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Trains News Wire EXCLUSIVE: Museum, preservationists speak about proposed A4 deal
Maybe a good compromise would be for the Museum to retain ‘ownership’, but to lease it to a British entity on a long-term basis for operation in the UK. Strikes me as far better for a steam locomotive to be operating on rails in its home country than sitting cold in a museum elsewhere.
This is a decision for the board and members of the National Railroad Museum. And their decision alone. Just because someone offers a pot of money for something does not make it a dollars and cents decision. What if someone offered a billion dollars for the Declaration of Independence, considering our national debt would it be worth selling? Anytime museums get into buying and selling what makes them different from say K-Mart? I’m not for against the museums entertaining an offer just not something I would want to be involved in.
The Dwight has been and still is one of the center pieces of the museum and does have quite a history to it. I’ve read a lot of comments out there along the line of “its not part of US railroad history so why keep it”. That may be true that it isn’t, but there is nothing wrong with it and I believe it’s better that there is a foreign piece there to offer even a small glimpse into railroading around the world and also helps tell a story about one of the most turbulent times in history.
As to wondering how it fits into the collection there, it’s not the only overseas piece of equipment there. In the same building as Eisenhower train there is a 2-8-0 that ran in Korea during the Korean War and there is a French 40 and 8 boxcar. Also in the collection is an Alco RSD-1 that was running in Europe during WW2.
The building that the train sits in is climate controlled to allow for idea preservation conditions. This allows for the museum to be able to focus on restoring other pieces in the collection while not neglecting the train.
Well put, Mr. Cunningham. Up the ante just a tad and leave it on British soil, where it was born.
If the Eisenhower loco is that important to the Brits, let them put their money where their mouth is and raise their offer from $1 million. If it’s appraised at $5 million, it would be irresponsible for the museum curator to sell it for less than $5 million.
The UK already got some preserved A4s running, but I think it would be nice to see Eisenhower being preserved back to operational condition and run excursion trains here in the US. I would easily imagine it running on the Northeast Corridor since it’s similar to Britain’s East Coast Mainline (or ECML) since both lines are built for high speed passenger service.
Keep it here. Eisenhower history is American History.
By the way: When will it get back to the museum and when will the new display be done? I would like to go and see it!
The accessioning or deaccessioning of any part of a museum collection is certainly within the jurisdiction of the museum’s board. However, every museum has limited resources and must continually evaluate its collection and collection development policy. What was important to collect 40 years ago may not be central to the museum’s mission today, so it is important for any museum board to look at all options for any element of a collection. Museums regularly exchange or loan pieces of their collection with other museums. They will also deaccession and even dispose of, pieces that cannot be restored or have no ongoing value (or are inferior duplicates).
Most museums have also determined what pieces are their “crown jewels” and are central to their story and integral parts of the collection. I doubt that the Illinois Railway Museum would sell the Nebraska Zephyr to Warren Buffet, no matter how much he offered.
Arguably, the NRM has made that call with regard to the A4. They have invested in Eisenhower’s staff cars, so having a period locomotive associated with Eisenhower is a logical connection. That said, while this is a unique collection of artifacts, it does seem to be a bit of a stretch for that museum, although I would hasten to say that I have not seen their collection development policy.
This is not a problem unique to NRM. I’ve noticed that most railroad museums have some pieces that make you wonder about the decision to place those items in the collection. My experience is that they often came to the museum courtesy of a key benefactor or volunteer who was willing to fund the acquisition, restoration and track space. It does allow museum patrons to experience a piece that they might not otherwise see, but sometimes it feels like a distraction from the preservation of the core collection.
I sort of hope that the Museum’s rejection is solely as an opening gambit to get a better price. I’m not certain what a US-based railroad museum achieves in having a British locomotive in its collection. Yes, that is one of the finest pieces of British engineering ever made. Yes, it has a tie to a major US historical person. But I’m not certain that the A4 advances the story of US railroading. Now, if you could draw a line from key innovations in the A4 that were adopted by US railroads… perhaps, but I don’t see that. It is a beautiful locomotive, but I seriously doubt that we will ever see it operate on US rails.
I would much prefer to see it lovingly restored and cared for in the UK where it belongs, helping to tell the story of UK railroads and engineering.
The Museum has a right to recover the investment that it has made in that locomotive, but since it was “donated”, I’m not certain why they would hold out for the appraised price. Sort through the transportation and basic restoration costs, add in something for indoor track space and preservative maintenance over the years and call it a day. Maybe a million is a little light, but I’d take the check and reinvest that money in equipment that better tells the story of US railroading.
I agree with Mr. Cunningham, I think museums in the US go too far in holding on to pieces that would be better suited to other places, e.g. the only surviving DL&W steam engine in St. Louis that the museum there won’t allow to go to Steamtown in Scranton.
Having seen what the loco looked like when she went through Halifax and how she looks now, I would suggest that the US Museum will only be too happy to send her back in 25 years for the 100th Anniversary and a new coat of paint!
It’s a steam loco, it should be running, let it run.
It would seem that the thought that the NRM could retain ‘ownership’ of the A4, but with the codicil that the British Organization could have ‘custody’ in a long term arrangement; that would be the best way for railfans in Britain to be able to enjoy an operational A4, and the NRM to have funds available to increase their focus on American Rail History. Not to mention that the funds used to ship the Eisenhower locomotive back to Wisconsin, from GB would go a long, long way towards making the A4 an operational, and historically significant piece.
And one must notice Mr. Tom Littler’s observations on the subjects of the speed and frequency of steam operations on the East Coast mainline. It is, in fact, a whole different world.
The A4 class is well represented in the UK without 60008. Maybe the anonymous buyer should focus his chequebook on the museums in Manchester or Birmingham and free up another Duchess to run on Britain’s mainlines…?
I’d have to say that just like I aplauded the Rail Giants Museum for agreeing to let 4014 steam again, I’d love to see the Eisenhower steam again in England ( and at the same time, further preserve American rolling stock!)
I’d have to say that just like I aplauded the Rail Giants Museum for agreeing to let 4014 steam again, I’d love to see the Eisenhower steam again in England ( and at the same time, further preserve American rolling stock!)
Leave the “Dwight” in GB. I wouldn’t visit it in the US, but the Brits have funny tastes. Leave her at home, where she belongs. The $$$ could go toward restoration of our own locomotives. Up the ante, Limeys!
Here in the UK we’ve got enough A4’s preserved I feel that as it is named after a great American soldier and statesman I feel that it should stay in the US and be a symbol of the links between our countries