Trains' 2016 Preservation Award, and how you can help save railroad history for $3 a day

We announced the availability of our annual Trains Preservation Award earlier this week. It goes to a worthy non-profit for restoration or preservation of a locomotive, rolling stock, or structure, or for an archive. This will be the 17^th year for the $10,000 award, so with it, we’ll crest $170,000 spent on railway preservation. You can look back on previous award winners and their projects here: http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2015/03/trains-preservation-award. The 2015 winner, Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 No. 1309 at Western Maryland Scenic, is moving toward completion late this year.

 Organizations that wish to apply for the 2016 award have until Oct. 28 to do so. Details about applying are at: http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2016/08/15-trains-magazines-seeks-proposals-for-10000-preservation-award

 That’s the good news. Now for the bad news. There’s still a ton of work that needs to be done in preservation that needs to be funded beyond what the Trains grant will do. What can you do? You’re probably telling yourself that you don’t have $10,000 to spend on a set of boiler tubes for the steam restoration project or reupholstering seats in that lounge car that you’re fond of. Who does, right? But that still doesn’t mean you cannot make a difference.

 Here’s how you do it: Donate $1,000 this year. You can do it. It is not that hard. Every railway preservation group has a board member, treasurer, or development officer who makes it his or her business to make it easy for you to donate on a regular basis. Talk to them, and then ask them to break it down into a manageable chunk, say a $90 donation per month via credit card (which actually will get you to $1,080, allowing for those $80 bucks to pay the credit card fee). $90 per month will cost you $3 per day. Can you forego a latte? Eat out one less time per week? That’s where you get your $3 for preservation.

 But wait, there’s more. Now that you’ve made the commitment, go out and find 10 more folks who are passionate about the project you’re interested in. Ask them to make the $3 per day donation commitment. Got that? That is 10 $1,000 donors. And there: You matched our grant!

 I’ve made my preservation donation through a monthly contribution via credit card for 20 years, and it is easy and painless. At the end of the year, I’m happy that I contributed, and my accountant has a nice deduction to file on my taxes. Give it a try. You’ll be glad you made did something for history’s future.