[PRCo] PRCo. and WP film tips

[Fredbruhn at aol.com]

It may not have been mentioned in the recent discussions on film tricks, but 
when we stopped in Mt. Pleasant on our WP trip last spring, Fred III and Ed 
(I believe) pulled out monopods to mount to the camera to take shots of a 
genuine two hole outhouse along side the WP right of way north of town.  No 
better way to steady a camera.

Fred - is the 35 to 80 Nikor lens you mentioned the one that is supplied 
currently on the N65 outfit?

Fred had some really good points on trolley museums.  We need to get him 
wound up more often because he has the future of our museums correctly 
stated.  (After a long days trip in a car he can also get very mellow with a 
decent glass of wine, good company and a decent menu to look over.)  Roger, 
you mentioned two museums 
that I would suspect might go high on Fred's list.  We may take for granted 
what success the PTM has had, and continues to have, and the vision for the 
future.  Its not luck and not the old railfans.  Becker and the museum know 
how to find money, and it is out there for the asking but you need to have 
your ducks in line.  They have found a key in education in the schools, at 
the museum, and in the media to attract
people.  Very few other museums have the organization, business management, 
archive development and tools to achieve what PTM is doing.  Roger you 
mentioned that Seashore has tried "the grant route."  I would question how 
successful they have been.   

  And remember what Fred said, the current guys running things are not the 
first generation.  We are all 60 +, except for Ed who is ageless.  I don't 
know much about the other museums today, but ORM has accomplished almost 
nothing in 30 years, (my opinion) except bicker.  And what is so unfortunate 
is they had some rare and interesting cars.  Roger mentions NORM.  A bunch of 
gun-ho guys who have stored a bunch of ragged cars in a field for 20 years.  
A for effort, F for results.
Trolleyville as I remember was mostly financed by one man, the owner of the 
park.  
I was at Seashore 25 years ago, sounds like they are about the same today as 
then.
I've only seen video tape of Orange Empire, but I like what I see of PTM 
better.  I have not been to IRM but don't hear anything bad about them.  When 
you look back at PTM and realize what has been done in 45 years, it is 
constant improvement.
I worked there a lot from 1959 to about 1963.  All the original PERC founders 
were involved so you would expect a lot of progress.  We spent one summer 
adding a turnout lead to the barn and raising the barn leads about 18" where 
the new industrial park road would go.  That was the sum total of our 
progress.  John Wilkens added the overhead one summer and got power just 
before he run WP 1 into Rinneys Pay Car.  Today equipment is getting restored 
the right way, there are line extensions, a solid membership, and a solid 
future.  Use PTM as a benchmark.  There are others for sure, maybe Baltimore, 
Halton County for sure, and I wouldn't want to exclude any but it won't take 
long for anyone to develop a mental list as Fred might do and come to the 
same conclusion. We all need to continue sending in those $10 and $20 checks 
to our favorite car fund, and without them they won't get restored, but 
beyond that be sure the museum your associated with is being run so it will 
be around.    

the other Fred