January 2010 President’s Report

By Ira Pollack

In this month’s report I first would like to wish you all well with good health and fortunes. To start off, I would like to thank CDOT and the City of Danbury Police and Highway Departments for their help in erecting four railroad station signs on Patriot Drive and on White Street, denoting the Metro-North Railroad Station. This has been an ongoing problem at our Museum, with passengers coming to our station requesting tickets, missing trains, and becoming somewhat confused in their directions to the commuter station. I am hoping that these signs will somewhat clarify directions to the Metro-North station, and ease the frustrations of this daily problem. My thanks go out to Mr. James Fox (CDOT), Chief Alan Baker (Danbury Police Department), Mr. Marc Otfinoski (CDOT), and members of Danbury Highway for their diligence in making this happen.

We also have been having some problems at our back gate off of Patriot Drive. Our locking of the gates has once again caused frustrations with the different entities that must access our property. To date, there are three different locks on that gate – one for the Danbury Sewer Department, one for our vendors and Metro-North, and one for DRM members. Are you confused yet? The key, which is probably the wrong term, is to lock each lock to another, and finally loop the chain around the gate. This should allow each group to use their respective lock and go their merry way. I guess it sounds simple enough, but . . . . !

I am trying to look ahead and begin planning out our upcoming season in the yard now, because before you know it, it will be here. My goals remain the same for the most part. Trackwork will continue on Tracks 18 and 42, with possible tie replacement on Track 26. I would love to be able to have a dedicated work session, possibly once a month, with an all-hands turnout of volunteers working on that one dedicated project for that weekend. This last year we did that just one time and it was a huge success. My continued goals are still painting the turntable and replacing the operator’s booth, scrapping of steel around the yard, and possibly rebuilding a flatcar into a riding car for our Railyard Local. I have great expectations, but also great frustrations in finishing these projects because weather is a determining factor, and volunteers are very few at times. I feel that time is our biggest enemy, but there never is enough of it. As usual we have much before us. I am hoping that once the weather breaks, we can begin working Saturdays again, and I will be contacting you for work sessions.