[PRCo] Re: West Penn Cars at PTM

[John Swindler]

>Jim Holland commented:
>
>Good Morning!!
>
>	Welcome back, John   ---   guess you were away   ---   didn't see any 
>posts for about a week.
>

Thanks, Jim.  Do you want to hear about our mini-vacation in Williamsburg??


>	Some observations on the various comments and posts of the past week   --- 
>   Not criticisms!
>
>	It seems that what is too easily forgotten is that if  IS  The  RailFAN  
>who started the museums in the first place  --  and now they  *seem*  to be 
>denigrated as barriers to serving the public.


Only a few of the railfans were interested in starting the museums.  The 
majority were interested primarily in riding and photographing existing 
systems.  And this diversity is fortunate, because both groups provided a 
legacy for PTM.   Those interested in trying to save some cars provided the 
nucleus of PTM's rolling stock.  The more rational ones (hmmm. think about 
it) were interested in fantrips and provided photos and paper documents that 
Ed deals with in the PTM archives.  Fortunately for those of us with a 
fondness for Pittsburgh, both existed locally.



>And as Fred has mentioned, it is the  *Almighty--Dollar*  which actually 
>rules, not People as individuals or groups.


The 'almighty dollar' syndrome rules/has to be considered because it is one 
thing to buy a hunk of scrap metal (trolleycar) and transport it to an out 
of the way location. It is a completely different reality when it comes to 
acquiring rail, wire, ties, and metal working/wood working/electrical 
machinery and parts, etc. to preserve/restore/operate this hunk of scrap 
metal.

I would rather tend to imagine that after the first three cars were moved to 
Arden, had been boarded up, and they were waiting for the 4300 to take the 
group back to Pgh, some of the PERC members might have looked at each other 
and wondered: "Gosh, what do we do now!!"


>	And quite honestly, as a Railfan, I feel pushed out of the picture at 
>museums and get the impressions that railfans are unwanted.


Railfans are wanted.  It's arrogant railfans that are not wanted.  No, let 
me take that back.  It's the railfans that take it too seriously that are 
not wanted (and where do you draw the line).  An example might be Fred's 
story about the TMS member who complained about a Porto car being restored. 
(it's my right to tell others what to do) Also, Dennis C.'s comments about 
railfans that try to turn a discussion towards that which they know 
(hardware, so they can show off their knowledge??).

Perhaps the best suggestion is to consider your experiences at other venues. 
  My wife and I enjoy Scottish festivals.  There are docents that help make 
the festival an enjoyable experience.  There are also visitors who show up 
in full Scottish regalia who give the impression of being 'off the deep 
end'.  My wife also had a co-worker who had an annual pass for a renaissance 
fair, and dressed accordingly.  Went every weekend.  The word 'bizarre' was 
often used to describe this co-worker. (who was perhaps actually trying to 
escape a somewhat dysfunctional home life - a long sordid story)



>I am somewhat  {morbidly)--amused  at this effort at preserving trolleycars 
>*ad--infinitum*  and beyond our own lifespan!!


To some extent I wonder if it is an attempt to hang onto a vision of the 
Pittsburgh of our youth.  But it is not the only example.  Other venues 
again.  In Lancaster County, the Landis brothers collected a bunch of junk 
from around the area, including a school house, general store, old houses, 
etc, and moved them to their farm.  Today is continues as the Landis Valley 
Farm Museum (sort of a pioneer village).  Likewise, what is now 
Williamsburg, Va was an attempt in 1920s-30s to preserve what was left of 
the colonial town, and recreate additional buildings.


>
>	Also, we live in America  --  the land of the free  --  and are supposedly 
>fighting a war to defend that Freedom.    Part of that Freedom is  
>*Freedom--of--Choice.*
>	I--F  a museum chooses the club mentality   ---   so be it.   If they 
>enjoy it, fine.
>If the museum dies, so does everything and everyone else!   Let a museum 
>chart its own destiny.


No argument.  In this case, it appears that the choice for PTM has been to 
move more towards a museum mentality rather then a club mentality (for lack 
of a better way of phrasing it).  And as usual, it is more of a majority 
consensus, rather then unanimous consensus.  And as for other museums, well, 
that is their choice.


>	Those who will  *possibly*  derive the most enjoyment from the trolley 
>museums are those
>who associated with trolleycars in their lives   ---   be they J.Q.Public 
>or J.Q.Railfan.
>	So Enjoy Trolleycars while they are here   ---   they won't last forever   
>---
>trolleycars nor museums.   I would then vote with Greg and  *wish*  to see 
>a WP--700
>operational.


I suspect, emotionally, most of us would like to see a West Penn 700 run 
again.  Me too.  But then enters terms such as cost, practical, resources, 
practical, finances, practical, .... well you get the idea. No, it's not 
impossible to restore 739.  But one of my favorite sayings is:  "nothing is 
impossible for the person who doesn't have to do it".  And that is why most 
of us can express a desire, to varying degrees, to see a WP car run again, 
there is much that should have a higher priority amongst the PTM work crews.

And I, for one, am grateful that there is a group back in the tri-state area 
that has been willing to invest a lot of sweat equity in PTM.

Again, just a distant members viewpoint

John


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