Last spring, in the wake of the Canadian National takeover of the Duluth, Missabe, and Iron Range Railway, the DMIR put together a finance deal so that the Lake Superior Railroad Museum could purchase the two most historicial coaches on the DMIR, The Northland buisness car, and the W-24 combo. Now they reside in the great care of the people at the LSRM and have operated on multiple excursions over the museums tourist train, The North Shore Scenic Railroad. I was wondering, do any other railroads go to some lengths to preserve their history? Like, did the SP[sigh] or C&NW[sigh] help museums or historical socities purchase some of their equipment before they went under? Please reply back with any info you have about this.
It seems like SP sold the D&RGW F9A and F9B (or both F9Bs) for $1 each (if I remember correctly) to a museum in the Denver, CO area not too long before being devoured by UP. However, I cannot remember SP selling any of its business cars or locomotives in that time frame. Although UP sold, or donated, the SP SD45R that was the first SD45 to a museum. I think it was in Utah.
C’mon guys help me out.
As steam died, there seems to be an effort by railroads to donate equipment in parks & sidings all along the main lines. Many of these donations have rusted away in the 40years of sitting in the rain. Even the MSI trains have moved indoors. They are the property of the community that may not have been able to properly care for them.
Throughout the southeast (Virginia, Tennessee) the Norfolk Southern has donated cabooses to on-line communities. Some of these are still trackside and most I’ve seen are in very good shape. They aren’t always “railroad accurate” though. At least one town along a former Southern branch has a “Norfolk & Western” caboose. But it is appreciated just the same…