In my small town of Thamesville, the original train station, built in 1910, by the Great Western Railway, is still standing. It was originally painted “box car red”, but has be repainted a yellow colour. The station is at the moment falling apart, and I’d like to save it and turn it into a museum. I’ve also seen pics in books of this station and it is VERY NICE LOOKING, but you can’t tell now… I, seeing as I’ve only convinced a small amount of adults to help, need help from a better source. So, I’d like to see what you guys think I should do. Here’s some pics. (also, the foundation for the water tower is still in place, maybe replace could be built)
Also, my little town doesn’t have much going for it…stores are closing faster than they open, people are moving away, we’ve lost our two largest factories, and there is not much sense of community in this town anymore. I’d like to get my town involved in something as a community project.
Also, Thamesville is ALWAYS referred to as ONE BIG FAMILY in all the books about my small community, but that is lost now…
Don’t know all the details but this reminds me of the movie “The Last Picture Show”. Can’t tell you how many of the Reading’s stations (most notably Outer Station in Reading PA) have gone bye-bye. It might be best to record everything you can in a dying town and support the Chatham RR museum (display?) just down the road.
Might it work as a community center, to get some of that spirit back ? Cafe ? Coffee & WiFi shop ? Teen center ? Library ? Visitor’s Center ? Town or Chamber of Commerce office ? Bank office ? Doctor or other professional office ? Yoga or art studio ? Karate school or gym ? Private residence ?
rixflix will be amused to see that the 1st 4 of these are all ex-Reading RR stations . . .
This same post was made to the MR “General Discussion” board on 04/25 which drew numerous responses. It was then posted again on 04/25 to the Trains “Steam & Preservation” forum, likely as a result of a suggestion on the MR board that preservation was the proper heading. Now it appears again with a posting of 04/26 within a different forum. With replies in hand, why the repeat?
I am reminded of a situation in Pecatonica, Illinois, where a teenager was interested in starting a preservation effort for the former C&NW station in that small town. This was likely 20-30 years ago, and the tracks had been pulled up. He was able to enlist a good deal of media attention and some funding, and did develop a “museum” of train stuff. Much of the collection lacked theme and lacked interpretation. The young fellow grew up and went on to other endeavors (as far as I know), and now there is now no mention of the train station/museum in the promotional Web descriptions of the town and its history. Some things are good ideas and some things are nice ideas, but we don’t always have the financial means to accomplish them… nor does everyone else share our same interests.
I do suggest taking plenty of good photos of your station. Go down there and take close measurements of the structure as well. Make some notes about any observations, such as that paint color history or where you may observe that there used to be a door or window that was later filled in. That way you will have the full information to re-create your station in model form in the future and enjoy the memory of the place and the time spent there.
The former Reading RR station in Kutztown, Berks Co., PA was used as an Agway retail store for a while - I believe it’s still used for storage by that business (which moved the store operation to the east end of town some years ago).
Son, your desire to save the station is most admirable, but if the your town is dying, and from your description I assume it is, then the best thing you can do is get yourself a red-hot education so you can make a good living somewhere else when the end finally comes. Some towns die, it happens, and there’s not much you can do about it. Sooner or later you and everyone else is going to have to go where the work is.
I’ve gotten tired of being told me town is dying. I’ll get rich and buy up the whole town to keep er alive. You let you’re town die, and I’ll save mine![:(!]
Yep, I didn’t want to be too blunt earlier, but kid, get the education and broadened experience to move out…One of my brothers had a learning disability (whatever that is and I think we all had 'em at points in our lives) and became interested in the Reading Company and especially the Schuylkill Canal. This got him away from an obsessive collection of mint Hot-Wheels cars and into success at school and beyond. And yes, I traipsed (or in PA dutch trepped) through terrain and poison ivy myself before he was born.
On your way out, take time to to talk to old-timers, photograph what’s important to you and them, and otherwise record in memory what you had in that space and time.
It will last. I am 64 now and can recall a whole lot from my past. The trouble today is nobody wants to prompt you… John Prine’s’ “Hello In There” syndrome “I suppose”
And lastly, the people who organized that Chatham exhibit would be a likely source to contact and could move you out of your lonely space.
