Re: Dorrigo Rolling Stock

["Trevor Edmonds" <tedmonds@tmx.com.au>]

GOODWIN ALCO wrote in message ...

<<I have to agree with Darren. This shot is a photo of the condition of some
stock at Lowanna (not at Dorrigo). My last visit to Dorrigo itself showed a
better picture than this. Admittedly there was "some" very run down
rollingstock, but look at the size of the collection.>>

Thanks Brad. The photo did not get as far as me so I am fighting blind at
the moment. Of course we have some rolling stock in poor condition. If you
look back over this thread I never claimed otherwise (I merely challenged
one whinger to find some - he couldn't). Most of our stock is in reasonable
or better condition.

One of the hardest things to maintain is the masonite sided cars. The
railways started to use ordinary masonite during WW2. Once it starts to
deteriorate, the cars look ratty, but the interiors are surprisingly good.
We also have quite a number of cars that were used as workmen's vans and
were trashed before we got them. Not the ideal candidates for preservation,
but often the only examples in existence.

The rollingstock at Lowanna was marooned there when the SRA banned trains
running on the line. There is no point attempting to maintain passenger
rollingstock at such a remote location. There is no way to control vandalism
etc. We have concentrated on maintaining and weatherproofing the cars at
Dorrigo. Some of the cars at Lowanna will be scrapped on site.

<<No museum can work miracles with member help and money given. I think many
museums probably have their selection of major tasks sitting around.>>

Even the public museums have this problem. The Powerhouse Museum's 3265
looked absolutely derelict before work started on it.

<<What is prefered, a huge awaiting restoration job or no carrage kept for
history at all.>>

Well said. Many people knock us for the size of our collection, but are hard
pressed to nominate a significant portion of it that should have been let go
to scrap.

Trevor

>Brad
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>
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