society organizations that can accept it.  It is an amazing exhibition when operating and it certainly would bring a good amount patronage wherever it ends up. 

Finding a home for this enormous exhibit presents some challenges as I don’t see many railroad museums as having enough floor space to install the full exhibition.  Therefore, I have split the program into groupings that are available to go to different museums. My first choice would be to find a supportive institution to accept the entire exhibition. However, I realize that is probably not going to happen so I am open to sending pieces of the program to different organizations. I have setup a page describing what is available and a timeline for our dissolution of the project.

I invite you to visit the dedicated page I have setup describing the exhibition and the process:  http://www.signalscience.org/plan

Trainorders.com has such a huge audience of over 176,000 unique visitors a month, that I decided this is probably the fastest means to reach the masses. Please feel free to share this message as I can use whatever help I can to find homes for our signal exhibition. If you know of a museum that might be interested in our exhibition please forward them this message.

Sincerely,

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

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How about OERM? That way it would be fairly close!

I would sugggest the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.

John Webb
Trinidad, CA

I am not asking for suggestions on where to send it. I already know I am sending it someplace. I need for the some place to say we can adopt and give it a home. Most railroad museums don't have empty space waiting to accept an exhibition like this. Whatever indoor space they have is used for housing railroad equipment that rolls. 

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

Wow! That is an awesome display!

Although your not asking for suggestions and their primary focus is electric railway, the Western Railway Museum in Suisun, CA might be a good place. As I recall, the main building has quite a bit of open room in it.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/15 20:26 by tehachapifan.

Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago would be an ideal place for this.

Ron



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/15 20:16 by Ron.

OERM has a Signal Garden already showing various signals.  Is that what you are looking for?  They can always use more-especially in good condition.

Man, that is an awesome exhibit! 

I think you are going to have to make the first
contacts yourself, and not just wait to be contacted.
Please -- do not give it to CSRM -- they do not have
the space.  As a matter of fact, I cannot think of any RR
museum that has the room for it or the ability to use it
properly.  Please -- I know you are snowed under -- try
contacting the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry,
or some other highly-regarded science museums.

Good luck in finding a home for this awesome exhibit!

forney in denver may have enough room inside

Try the American Passenger Rail Heritage Group in La Plata as they are trying to build a museum there.


Chris



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/15 19:52 by Mudrock.

 MUSA - Marion Union station Association. Located in Marion Ohio already has a large display of working signals. They have room to expand.
 

CSRM has a history of excepting big gifts and letting them rot away. OERM has done much with much less than CSRM. But if space is the issue consider Spencer Shops--lots of roofed space there and it is becoming THE rail expo center.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/15 12:47 by railwaybaron.

KCUS in Kansas City, MO?

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

Donate them to  one of many Museums in Washington D.C. They are alot Museums there.

Donating to The Smithsonian, Scranton or other US Gov't musuems often results with the items placed in deep storage a la Ralders of the Lost Ark, never to be seen again in our lifetime. Give it to a musum that will be improved with it and who will be grateful. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/15 12:48 by railwaybaron.

railwaybaron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CSRM has a history of excepting big gifts and
> letting them rot away. OERM has done much with
> much less than CSRM.

The person who suggested CSRM is naive. OERM would be an excellent choice.

Bob

UP museum in Omaha.

I think U.P. John probably has access to plenty of signals if he wants.

 The Galveston Railroad Museum in Galveston, TX.
http://www.galvestonrrmuseum.com/donate.html
 

There's a rail & transit museum in Union, Illinois.  A very good one, too.