A museum of this type is only as good as people who take an interest in the equipment. The equipment wasn't "allowed" to deteriorate, it was more basic than that , there wasn't anyone with the inclination to work on the stuff.
The most successfull museum in the area is IRM, it got that way because of motivated and very clever members, not because of large donations of cash.
They have, contrary to the standards of genuine museums, been disposing of historic one of a kind artifacts (some of which they negligently allowed to deteriorate) , even when organizations have come forward to offer to save them, evicted an excellent model railroad display, and are reportedly now demanding either big money or the return of their Milwaukee Road 261 -- which they let rust ourdoors for years -- rather than assist in the repairs needed to let it run again, which one would think would be the ultimate goal of any genuine railroad museum. Who is in charge up there and what's the story? Seems like they have mistaken their museum for a mere tourist attraction.
Dave Nelson
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