CONGRATULATIONS! We did it. We have saved #6917.
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Thank you very much to everyone out there for your generous help to make this dream a reality. We could not have done it without each and every one of our 90 donors. The total donations we received totalled approximately $42,000. This sends a strong signal to the railway preservation community that there is a real demand to preserve Canadian railway history beyond the 1950s.
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Here’s the plan going forward. VIA will start charging us storage fees next month, and it will probably take us over a year to raise the funds to move the engine to our site. We are in the process of approaching some large corporate donors for the funds for the move to Roundhouse Park.
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In the meantime, a local short line in the GTA has offered to store the LRC on their property for free. They have also offered to help us get it running and even offer cab rides in the LRC on their main line as a TRHA fundraiser. Until we get final approval from the short line’s head office, we can’t say who it is. But all of the short line’s supervisors on the ground are enthusiastic so we are confident that final approval will come through. We think it is an incredible opportunity, and it will cost us only about $5K to move it to their railroad (whereas it will cost at least $75K to move it to the museum). Once final approval comes through, we will get the engine brake tested and moved to the short line this fall.
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If we go the short line route, the plan is to move the LRC from the short line to the museum within four years. We still need donations to complete the next stages of the project, from the move to the repaint to the restoration to full operating condition. So please spread the word and give what you can!
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We plan to restore and repaint the engine next spring/summer. We will be in touch then with a call for volunteers to help get this done. If you have experience working with Bondo and a sander, we need you! And if you don’t, you can learn pretty quickly!
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If your donation is over $25, your tax receipt will be sent out by our treasurer in early 2011. The receipt will be for the full amount, less the value of the thank-you gift. We’re having the LRC pins and hats made this fall and they will be sent to you when ready if your donation qualifies.
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Thank you again to all of our donors for making this happen. Because of their help, #6917 will survive to tell the story of late 20th century Canadian railroading for future generations.
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Note: The TRHA continues to raise funds to finance the restoration of the engine to operating condition and to move it to a new location. To contribute to this campaign, click here!
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Further information on the campaign to restore LRC #6917 and bring the locomotive to Roundhouse Park is being maintained on our “Save the LRC” webpage which can be accessed by clicking here.
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Posting by Jason Shron