Over the past ten years or so, there have been repeated announcements and fundraising appeals for the NMRA “The Magic of Scale Model Railroading Gallery” to be built at the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento. It appears there have also been repeated postponements, and I believe there was supposed to be another fundraising milestone to reach at the end of 2014. Does anyone know the current status of this project, completion date if any, and so forth?
This project is still in the fundraising stage - the total cost is project at about $750,000. Here is a link to the project:
http://www.nmra.org/magic-scale-model-railroading-gallery
There is also a link so you can get status updates on the above page.
Jim
I thought there was an editorial in the Gazette early in 2014 saying that the fundrasing effort would last only until 12/31/14, and if the goal wasn’t met, donations would be returned. Is that still in effect, am I mistaken about the editorial, or have circumstances changed otherwise?
Also, while there are links for donations, I don’t see where I can find status updates on that page.
I don’t recall anything about a deadline like that. I do know that Charlie Getz has been updating developments every so often in his column on the NMRA Magazine.
To get updates on the campaign, there is a link to get emails about it right below the donation button you mentioned seeing.
OK, I see -the links you’re pointing to on the right appear to be general NMRA links to donate to the NMRA generally or to get their general press releases. I get enough spam. . .
What I was really hoping for, and may not have been clear in my post, was that i was requesting specific info on the status of the project. I’m cerainly aware that Mr Getz announces postponements now and then, but I was hoping for concrete info from knowledgeable parties. Sorry or the misunderstanding.
Concrete info is in short supply, except possibly for some group of insiders. What we do know is they sold the HQ building in Chattanooga last year to make up a big chunk of the money. Sort of out of the blue.
jim
I suggest you send them an email asking what the status is.
Enjoy
Paul
John,
Don’t know if you’re a member or not, but the BOD meeting minutes are a very useful source of info. I dug into them to see what’s been reported of late. The minutes from last July are the latest and they indicate that the NMRA is still waiting for the state (California) to finalize the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the NMRA.
Going back to the mid-year minutes from Feb. 2014, the ball was still in the state’s court on the MOU. Over $600,000 were raised as of then. This includes a matching fund of $250,000 from a single contributor, so $350,000 was raised from the other contributors to that point. The Design Contract was ready to be signed, pending the state finalizing the MOU. The state will provide space for the exhibit free for 10 years, with an option to renew for another 10 years.
In the July 2103 BOD minutes, it was reported that some $564,000 was riased so far, enough to proceed with the project. At that point, the BOD authorized the Howell Day Museum (HDM, the formal name for the NMRA’s museum project) Committee to solict and consider bids to build the project and to accept and sign a contract. The contract may not exceeed the funds on hand in the HDM fund and no NMRA funds except for the HDM funds may be used. At that point, they hoped construction would be underway by fall 2014. Obviously, that didn’t happen because the MOU ball is still in the state’s hands (although that may have since changed.)
The Feb 2013 minutes indicated they had just reached the matching fund level of $250,000 that released those funds for use for the HDM fund.
I didn’t go back farther.
Obviously, things are waiting on the state to finalize things. There’s really no pushing them and I suspect that further official commentary about any delay on the state’s part would, ahem, probably unhelpful. It sounds like one of those very typical delays large projects like this often encounter, especially when there’s a government partn
Jim,
As I noted in my reply to John, the status of the project has been updated regularly in the BOD minutes.
I believe you’re incorrect that funds from sale of the building went into the HDM fund. I’ve heard nothing to that effect and pains have been taken from the beginning to emphasize that no funds other than those donated specifically for the HDM will go towards the exhibit.
Sale of the former HQ building was based on two main things. The building was underutilized. Costs of the building exceeded costs of relocating to more suitably sized leased space. It was a dollars and cents decision that reduced operating costs. The deal did move forward fairly rapidly, but this was because it was an opportunity that came up to both solve the NMRA’s limited use, but increasing costs of maintaining it and the railway museum that needed more space for its operations.
AFAIK, this was all handled in accordance with NMRA BOD procedures. Was there something in particular that caused this misapprehension or did you just repeat unfounded rumors heard from others?
Given previous concerns expressed, I thought I’d update the news on the NMRA’s mueseum project in conjunction with the California State Rarilroad Museum (CSRM). President Charlie Getz provided a summary of his report to the BOD meeting last month, although it occurred after press time, in the April 2015 NMRA Magazine. Here’s what was said about the status of things in Getz’s report to the BOD.
Charle Getz wrote:
The Gallery Exhibit is back on track. A one-year hold-up in final approval by the State was due to internal issues within the [CSRM] unrelated to either the Gallery Exhibit or the [NMRA] Library. I recently met with CSRM curator Paul Hammond and as a result, sent a letter to renew the process. The good news is we caused none of the delay nor did it have a negative effect on the projects. I will continue to report our progress on this crucial effort, but so far, so good.
Sorry, I didn’t see your post or would have responded sooner. Nope, not repeating rumors, nor trying to start them. And I do read the BoD minutes. It’s the fact that we seem to have to search for information to find it, and that these very major dollar decisions, seem to be reported after the fact rather than input being sought before hand. And then, unfortunately, discussion seems to happen like we are doing here, in the MR forum, because the NMRA seems tied to snail mail and letters in the magazine to discuss things. Just not a very efficient system today.
As for the specific museum issue, I am of the view it is not in the best interest of NMRA or the hobby to fund a display at the California RR museum alone. It really does very little to get the hobby out in front of the vast majority of the country. If it has to be a museum, I believe that smaller, interactive displays at the hundreds of small science and learning centers in cities and towns around the country would be more effective in getting the hobby in front of people at a reachable level. A huge display may be awe inspiring, but most will see it as a museum experience. The dozens or more 4x8s and ISL the same money could fund will bring it directly home as something everyone can do.
jim
Jim,
That’s an interesting idea, but would take the efforts of hundreds of people to deal with trying to persuade hundreds of museums to take on a new exhibit. While CSRM is one exhibit in one place, it’s also one that is very strategic. CSRM is well-regarded in the filed and well-visited by the public, so a high profile location that reaches the most people for the least per-head cost.
Keep in mind that the funds involved aren’t general NMRA funds, but ones raised with the specific idea of this form as the goal. While it may not be all things to all people, it has drawn significant support from the community and that’s pretty important.
I do like your idea, though. It’s one that COULD be easily executed at the local level by divisions working with museums in their area. But it’s something that’s distinct from what is being done with this project.
Mike,
I’m going to throw this out there as perhaps something. We are trying to encourage a link to the Scouts via the RR Merit Badge. So perhaps Divisions or local clubs could grow this by linking these local museums to Eagle Scout projects. Developing and leading a community service project is one of the Eagle requirments and building an interactive display that links local history through model railroading for a local museum, library, etc could support the Eagle, the NMRA, and the local community. Perhaps NMRA and BSA National could create a joint program to encourage such??? Just thinking out loud here. I’ll throw something out at our next local BSA District meeting and see who shoots holes in it. Thanks for the idea.
jim