January 2007 - James Werner

January 2007
Fall Membership Meeting
The Fall Membership Meeting and officers’ elections took place on Nov. 4, 2006 at the Greenport Museum.
Highlights included:
- ELECTIONS:
All officers were reelected, as follows:
President, Dennis Harrington
Vice President, Tom Collins
Secretary, Dick Horn
Treasurer, Al Schick
- As of the meeting, there were 268 paid members (as of
12/27/06, that number is 298).
- GREENPORT REPORT:
The Village of Greenport cleaned out the turntable pit. An Eagle Scout project for the Boy Scouts is
planned that will fix the turntable wall, clean the pit and put down gravel.
There was a break-in at the Museum in August causing $900 in glass damage and some graffiti. As a result, the fire/burglar alarm was upgraded and now has central monitoring.
The Museum operated from May 27 to October 9 on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, as well as for various school/scout groups. Total attendance was 1151, up from 1072 in 2005.
Donations and gift shop sales came to just over $4000.
A New York State grant to paint the museum building is being looked into.
- RIVERHEAD REPORT:
Central air conditioning was installed on the first floor of the visitors center. Gutters are also planned to
be installed.
A question about expenses resulted in a mention of the cost of insurance. A major expense, it is approximately $12,000 per year.
Events included the August Rail Festival (this came close to a record for funds taken in) and the September Hobo Homecoming. The theme for the 2007 Railfest will be “circus trains.” A September 2007 event is
still to be determined. (continued on page 2)
POSTBOY
Fall Membership Meeting
(continued from page 1)
The New York City Transit Museum requested artifacts for an exhibit at Grand Central Terminal in 2007. Cooperation in the past from RMLI has resulted in a good relationship between the two museums.
RMLI gets offered donations that sometimes must be declined, due to either their condition or relevance to
Long Island. For example, a trolley car in poor condition was offered, as well as former LIRR Ping Pong cars in
poor condition. Also, the LIRR offered a set of M1 MU cars, which are in the process of being acquired.
Engine 39’s boiler restoration work is progressing. As work progresses, unforeseen circumstances have been
pushing the timeline out. But decisions are made on doing the job right as opposed to putting off the work for a
later date. The ISTEA grant for this phase of restoration is valid until August of 2007. There is a shortfall of approximately $140,000 for undercarriage work. But until funds from the current grant are exhausted, additional
grants cannot be applied for. In anticipation of future grants, anyone who can help with grant writing should contact the Museum.
- MERCHANDISE REPORT
Both Museum sites’ gift shops have a broad range of merchandise intended to interest the railfan as well as
the general public. New items include a Dashing Dottie patch, as well as a new RMLI jacket featuring the Alco
RS3, #1556.
The first collectors O-scale car resulted in a profit of $8000. The second car, the Atlantis Aquarium car, has
sold 451 pieces so far. The third car in the series will be a joint Northfork Bank – NY and Atlantic Railway gold
bullion car.
- NEW BUSINESS
It was suggested that there be more children oriented events, since children bring parents and grandparents
who support the Museum through gift shop purchases and donations.
After the meeting, some of the members went
over to Frank Field’s Peconic County Miniature
Rail Road. Frank & Tony ran the trains for those
members, shown at left with Frank’s new “toy,” a
CSX switcher.
The new jacket shown at right is now available. Contact
the Museum at 631-727-7920 for information on size,
price, and availability. The jacket is personalized with
your name on the front, so it is custom ordered for you.
IT LOOKS REALLY GREAT IN COLOR!
2
January 2007
Long Island Oddities Slide Show
and Lecture
The Trustees of the Railroad Museum of Long Island are proud to host a slide show and lecture by Long Island
Oddities Editor and television producer, Mr. John Leita, entitled "Abandoned Railroad Lines of Long Island." This
program will be held on Saturday, March 10, 2007 at 3:00 PM in the Suffolk County Historical Society education
hall, 300 West Main Street (across from the Riverhead Public Library), Riverhead, NY. Snow date is Saturday,
March 17 at 3:00 PM. Ample municipal parking is available in the courthouse parking area, Osborne and Court
Streets - behind the Historical Society building.
Please join us to explore abandoned and long removed railroad tracks such as the Wading River Branch of the
LIRR; the Sag Harbor Connector, the "Scoot" run-around from Manorville to Eastport; the Calverton Spur and the
rail lines that served NY State Hospitals at Central Islip, Pilgrim State and Kings Park.
Admission is FREE and open to the public. Information tables for the Railroad Museum of Long Island and Long
Island Oddities will be available. See us on the web at www.rmli.org and www.lioddities.com.
LIRR News Update
- LIRR President James Dermody retired in September, having worked for the Rail Road since 1958. He was one
LIRR president who supported rail preservation efforts on Long Island.
- The LIRR named Ray Kenny as Acting President. Mr. Kenny is a fellow member of RMLI.
- The last of the Budd M1 MU cars are being retired, with the last ones slated to have been withdrawn from service by the end of 2006. However, as of 12/31/06, there are reported to be 10 sets still in service. To celebrate the long career (1968-2006) of these popular cars, the Long Island-Sunrise Trail Chapter of the NRHS
hosted a “Farewell to the M1” trip on November 4, 2006. This proved to be a popular and well received trip.
- The ex-LIRR P54 “Ping Pong” coach located on the Long Island
Expressway as a visitor information center was removed during a
two day operation on Dec. 19-20. The car was in a deteriorated
and unsafe state. Its final demise is uncertain, but reports on
the Internet indicate it was scrapped. At right is a photo of the
car from May 21, 2006.
Photo by Paul Strubeck
2007 EVENTS
March 10
slide show/lecture (described above)
April 14
Riverhead site open Saturdays only
May 12
Membership meeting in Greenport, 1:00 PM
May 26
Riverhead & Greenport open Saturdays, Sundays, Monday holidays
August 25-26
Riverhead Railroad Festival, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
September 29
Railroad Folk Music Festival at Riverhead, 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM
3
More info and dates in
the next issue
POSTBOY
The LIRR Goes to Camp
By Al Castelli
Call it CAMP KAY-BOOSE. That’s not a real camp, but it might as well be a real one since there is a “hack” of a
connection between the LIRR and youth camps here on Long Island. And as retired LIRR Conductor J. J. Earl
explained to me, LIRR crews always called the caboose a “hack.” If “caboose” was used, it was pronounced
“kay-boose.”
One well known association between the two is the former Tanglewood Day Camp in Lynbrook and the LIRR’s
1964-65 New York World’s Fair displays. While this camp didn’t have a hack, it acquired the Alco FA1 cab and
observation car end after the Fair ended. These were used at the Fair as photo backdrops. When the camp
closed in the 1990s, the two pieces were acquired by what is now the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum. Restoration
of the Alco cab, from New Haven #0402, is nearing completion. Once completed, the cab will be moved to
Oyster Bay for display, giving visitors the chance to have their picture taken in a locomotive cab. Unfortunately
the observation car end, a 10 foot section of a PRR car, had to be scrapped due to its deteriorated condition.
Photo by Paul Strubeck
Photo by Al Castelli
An actual piece of former LIRR rolling stock is at the Boy
Scout camp in Wading River. A steel hack, #57, is on display at the Schiff Scout Reservation, formerly Camp Wauwepex, of the Theodore Roosevelt Council of Nassau
County. Currently in orange and black paint, the hack
(class N22A) will be restored and repainted into its MTA
yellow and blue paint. These colors were chosen since they are also the colors of the Cub Scouts. Originally
intended to be used as a camp office, the hack will be used as a camp museum. The restoration is being done
by the Wauwepex Society and as part of an Eagle Scout project. By the way, our Secretary, Dick Horn, has been
involved with the Boy Scouts since his youth and has worked at this camp for a long time. He reports that the
LIRR donated the hack to the Council on August 24, 1992. (While I was researching the acquisition date, it
seemed to be a mystery. That is, until the right person heard about it.)
Another camp in Suffolk County has another hack. This one is a wooden unit, #38 (class N52A). It is at Camp
Pa-Qua-Tuck in Center Moriches. This camp was opened in 1948 for children with polio. It is now a camp for
physically and mentally challenged children. Restoration is planned on #38, also as part of an Eagle Scout project. An Internet inquiry led author Dave Keller to report (with information provided by our own Tom Collins)
that the hack was donated to the camp by a Mr. Robinson. He bought the car with the intention of displaying it
in his own backyard. But when it was unable to be moved there, he donated it to the camp. I saw #38 twice,
but since it was part of the camp’s Halloween Spooky Walk fundraiser and was at night, I was unable to take
any photos. At first I thought it was a homemade, shed-like display. But on the second visit I looked closely
and saw that the trucks and frame were the real thing. Once the winter weather passes, I plan on visiting the
camp for some photos and will include them in a future Postboy (the camp requests an appointment be set up
first).
4
January 2007
Toy Train Update
By George Faeth
In November and December, a Lionel O Gauge Thomas the Tank Engine with additional cars (such as Howard the
Helicopter) and additional Engines James and Percy was added to the operating layout in the Riverhead Visitors
Center. These gifts were from Project LITTLE member Dick Sloan in appreciation of the efforts Bonnie Cornett
makes in the Museum Store in marketing Thomas the Tank Engine merchandise. Hopefully this exposure will
improve sales of the Thomas merchandise. Project LITTLE is the group responsible for all the Toy Train activity
at the Museum.
On December 3rd, John Peck and I manned the Museum’s layout at the Hallockville Farm in Riverhead. Richard
Wines, the Director of Hallockville, wrote this thank you letter:
I just want to thank you and your colleagues from the Railroad Museum for bringing your wonderful
model railroad setup to Hallockville’s Homestead Barn for Victorian Christmas Open House. It was
definitely one of the highlights of the day. Both children and adults (myself included) really enjoyed
the display. I hear there were real crowds there at times. Many visitors and volunteers commented to
me later about your display.
Anyway, it was great having you there and we hope you will be back in Victorian Christmases future.
It’s nice to know the Museum’s efforts in the community are well received.
Thomas is at left crossing
the trestle, while, at
right, two of his mates
pull their trains down the
double track main.
Holiday Open House
By Dennis Harrington
On Saturday and Sunday, December 2nd and 3rd, the Museum held its annual Holiday Open
House in Greenport. Santa Claus arrived by train both days.
Ken "Santa" Schaefer reports that Saturday was the busiest Santa day ever! He said the main rush didn't end until
2:30 PM, an hour later than usual. Lots of raffle tickets were sold and the gift shop did well, also. On Sunday, the
end of the line reached Santa at 1:20 PM, which is about normal. Lots of cookies, cider and candy were dispensed to the scores of kiddies who sat on Santa's lap. This was a good-weather, successful weekend financially.
From a public relations viewpoint, it was a grand slam. I was frequently approached by parents and grandparents
who brought their kids to the Greenport freight house, and they thanked the Museum for hosting such a nice event.
Free admission and free cookies and cider made us a lot of friends this weekend. Thanks to all of the volunteers
who made this weekend possible.
5
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
Bob White
631-477-1018
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
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]
[email protected]
Don Bender
Tom Collins
Don Fisher
Dennis Harrington
George Wybenga
[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
Bonnie Cornett
Kate Horn
631-924-7972
631-757-5577
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
631-589-7345
631-588-1931
631-909-1229
631-648-3140
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
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Fall Members Meeting
1
March Slide Show
3
LIRR at Camp
4
P.O. Box 726
Greenport, NY 11944-0726
Toy Train Update
5
Greenport Site
631-477-0439
Holiday Open
House
5
Riverhead Site
631-727-7920
Visit our website:
www.rmli.org
631-730-3888
631-325-0630
631-765-2757
631-261-0104
631-878-0206