Re: Ropes Creek Branch.

[Greg Rudd <grudd@mail.usyd.edu.au>]

Michael Kurkowski wrote:

> Greg Rudd <grudd@mail.usyd.edu.au> said:
>
> >> You mean a railway museum isn't supposed to OPERATE its exhibits.
> >> WOW! So many rail museums around the world have got it totally wrong
> >> then... you'd better to write to all of them and point out the error
> >> of their ways!!!!!
> >
> >Operating trains is the biggest cost to a museum.  I was just pointing
> >this fact out. from both a balance sheet perspective and cost to the
> >bottom line.
>
> But, your website states that the money will be put towards getting your
> branchline running. Which opinion here is official? Here we have the DSRM
> website stating that the money goes into getting the line running, but here
> we have you saying that running the line costs too much so you will
> preserve the rollingstock instead.
>

Find out for yourself, don't take my word for it. I don't speak for the DSR&M.

My point was that if Rail access charges become prohibitibly expensive to
presevation groups. The running of main line tours could become totally
un-economic to the presevation groups and as a result we could only see static
exhibits or limited operations on branchlines.  All it takes is a change of
attiutude of the Rail access companies towards presevation groups.  One of the
advantages of the settlement between the Friends group and the DSR&M is that
both parties don't have to pay rail access charges as they both own each half
of the line.  The main task now for both organisations to put the past behind
them and to look ahead to the future.

>
> If indeed, Dorrigo are supposedly putting the money towards getting the
> branchline running, then why the hell has nothing been done and each day
> they seem to be collecting more and more rollingstock?
>

I think you should be directing this question in writing to the board of the
museum. I think you know the address.

> I don't understand the logic...
>
> Regards
>
> Michael