This interesting item was on my local news this evening:
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Time to get the National Park Service out of the business of running Steamtown
Tommy posted:Time to get the National Park Service out of the business of running Steamtown
OK, who do you think should run Steamtown and why?
Was it an issue of funds that it took so long?
I don't want my tax dollars going to steamtown. This is why I don't want the National park service running it.
It should be privately held, it was before it left Vermont and should be now.
It was a pork project by a Senator/congressman from the Scranton area who got the tax dollars to move it from Vermont. A waste of our tax dollars.
I don't mind spending my tax dollars on something that everyone will enjoy and save an important part of history. In my opinion if Steam Town was left in Vermont it would be a memory by now.
david1 posted:I don't want my tax dollars going to steamtown. This is why I don't want the National park service running it.
It should be privately held, it was before it left Vermont and should be now.
It was a pork project by a Senator/congressman from the Scranton area who got the tax dollars to move it from Vermont. A waste of our tax dollars.
Wrong, the Steamtown Foundation moved it in 1984 when Don Ball headed the Foundation. His untimely death, low patronship, and a large debt load from the move led to near-bankruptcy in 1986. Only then did the US Congress begin to intervene, a process that took until 1995 when Steamtown National Historic Site opened under NPS direction.
While Congressman McDade is the person who spearheaded the site's move to a NPS location, the NPS's director in 1986, William Penn Mott, was the person who saw potential for a "railroad park" in the NPS system.
As one who visited Steamtown in Vermont over 40 years ago, and Steamtown in Scranton last year, I believe that the correct decision was made to save the collection, hopefully the current leadership can build on the recent successes at the park.
I ask again, what private entity, group, or person should "run" Steamtown rather than the NPS?
You guys really need to read this book. Good insight why Steamtown moved out of Vermont. Had to do more with Blunt dying in a plan crash and his son not having the same passion for it.
http://www.amazon.com/The-man-...n-page/dp/B0007GUSEA
With that said, with the internet age, I think Steamtown could of survived in VT. If Conway scenic can make a living in NH, Steamtown could of done it. Dinner trains, day out with Thomas, Fall foliage specials, etc, etc. Things they didn't do way back when.
I have to agree with Paul Romano. When Steamtown moved to Scranton, the Park Service was not involved, it was a deal between the city and the Steamtown Foundation. Within a few years, Steamtown was on the verge of bankruptcy, and it was then that the government/Park Service stepped in. I think we have to give the Park Service it's due - if they hadn't stepped in, I think, at best, the collection would have been broken up, and at worst, it would have been left to rot or scrapped, which would have been a terrible historical loss. And to be fair, they did build a wonderful facility to display the collection.
Finally, Borden Tunnel raises a good question. Who (other than the government) has the resources to run Steamtown. I guess they could get the Union Pacific Steam Team (and, yes, that was sarcasm 
). I can think of a lot worse things my tax dollars are being spent on!!!
Now I just need to get myself in to Scranton to see No. 26.
Now I will repeat myself again, it was a pork barrel project plain and simple and tax dollars was used. It should have never left Vermont. The worst part was putting it in the Scranton area. I mean it's in the middle of nowhere where the population cannot support it.
As it is the big boy #4012 is just rotting away, very sad.
if steamtown cannot stand on their own you have two choices, sell it or close it.
No tax dollars should be involved, Ever!
I have been to steamtown a couple of times and every time it is worse then the time before.
I usually not for the government running stuff but there saving steam town ..I was there last year and enjoyed it.. As for the 4012 rotting .I am trying to figure out what there is suppose to do with it. I do think it be nice if it was indoors .
david1 posted:Now I will repeat myself again, it was a pork barrel project plain and simple and tax dollars was used. It should have never left Vermont. The worst part was putting it in the Scranton area. I mean it's in the middle of nowhere where the population cannot support it.
As it is the big boy #4012 is just rotting away, very sad.
if steamtown cannot stand on their own you have two choices, sell it or close it.
No tax dollars should be involved, Ever!
I have been to steamtown a couple of times and every time it is worse then the time before.
Would you have preferred Springfield,Mass., or Willimantic,Conn.? (2 places that were also considered)
Steamtown could not have stayed in Vermont, besides infighting with the host RR (Green MT.), there was state environmental regs, no support from tourism agencies, and the lack of a cohesive vision from the Foundation's leadership.
Scranton is in the middle of nowhere? There are 3 major Interstates that intersect there, and the city is 2 hours or less from everywhere else in the very populous Northeast. Not to mention the Poconos, "New Jersey's playground".
Big Boy #4012 was the victim of a bad paint job by a contractor several years ago.
Steamtown now is a part of the NPS's government allotment for all national parks, good or bad. I will say that not enough money is put towards preserving this country's natural and historic treasures. I would like to see less $$$ go towards 3rd world h-llholes, or so-called "friends" of this nation that take tax dollars and only send us their criminals.
I much preferred my Steamtown experience in 2015 to the one in Vermont in 1971.
Living in Vermont I can tell you that Steamtown here was MUCH more in the middle of nowhere than Scranton! Heck... Because of Act 200 they couldn't even put up a sign telling people where to turn!
Steamtown left BEFORE any government involvement, and then Don Ball had his massive heart attack, and the rest is history.
Jon 
PAUL ROMANO posted:I don't mind spending my tax dollars on something that everyone will enjoy and save an important part of history. In my opinion if Steam Town was left in Vermont it would be a memory by now.
I agree. Sure beats some of the other ways my tax dollars are spent!
I went there for the first time in September. Nothing was running but you could see things were being done and it's a very well-maintained facility.
david1 posted:Now I will repeat myself again, it was a pork barrel project plain and simple and tax dollars was used. It should have never left Vermont. The worst part was putting it in the Scranton area. I mean it's in the middle of nowhere where the population cannot support it.
As it is the big boy #4012 is just rotting away, very sad.
if steamtown cannot stand on their own you have two choices, sell it or close it.
No tax dollars should be involved, Ever!
I have been to steamtown a couple of times and every time it is worse then the time before.
Terms of Service #7:
Leave your politics at the door when you post on this Forum. Posts containing political matter will be deleted without comment.
2014 Picture.
MTN posted:david1 posted:Now I will repeat myself again, it was a pork barrel project plain and simple and tax dollars was used. It should have never left Vermont. The worst part was putting it in the Scranton area. I mean it's in the middle of nowhere where the population cannot support it.
As it is the big boy #4012 is just rotting away, very sad.
if steamtown cannot stand on their own you have two choices, sell it or close it.
No tax dollars should be involved, Ever!
I have been to steamtown a couple of times and every time it is worse then the time before.
Terms of Service #7:
Leave your politics at the door when you post on this Forum. Posts containing political matter will be deleted without comment.
There is no politics in my posts. I just don't want any government involvement where it should not be.
When I state I don't want my tax dollars to be used for a boondoggle like steam town, those are my opinions.
Sorry if I offended you, get over it.
david1 posted:MTN posted:david1 posted:Now I will repeat myself again, it was a pork barrel project plain and simple and tax dollars was used. It should have never left Vermont. The worst part was putting it in the Scranton area. I mean it's in the middle of nowhere where the population cannot support it.
As it is the big boy #4012 is just rotting away, very sad.
if steamtown cannot stand on their own you have two choices, sell it or close it.
No tax dollars should be involved, Ever!
I have been to steamtown a couple of times and every time it is worse then the time before.
Terms of Service #7:
Leave your politics at the door when you post on this Forum. Posts containing political matter will be deleted without comment.
There is no politics in my posts. I just don't want any government involvement where it should not be.
When I state I don't want my tax dollars to be used for a boondoggle like steam town, those are my opinions.
Sorry if I offended you, get over it.
You're complaining about the government and pork barrel projects - that's political discourse, plain and simple. The thread is about Steamtown getting a steam engine up and running - no need to bring up a personal dislike for how tax dollars are spent.
