Postboy may07.pub

June 2007
From the President’s Desk
GREETINGS, Fellow Railroadians! The very first subject I want to address is that in this issue of the POSTBOY, we’ve printed
the COMPLETE list of cash donors from 2006. Several members who made cash donations last year were not listed in the last
issue due to a problem with the computer file sent to the printer. For some reason, part of the list did not wind up in print.
We’ve corrected that (we think…we hope) in this issue. To those who were omitted from the last issue (I was one of them), we
apologize.
I’m very happy to report that the 2007 membership fundraising drive has been very successful so far. As of June 23, 2007,
74 RMLI members (just under 25% of our total membership) have donated a total of $10,025. Several members made donations
of multiple hundreds of dollars, and four members sent in $1000. I want to thank all of the members who have given financial
support to the Museum, regardless of the amount. More money equals more progress. Keep in mind that if you can put aside
about $1.97 per week, you could make a $100 annual donation to the Museum. If all 302 members were able to do that, we’d
raise $30,200. I set a goal of raising $20,000 this year from the membership alone, and we are just over half-way there, with
six months to go, and just over 75% of the membership yet to be heard from. I know that many members include a donation
with their dues renewals, so I’m confident we’re going to reach the goal I’ve set for 2007: $20,000, or at least come close.
Other fundraising efforts that are coming up are the Riverhead Railroad Festival, the Maritime Festival in Greenport, Riverhead Polish Fair, the RMLI Hobo event and the Railroad Folk Music Festival in Riverhead. We also have a few grants being processed, and we’re hopeful that we’ll be approved for additional financial help. Keep your fingers crossed!
Now some bad news. The RMLI Board of Trustees voted to raise membership dues because of rising costs across the board.
Fuel oil skyrocketed, and postage went up, to name a few things. Our greatest single expense in running the two sites is insurance. The Museum has an ongoing search for a better deal, but it seems that our current policy gives us the most coverage for
the least amount of money. Still, our annual insurance tab for Greenport and Riverhead is over $12,000. At the General Membership Meeting held in Greenport in May, RMLI treasurer Al Schick reported that fuel, electric, water, phone and insurance
premiums cost us $2,000 per month just to keep the doors open to the public. If we want to paint something, repair a broken
furnace, restore equipment, or order more merchandise for our gift shops, we must take in more than $24,000 per year.
We’ve also raised the admission fee to the Museum to $5.00 for adults thirteen (13) and older, $3.00 for kids five (5) to
twelve (12) years old, and under five (5) free. That will help a bit. A dues increase will also help, although I’m cognizant of
the fact that for some, the increase will be the deciding factor in not renewing. Please stay with us! Together, we are preserving an important and fascinating chapter in Long Island’s heritage.
My last subject is of utmost importance to the progress and running of the Museum. Folks, we need more volunteers, especially in Riverhead. Our current labor force is aging, and a few have died. We have some new volunteers, but we need more.
Our biggest problem is staffing Riverhead on Sundays. It takes a minimum of four volunteers to staff the gift shop, run the six
sets of O-gauge trains, run the Freeman Garden Railroad, and run the World’s Fair train set. There’s also a lot of grounds upkeep in Riverhead. Grass cutting, weed control, picking up litter are just some of the weekly chores that must be done. Check
the committee chairs and project leaders list on the back cover and call them to volunteer.
Restoration work on our rolling stock takes place on Saturdays, and we need more help in that area also. The focus right
now is getting diesel 399 repainted by the time of the Riverhead Railroad Festival at the end of August. If you have limited
physical capacity, perhaps you could run the O-gauge trains some Saturday or Sunday. You could also serve as conductor on the
World’s Fair train, or learn to operate the locomotive. Do you have G-Scale trains of your own? Why not come out and run
them on our tracks on the Freeman Garden Railroad? These jobs just require sitting and watching. Do you like to putter in the
garden? Come to Riverhead and putter in our gardens. The crew in Greenport could also use some help, so if Greenport is a
better option, then help out there. We have many events coming up and we always need extra help. Feel free to contribute
some of your spare time to help us out.
Keeping our doors open to the public and still having enough cash and volunteer help left over to work on or improve exhibits has been a constant challenge to RMLI. You all have an open invitation to help us meet that challenge!
Dennis Harrington, President.
POSTBOY
Model Railroading Update
By George Faeth
First, the Atlantis Aquarium car has been shipped from China to Lionel. Lionel will ship to us in early July and
we will ship to our customers by mid July.
Order forms for the North Fork Bank car will be sent out after the Aquarium cars are shipped out. Orders for this
car will run until Jan. 8, 2008.
The other news is that we received a donation of two train sets. One set is an MTH Subway Set - stainless steel
cars representing the D-Train. The other is a K-Line set with aluminum passenger cars (set of 2900 series
coaches) and dining car Mattituck. These are heavy duty cars and beautifully detailed. To pull the cars, an MTH
diesel also was donated. They're all brand new and bear the LIRR paint scheme. We now have enough trains at
the Museum so that any operator can run trains without bringing his own.
Thanks to John Rooney for pursuing the donation of these two very nice sets of O-gauge trains. John saw some
model trains when he and Don Fisher went into New York City to get the "Many Hands" exhibit, and found out
that there is a foundation that donates model trains to museums. So, John inquired further and secured this donation for RMLI.
New volunteers are needed to run the train layouts on Saturdays and Sundays. The current group is starting to
feel the burden and will need to take some time off. Please help out with this popular attraction.
Delivery of the Atlantis Aquarium car expected in July.
2007 EVENTS
August 25-26
Riverhead Railroad Festival, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
September 28
Folk Music Concert at Vail-Leavitt Music Hall, Riverhead, 7:30 PM
September 29
Railroad Folk Music Festival at Riverhead, 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM
December 1-2 Open House and Santa Visit at Greenport
The Railroad Museum of Long Island (the Museum) was founded in 1990. The Museum is chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New
York, and is an IRS 501(c)3 non profit organization. The Museum is run by a Board of Trustees made up of members throughout Long Island. The
goal of the Museum is to preserve and display Long Island’s railroad heritage. All of the work of the Museum is done by volunteers. The Museum
operates two locations; Greenport, NY on Fourth Street at the tracks, and Riverhead, NY on Griffing Avenue north of the tracks. The Postboy is
the official publication of the Museum and is published bi-monthly.
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June 2007
SPECIAL THANKS
The following individuals and organizations contributed over $10,000 to our Museum in 2006.
Many people donated material that was not included in the dollar total. Still, these were well
needed donations and saved the Museum from having to go out and buy the material.
Bruce Abel
Edward Babor
Cyrus Bacchi
Richard Bishop
Franklin Brehmer, Jr.
Tony Capobianco
Louis Caruso
Albert Castelli
Art Christian
Paul Christiana, Jr.
Thomas Collins
Audrey Conlon
Bonnie Cornett
Dennis DeAngelis
Josephine Diss
Larry Dittmeier
Robert Dusel
Frank Eames
Fred Enrico
Joseph Esquirol, Jr.
Frank Field
Sydney Finkelstein
Dave Fisher
George Fleming
Dennis Fryer
Joseph W. Gagne
Richard Gorddard
Joseph Hagan
Gordon Hanson
Dennis Harrington
Robert Hauschild
Eli Hecht
Albert Heiserer, Jr.
M. Richard & Kate Horn
Norman Hosler
Joseph Huttle
Roy Karajian
Pierre Lehmuller
Charles Levien
Peter Mastropoalo
John McCann
Edward McKernan
Charles Menagh
Peter Meyer
Robert Miller
James J. Moore Jr.
Dave Morrison
Harry Mugler
Peter Nagle
Joseph Orsino, Jr.
Joan Overton
Bradford Phillips
Vincent P. Priore
Gerald Roberts
John & Dorothy Rooney
Sam Rubin
Artie Sanwald
Paul Schiappa
Al Schick
Walter Schuffenhauer
James Shimer
Edward & Asthea Sidao
Walter Stewart
Henry Storm
Suffolk County National Bank
James Teer
Eugene Timmes
Patrick Vaccariello, Sr.
Bob & Lillian White
Thank you all for your support of the Railroad Museum of Long Island
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POSTBOY
2007 FUNDRAISING DRIVE
The 2007 Fundraising Drive is off to a good start. Thanks to the members
listed below for their contributions.
CONDUCTOR
Franklin Brehmer, Jr.
Dave Fisher
John Kiffer
Vincent P. Priore
GANDYDANCER
Anonymous
John Ackermann
Edward Babor
Alan Baer
Christopher Benincase
Jonathan Bialstock
Herman Bowman
Tony Capobianco
Roc Challender
John Conklin
Jonathan Diaz
Fred Enrico
Thomas Felten
Dennis Fryer
Robert Heath
Eli Hecht
Albert Heiserer, Jr.
Andrew Kravic
George Krekeler
Gregory Kuszeski
Richard McGorty
James McPhillips
Charles Menagh
Peter Meyer Jr.
Joseph Misita
Florence Monahan
Joseph Orsino, Jr.
Richard Rodi
Joel Romaine
Alan Ryder
Paul Schiappa
Albrecht Schindler
Neil Scholl
Robert Schroter
Walter Schuffenhauer
James Shimer
Kevin Stansberry
Kurt Wegelius
Emil Weichand
Ronald Welch
ENGINEER
Patricia R. Byrne-CitiBank
Mitchell Williams
FIREMAN
Dennis Harrington
Pierre Lehmuller
George Wybenga
BRAKEMAN
Bruce Abel
Cyrus & Josephine Bacchi
Paul Christiana, Jr.
Frank Eames
Scott Firestone
Walter Hilsenbeck
Helyn Horn
M. Richard Horn
Norman Hosler
Joseph Huttle
Dave Morrison
John Oliver
John Peck
Artie Sanwald
Michael Sica
Robert Simonson
Walter & Betty Stewart
Connor Sullivan
James Teer
Anne Marie Tetrault
John Thompson III
Stanley Urban
Bob & Lillian White
George Woitas
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June 2007
LIRR’s Volkswagen Track Inspection Cars
By Al Castelli
The Long Island Rail Road had several unique pieces of equipment over the years. One such example is the Volkswagen bus turned track inspection car. There was a fleet of six of them used in the 1960s.
The inspection cars were known as “gandy-wagons” and numbered as such: GW-1 through GW-6. This number
appeared in white on the front door on both sides of the car. They also were numbered 1036 through 1041, with
this number (also in white) located above the front windshield. Painted a dark green, both sides of the vehicle
had a Dashing Dan herald below the middle window.
The method of operation on the rails
was an interesting feature. The rear
tires provided traction on the rail itself
while Hi-Rail wheels supported the vehicle on the track. The front and rear
bumpers were fitted with the Hi-Rail
wheel assemblies. The front wheels
were not used and were lifted off the
railhead. Underneath the chassis was a
“turntable jack” that was operated
electrically. This jack was used at a
highway crossing to put the car on the
rails. The driver would jack the VW up,
manually turn the body to position it
over the rails, and then lower the HiRail wheels. The rear tires/wheels actually were mounted in reverse. Due to
the shape of the wheels, mounting
them this way widened the tread so
that the rubber tires fit nicely on the
rails.
Gandy-Wagon #GW5/1040. Note the rear wheel
mounting and the extended fender.
Collection of A. Castelli
For more information and photos on these inspection cars, visit Sam Berliner’s website. He has a great shot of
the turntable jack in use: http://home.att.net/~Berliner-Ultrasonics/lirr9etc.html#livwrbus
If any member has more information or photos on these vehicles they would like to share, contact me and I’ll
pass the information along in a future Postboy.
Two new books
of Long Island
area railroading
now available . . .
Two new books dealing with railroading on and around Long Island are available.
The New York Connecting Railroad by Robert C. Sturm and William G. Thom is
published by the Long Island-Sunrise Trail Chapter of the NRHS. The hardcover
book is over 100 pages with many color and black and white photos. The Museum
gift shops have this book available and signed by the authors. Or, to order from
the Chapter, contact them at: LIST-NRHS, P. O. Box 507, Babylon, NY 11702-0507.
The other book is Trackside Around the Big Apple 1964-1973 with Al Roberts by
Allan H. Roberts. This hardcover book covers all five boroughs of New York City
with many great photos and information. It is available at various book and hobby
stores as well as online retailers.
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POSTBOY
Model Caboose Presented to James Dermody
By Don Fisher
The Museum presented the #14 Presentation Hack to former LIRR President James Dermody. The hack is a hand
made - super detailed - #14 Caboose built by our Master Modeler Bob "Ducky" Kaelin. The presentation took
place at the Many Hands opening Friday evening, May 11. Thanks to George Faeth for the presentation case and
photos.
Some of the displays
from the Many Hands
exhibit now at the
Greenport Museum.
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June 2007
Once a Hobo . . .
By George Wybenga
Our very first cross country caboose hunting trip was in the fall of 2002. In September we found ourselves in
Othello, Washington, to photograph the two Milwaukee Road cabooses located at The Old Hotel which is a cooperative art gallery. Though the gallery was officially closed we were invited in by the members who were conducting a meeting. We were allowed to tour the gallery and one of the members told us about Monte Holm who
lived in nearby Moses Lake and owned two cabooses located at his salvage yard. The gallery member actually
was kind enough to call in order to find out if Monte was available, but regrettably there was no answer so we
decided not to make the side trip.
Upon our return home I wrote Monte to ask for a copy of his autobiography, Once a Hobo . . . He sent me a
signed copy of the book along with a letter:
Dear George,
I want to thank you for your nice letter. I think it is wonderful the interest you take in cabooses. The (enclosed) picture shows 2 little cabooses (,) the one on the steam locomotive I
made it, the one on the mini train is the only one I ever made. The train was the Mini train
of the Burlington Northern and I talked them out of it. I have it in my museum(.) I gave a
caboose to the Cashmere, Washington Museum. It was an old wooden Great Northern Caboose about in the 1920’s and I do have a couple of other cabooses. I sure do hope you come
out and visit my museum and me. You are always welcome at the House of Poverty, your
friend, (s) Monte Holm.
In 1930, when Monte was 13 years old, he was kicked out of his home by his stepmother. In the middle of the
depression, he became a hobo and started riding the rods. His autobiography is a great read describing the trials of a young lad. Eventually he started a salvage business on the grounds of Moses Lake Iron & Metal and
started a museum which he called The House of Poverty. On the grounds he started the Home of the Mon Road
Railroad.
Last week [March 2007] I received an e-mail from a member of the RRcaboose Yahoo group notifying me that to
my dismay Monte Holm passed away [May 9, 2006] and his entire collection is on the block. The collection can
be seen at http://projects.wasatch-rr-conractors.com/?page_id=36.
I deeply regret that I never had the chance to take Monte up on his invitation
to visit him and partake of his Hobo Stew. However, to me he lives on in his
autobiography, Once a Hobo, Proctor Publications, LLC, Ann Arbor, MI 1999.
Milwaukee Road Caboose, Othello, WA
Painting by George Wybenga
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OFFICERS
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Dennis Harrington
Tom Collins
M. Richard Horn
Al Schick
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chairman
Open
Bruce Abel
631-589-7345
Art Christian
631-226-4605
Frank Field
631-477-2433
Rich Gorddard
631-588-1931
Bill Raynor
631-727-6090
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Accessions
Buildings & Grounds
Exhibits
Events
Postboy
Press Releases
Education
Long Range Planning
Mechanical
PROJECT LEADERS
Riverhead Turntable
Car #200
2900 Cars
BEDT #16
Model Railroading
631-261-0104
631-325-0630
631-757-5577
631-924-8319
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Don Bender
Tom Collins
Don Fisher
Dennis Harrington
George Wybenga
631-730-3888
631-325-0630
631-765-2757
631-261-0104
631-878-0206
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
John Rooney
Bill Raynor
631-798-3202
631-727-6090
Retail Sales
Riverhead Gift Shop
(open)
(open)
Rich Gorddard
Al Castelli
Dick Horn
Ken Schaefer
631-588-1931
631-884-7318
631-757-5577
631-567-1797
Art Christian
631-226-4605
Riverhead Tours
Riverhead Training
Greenport Operations
Membership
Web Site
Fund Raising
Stan Urban
Don Bender
George Summers
Dennis Harrington
Bruce Abel
Dennis Harrington
631-589-6176
631-730-3888
631-298-8319
631-261-0104
631-589-7345
631-261-0104
Bruce Abel
Rich Gorddard
Jay Eichler
Paul Strubeck
George Faeth
631-589-7345
631-588-1931
631-909-1229
631-648-3140
631-765-2208
WF Train Operation
WF Train Maintenance
Computer/Tel Install
Dinky #399
Bob Simonson
Tom Collins
Dick Horn
Bill Raynor
516-378-2090
631-325-0630
631-757-5577
631-727-6090
Visit our website:
www.rmli.org
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Once A Hobo
6
Many Hands Exhibit
4
2007 Fundraiser List
3
2006 Contributors
2
2007 Events
1
From the President
Riverhead Site
631-727-7920
Greenport Site
631-477-0439
P.O. Box 726
Greenport, NY 11944-0726
Greenport, N.Y.
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