We have just received some distressing news from Fernley, Nevada. The Fernley Preservation Society has acquired and preserved the only two surviving freight cars built by the Hicks Locomotive and Car Works, along with the town's historic depot and several other pieces of railroad equipment. Unfortunately, the city now wants to redevelop the depot as a cultural museum, and all of the railroad equipment has to go elsewhere or be scrapped. (Us railroad guys, we ain't got no culture, dat's fer sure.) I would hate to see these cars be destroyed, so I'd like to help find a home for one or both of them if I can.Moving them to Union is not an option. Apart from other practical problems, the reason these wooden cars are still as good as they are is because they've always been in the Nevada desert. I'm sure this wood is as dry as a bone. If we brought them to IRM, they'd start sucking up moisture and rot out in no time.
The Nevada State Railroad Museum is an obvious choice, and has already been contacted. But it has severe financial problems and is in no position to acquire anything. I know people at Rio Vista, Orange Empire, and Niles Canyon, and I plan to contact them about the possibility of acquiring one of these cars. (I'm sure Ted Miles will read this immediately!) If you know of anyone else in the vast Western spaces who might be interested, please let me know. Luckily, my contact in the preservation society thinks they probably have a year to arrange something, so there's time to find a solution. Let's hope for the best!
5 comments:
Randall,
The Western Paciic Railroad Museum has just taken a D&RGW box car from the WRM. Maybe they would be interested?
Also I would put something about the cars onto the Railway Preservation News Web site. I can't do it as their security has me locked out of the site.
The orange Empire Railway museum haas a nice hot dry location. I would try them also.
Ted Miles
I suppose nothing is impossible and Randy may have overstated that it is not possible for this to come to Union. It may not be PRACTICAL, and my estimate is about $16000 PLUS to get it to IRM and inside the next barn. In the meantime it would have to be covered with tarps, etc to keep out most of the weather. So who wants to raise that amount of funding before the first gallon of paint is purchased? Other issues are that the body has no draft gear, looks like it sits upon temporary stand in trucks, brake rigging (is any there?). Politically it could be a problem for us to acquire a car that has no couplers and cannot be moved in many of our regular repositioning weekends at IRM.
Bob Kutella
Ted: I forgot to mention that Portola has been contacted. They do not want any complete cars, but will be taking any spare trucks and other usable parts that are left over. And there's a group in Utah that is trying to raise money to acquire the caboose. So the volunteers have been working to find homes for the equipment.
Bob has nicely summarized the practical reasons for not trying to move a car to IRM. Thanks!
There is appropriate draft gear and arch bar trucks and brake parts available in Eureka California where the North Coast Logging association is scrapping 20 or so wooden truss rod log cars.
I believe that at least one of the box cars if from the Tonapah Railroad.
Randy Hees
What about the Nevada Northern? Might they be interested?
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