Article From the Summer 2003 Issue of
HEADEND
The Journal of the New York Museum of Transportation
DID YOU KNOW…?
We don’t have enough room here to do an article on all that goes on at the museum, but the following should give a little credit where it’s due, and give readers an idea of the variety of opportunity for involvement offered at NYMT.
CASEY JONES GETS OPERATORS
To kick off the summer track car operating season, the museum held its annual "Return of Casey Jones" event on May 18, 2003, featuring the 1920’s-era track car that once served on the Rochester Subway. This year, Gary Morse provided a training session
for a group of volunteers, certifying them for operation of the car in future events. These people are also now ready to perform the maintenance Casey needs on a regular basis for the only piece of operating equipment from the Rochester Subway. Gary provided the training materials all laid out with the same meticulous attention to detail that he demonstrated in his restoration of the car. Now, we’re ready to maintain and run Casey Jones ourselves and give Gary a much deserved rest.
A key part of Casey training was learning the procedure for
bringing the car from the exhibit hall to the passenger siding.
More Recent Accomplishments Around NYMT
• Business Methods, a local supplier of copiers and network services, has generously donated a new office copier to replace the one they’ve been keeping alive (also free) for many years.
• Paul Monte has removed the stack for the pot-bellied stove that was decommissioned from the Gift Shop, and has put in a new corrugated roof panel to cover the hole and put an end to the leaks there.
• Randy Bogucki and Jim Dierks took care of the weed whacking to get the museum looking spiffy for Diesel Days. Dave Peet and Bob Miner have been doing yeomen’s duty on the mowers, too! Summer has been warm and wet, and the grass just keeps growing.
• We ought to start a club of the many volunteers who have painted the R&E waiting station over the years! It’s one of the first things arriving visitors see, so we want to keep it looking good and protected. Jim Dierks, a second-timer, with the help of Don I-already-did-the-roof Quant, got a fresh coat on the structure just in time for the big crowd at Diesel Days.
• Speaking of getting things looking nice, way back in May our clean-up work party brought in lots of volunteer help. Joe DiBenedetto, Bill Shattuck and Randy Bogucki policed the grounds, and Kathy Mielke, Roger Harnaart, Tom Dunham, Joe, Randy and Jim vacuumed and dusted the exhibit hall.
• Phil McCabe, when not operating our track car for group visits, has made several signs and repainted the one that directs visitors from the parking lot to the entrance.
• Eric Norden has repaired the roof on Genesee & Wyoming caboose 8 by attaching a new sheet of canvas where part of the old roof had been shredded by winter winds.
• Don Quant has made and installed a bracket to properly mount the rear license plate on fire truck 307.
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Our annual "Worlds in Miniature" show was the biggest yet, with exhibits of model steam engines, numerous boats and ships, and the exquisitely detailed modules made by Don Shilling. Adding to the fun this year were models from the museum’s own collection—fire trucks, cars and sailing ships.
Al Reinnagel and grandsons Kolby Foret and Alex Reinnagel
kept things moving, running all their engines on live steam.
• For those keeping track of important anniversaries, June 12 was the 10th Anniversary of the Golden Spike ceremony that celebrated completion of the rail line between NYMT and RGVRRM.
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Randy B. and Tony Mittiga have been devoting countless hours to maintaining and upgrading the rail line this summer. Randy organized "Gandy Dancer Day" on Sunday, August 3, to demonstrate track work for visitors.
Rick Israelson, Randy, Dave Luca, Mark Pappalardo and
Tony Mittiga replace a tie and show off Randy’s new ballast sifter.
SOME SPECIAL VISITORS
How Do I Sign Up to Help?
Well, all our visitors are special, of course, but we thought you’d like to know about two family groups that stopped by recently. Three generations of the Eugene Faust family visited in late April to say hello to Rochester & Eastern 157. The Fausts donated the well-preserved interurban car body to the Magee Transportation museum in the 1970’s, thus saving it for its eventual return to Rochester.
Gene and Anne Faust with their daughter, Jane, and her sons
Michael and John all approve of 157’s restoration progress.
Here are the coordinators responsible for training and scheduling volunteer positions at the museums. They are the ones to call to start your participation:
Gift Shop and Ticket Desk……………...
Marie Miner (671-3589)Track Car….….………...…..…………..Harold Russell (427-9159)
Model Railroad……………………..Dick Luchterhand (334-9228)
Depot Guide…………….…………..….…. Dave Peet (586-8964)
Group Tour Guide…………….…..…….….Jim Dierks (473-5508)