In terms of the deteriorating condition of the locomotives and rolling stock, this has been the norm for the last several years at the museum and it’s not likely to change due to the current bureaucracy that’s been in control for way too long. The museum used to be a good place, but it’s gone downhill quickly ever since they started misusing money/reckless spending. Because of this, many pieces of historically significant rolling stock in the museum’s collection have been neglected and are in horrendous condition, such as Southern 3157, SAL 5246, the Norfolk etc. And 44? I’m willing to bet she’s no longer in a condition that would make her a candidate for a mechanical overhaul. The museum needs to clean house it’s Board of Trustees and Executive Committee if it wants any chance of turning things around, but that won’t happen because the current bureaucracy is very much against new people getting involved who might challenge their power/authority. Until they’re gone, they’ll continue to make stupid financial decisions.
I always though their locomotives were mechanically sound asides from needing new paint. But I didn’t know about the misuse of funds. Is the misuse going towards the tourist aspect of the railroad?
@@oldcarzrule2527 I believe all 3 of the ex AF Baldwins run. At least 2 do, obviously. In terms of the 2 ex Army SW8s, I’ve not seen one operate since 2018. I’m not sure if either are in operating condition, but my guess is no seeing how it’s been the ex AF Baldwins for the last 6 years. Shaw AFB donated 1 of their 2 GE 80ton to the museum this past fall with the other going to Fort Eustis. I don’t know if Shaw has finally shutdown their railroad operations or if they acquired new locomotives. Anyway, the locomotive is in operating condition, or at least it was very recently, so I’ll be interested to see what the museum does with it.
@@oldcarzrule2527 In terms of the money spending, you hit the nail on the head. They’ve been recklessly buying equipment that they don’t really need for the tourist railroad side for years. It all started in 2016 when they bought the bi-level coaches and the ex FRA budd car. The plan was to turn the budd car into an art deco lounge car. Fast forward 8 years and they’ve done nothing with it. In terms of the bi-level coaches, they use them for Easter, pumpkin patch and Christmas trains, but they’re not anything the museum was hurting for. Both the bi-levels and the budd require HEP, so you’d think the next thing they bought would be something they could turn into a generator car. Nope. Instead, they buy 3 of the Ringling Bros cars. Ok, cool pieces of rolling stock that are historically significant. So they got them to be displayed/toured to help tell the story of the importance of railroads to the circus industry, right? Nope again. They too were planned to be turned into some type of lounge cars. Nearly 7 years later, they’ve done nothing with those either and are stored away at either Greenbrier or Rion. The next purchase came in 2021 when they bought 3 baggage cars and 2 sleepers from Amtrak. The plan was to turn 2 of the baggage cars into generator cars (finally) and the other into a tool/storage car. I don’t think I need to say whether or not they’ve done anything with them. You should know the trend by now. Not sure about the plans for the sleepers, but I’m sure nothing will happen with them either. Anyway, my point is that instead of spending money to maintain what they already have, regardless if it’s rolling stock that is for display or to be operated on the railroad, they piss it away on unnecessary equipment then complain when their current equipment is deteriorated/non-operational and they have no money.
@@clemsonpirate7144 I did figure they were tight on money but didn’t realize how bad is was and that it was a result of their own excessive spending. It’s a shame that they do this as they’re really the only railroad museum in South Carolina that is “preserving” the states railroad history (or at least the only one with a large amount of equipment and space to run it). I did notice that they do seem to not have good priorities, such as their GE 45 ton US NAVY #82. As far as I know, it’s a good little engine, it just needs someone to care. It’s been sitting for years and it is significant as it served the Charleston SC Naval base during WW2. As for their generator car plans, there is a generator car at SCRM, just not owned by the museum. It is owned by a TH-cam channel named Rails, Rubber, and Rust who is starting a railroad service company, and in his video where he gets his generator car (ex Norfolk Southern geometry train car) he speaks of the possibility of letting the museum use it on their train. Also, on his channel, he had a video I want to say is over 12 years old of him fixing number 82 at SCRM. He also repaired a USMC GE 80 tonner to service that was headed to the museum but it is in Badin NC (I presume it was sold to the railroad up there) for sale, you can find its listing on sterlingrail.com .
I thought project 44 was long canceled with the acception of the little paint job done to it. But apparently their website now talks about restoring it to operation one day in the donate section. Maybe the engine might come back after all who knows.
In terms of the deteriorating condition of the locomotives and rolling stock, this has been the norm for the last several years at the museum and it’s not likely to change due to the current bureaucracy that’s been in control for way too long. The museum used to be a good place, but it’s gone downhill quickly ever since they started misusing money/reckless spending. Because of this, many pieces of historically significant rolling stock in the museum’s collection have been neglected and are in horrendous condition, such as Southern 3157, SAL 5246, the Norfolk etc. And 44? I’m willing to bet she’s no longer in a condition that would make her a candidate for a mechanical overhaul. The museum needs to clean house it’s Board of Trustees and Executive Committee if it wants any chance of turning things around, but that won’t happen because the current bureaucracy is very much against new people getting involved who might challenge their power/authority. Until they’re gone, they’ll continue to make stupid financial decisions.
I always though their locomotives were mechanically sound asides from needing new paint. But I didn’t know about the misuse of funds. Is the misuse going towards the tourist aspect of the railroad?
@@oldcarzrule2527 I believe all 3 of the ex AF Baldwins run. At least 2 do, obviously. In terms of the 2 ex Army SW8s, I’ve not seen one operate since 2018. I’m not sure if either are in operating condition, but my guess is no seeing how it’s been the ex AF Baldwins for the last 6 years. Shaw AFB donated 1 of their 2 GE 80ton to the museum this past fall with the other going to Fort Eustis. I don’t know if Shaw has finally shutdown their railroad operations or if they acquired new locomotives. Anyway, the locomotive is in operating condition, or at least it was very recently, so I’ll be interested to see what the museum does with it.
@@oldcarzrule2527
In terms of the money spending, you hit the nail on the head. They’ve been recklessly buying equipment that they don’t really need for the tourist railroad side for years. It all started in 2016 when they bought the bi-level coaches and the ex FRA budd car. The plan was to turn the budd car into an art deco lounge car. Fast forward 8 years and they’ve done nothing with it. In terms of the bi-level coaches, they use them for Easter, pumpkin patch and Christmas trains, but they’re not anything the museum was hurting for. Both the bi-levels and the budd require HEP, so you’d think the next thing they bought would be something they could turn into a generator car. Nope. Instead, they buy 3 of the Ringling Bros cars. Ok, cool pieces of rolling stock that are historically significant. So they got them to be displayed/toured to help tell the story of the importance of railroads to the circus industry, right? Nope again. They too were planned to be turned into some type of lounge cars. Nearly 7 years later, they’ve done nothing with those either and are stored away at either Greenbrier or Rion. The next purchase came in 2021 when they bought 3 baggage cars and 2 sleepers from Amtrak. The plan was to turn 2 of the baggage cars into generator cars (finally) and the other into a tool/storage car. I don’t think I need to say whether or not they’ve done anything with them. You should know the trend by now. Not sure about the plans for the sleepers, but I’m sure nothing will happen with them either. Anyway, my point is that instead of spending money to maintain what they already have, regardless if it’s rolling stock that is for display or to be operated on the railroad, they piss it away on unnecessary equipment then complain when their current equipment is deteriorated/non-operational and they have no money.
@@clemsonpirate7144 I did figure they were tight on money but didn’t realize how bad is was and that it was a result of their own excessive spending. It’s a shame that they do this as they’re really the only railroad museum in South Carolina that is “preserving” the states railroad history (or at least the only one with a large amount of equipment and space to run it). I did notice that they do seem to not have good priorities, such as their GE 45 ton US NAVY #82. As far as I know, it’s a good little engine, it just needs someone to care. It’s been sitting for years and it is significant as it served the Charleston SC Naval base during WW2. As for their generator car plans, there is a generator car at SCRM, just not owned by the museum. It is owned by a TH-cam channel named Rails, Rubber, and Rust who is starting a railroad service company, and in his video where he gets his generator car (ex Norfolk Southern geometry train car) he speaks of the possibility of letting the museum use it on their train. Also, on his channel, he had a video I want to say is over 12 years old of him fixing number 82 at SCRM. He also repaired a USMC GE 80 tonner to service that was headed to the museum but it is in Badin NC (I presume it was sold to the railroad up there) for sale, you can find its listing on sterlingrail.com .
@clemsonpirate7144 *Clementine will remember this.
I thought project 44 was long canceled with the acception of the little paint job done to it. But apparently their website now talks about restoring it to operation one day in the donate section. Maybe the engine might come back after all who knows.
I would love to see 44 operate again. She’s my favorite locomotive at the museum.
Yes, rust and looking deteriorated, A coat of paint on at least on side would be a lot better!
Sorry if I sound like an annoying asshole for saying this, but god the equipment looks so deteriorated.
Yeah their equipment isn't in the greatest shape. Thankfully, the museum currently has a fundraiser set up to help cosmetically restore the equipment.