[PRCo] Re: West PENN 700s WE HAVE

[Edward H. Lybarger]

We've had this discussion...as recently as two Saturdays ago, when I played
devil's advocate by suggesting that the public not be allowed to see the
junk. Period.   A political reality, though, is that we raised money for a
display building and we have to display things.  Everything will be cleaned
up a bit during the trip, and the four cars in front will receive special
attention.  We are obligated to show funders as much or as little of this as
they want to see, and this is all right, since we have STRONGLY sold the
point that this building will get the cars under cover and prevent further
deterioration.

The public at large isn't going to fund any restorations to any great
degree.  That which they do will likely be a result of what they are allowed
to see in the shop.  We are successful in fund raising because we DO
perform...what we say will be built gets built.  Once all the infrastructure
is in place the efforts will focus on operations and restoration, and I have
no reason to believe that, based on performance to date, we will be any less
successful.  A lot of foundations know about us now, and they, like
politicians, want to send their money where it will make them look good.

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of Fred
Schneider
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 7:35 PM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: West PENN 700's WE HAVE


There is a problem with letting the public see the unrestored junk ... they
will be less willing to contribute to restoration if everything looks like
junk.   One car for the public to see with a plea for money is fine.  Twenty
or
thirty of them is counter productive;  it is like saying, "Please give you
dollars to someone else who can put them to much better use."

"Edward H. Lybarger" wrote:

> It will be available for viewing once it's inside the new blimp hangar
this
> summer.  All the tarps will be removed prior to moving the cars, I'm told.
> The public will be admitted to this building, too, though not as regularly
> as the members!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
> [mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of
> AProchek at aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 4:42 PM
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: West PENN 700's WE HAVE
>
> I think everything should be put out on display, regardless of visual or
> operating condition.  Maybe they have to be behind curtains to shield them
> from the general public, but I suspect a lot of you, like me, look at a
> disintegrating hulk of a streetcar body the same way art historians look
at
> a broken up Greek statue.  I haven't seen 739 WP car since it was moved
out
> of the barn and put under tarp, and I'd hate to wait until it gets a new
> paint job.