January 2008 President’s Report

By Ira Pollack

 

Dear Membership,

            Hope your holidays have been good to you over these past years.

            I’ve been trying to keep you posted on a weekly and monthly basis of what we do here at the Museum. I have always been very strong on communicating with the membership on what our goals will be and what has happened or what direction we should move in. That is why you elected me as President five years ago – to lead this organization in both the present and looking forward to planning our future. I feel that we have moved with great momentum and speed over these years. Many great things have happened as a result of our focus, both individually and as a group or team effort. We must try to continue this focus on our direction and planning. It seems to me that we can lose this direction easily with all of the different things going on at the Museum.

            I’d like to show you my goals as President for this upcoming year. I had hoped to talk to you at the last Open Membership Meeting on December 19th, but either bad weather or the holiday season got in the way. To my great disappointment only five people showed up to this meeting. This is my reality, my goal, as it always has been as President of this organization – to plan for and work toward our future, and to communicate it to you.

 

YARD –

1) Continue track maintenance program; new ties replacement – joint bars – retamping areas from 2007 season; keep up a maintenance program

2) CV flat car turned into a RYL open air riding car

3) Raise a temporary building in the yard for maintenance and repair

4) Finish the roof on the NYC caboose

5) Do cosmetic restoration on #1402 RS11 locomotive

6) Continue cosmetic restoration and stabilization of #1455 steam locomotive and tender

7) Continue cleanup of the railyard – scrap old vehicles and metal, turning scrap metal into cash for the railyard

8) Stabilize the turntable – replace outrigger bearing, paint the bridge girder

 

MUSEUM OVERVIEW –

1) Continue looking at new events – antique cars, hobo convention, concert series at turntable, caboose or Budd car day, Metro-North excursion to Kent, CT

2) More interaction with our city, state, Metro-North, Housatonic RR, local organizations

3) Get the yard lease extended by CDOT

4) Resolve equipment ownership in the railyard (Tonawanda Valley, etc.)

5) Pursue ownership and transport of S1, T2 electric locomotives

 

ADMINISTRATIVE GOALS –

1) Advertising and Marketing Manager – We have a dire need for promoting our Museum’s growth and publicity

2) Bigger and better fundraising

3) Hire a grant writer who will collaborate with our group

4) More bus tours – group tours, school groups (under marketing)

5) Volunteer coordinator (needed to integrate new members into our workforce)

6) Enhanced training programs for i.e. Gift Shop, Front Desk, train crew

            These are but a few of my goals, but I want to know what are yours? In what direction do you think the Museum should go? What is your vision of this Museum five years or ten years from now? The time for our planning is now. What do you plan on, and what are your ideas of goals for the future of this Museum? Would you let me know? Thank you, and have a Happy New Year!