New Museum and Train House is almost coming soon to a
Park near you
This summer State of Alaska Department of Transportation has bid out the construction of the new Train House and Museum. When the low bid came in above the engineers estimate there was a scramble and with a lot of help from our Friends and elected state and local officials, we got the support needed to keep the train house on track.
However, the lowest bidder apparently did not fully qualify on some DOT requirements. This led to further delays and another round of great support from our elected representatives to award the bid to the second lowest bidder. This feat was performed in late August. Because of the impending construction and the need for the steam operation to clear the construction area the Friends limited operations of Engine #1 during late August.
However, just as this goes to press there is concern that the second lowest bidder also is having trouble meeting the State/Federal DOT requirements and may also not proceed. The good news is that the third lowest
bidder is very close in price to the second lowest bidder. The bad news is that it may be too late to award the contract and still meet the completion
Official Notice of FTVRR Annual Meeting,
See below story, RED DOT on address label, see back page?
Front of new Museum & Engine House
date of 1 June 2005. Thus, DOT may have to re-bid the whole thing. Find out the newest twist at the Annual Meeting, see below.
Annual
Meeting Date, Place, and Picnic Planned,
Maybe Ground Breaking for 25 September
At the August board meeting the BOD set Saturday 25 September 2004, at 1:00 PM for the FTVRR Annual Meeting. Please plan on attending. The Annual Meeting will be held at Pioneer Park at the pavilion nearest the Train House and playground. The meeting will be held in conjunction with a picnic, hot dogs, chips, sodas, and all the fixings will be provided by generous donors. The eats will be ready at 2:00. On the Annual Meeting agenda is the election of Officers and Board Members, and other subjects that may arise. We hope to have a display of what the finished Train House will look like and a set of the final construction plans for viewing. A ceremonial ground breaking for the new Museum and Train House may occur also during the Annual Meeting. Please bring your vote and nominations for officers. It is also a good time to pay your dues if needed, so bring your check-book too.
President Bill Stringer Resigns: FTVRR Board thanks
him for his years of good service.
FTVRR President, Bill Stringer resigned in June from his position with the FTVRR. There were several reasons cited, the main reason was with the operations of the FTVRR. However, it is also well known that Bill’s wife Sandra is very ill and Bill’s continuous care of Sandra has taken up most of his time. Our thoughts and best wishes are with Bill and Sandra Stringer during her long serious illness.
Reynolds Elected by FTVRR Board as
interim President
Blair Reynolds was elected by the FTVRR BOD at the July BOD meeting. Vice President of Operations Bill Chace declined to move up to the position of President. The FTVRR BOD realized that with the museum construction imminent and many other important issues facing FTVRR that it needed a President right away. President Reynolds election was unanimous by the many BOD members present.
SW view of New Engine House
Mary DeBaun appointed Secretary, at July BOD meeting, J.
Chace Resigns
Joyce Chace resigned as secretary during the July BOD meeting. Immediately following the resignation, Mary DeBaun was appointed secretary by the Vice-President of Operations, Bill Chace with consent of the BOD. Please welcome Mary to this position, she brings a new face, ideas, and energy to the Friends. By a past amendment to the By-laws, the secretary position is an appointed position by the BOD and President and is not a member of the BOD.
President
Reynolds outlines tasks ahead for FTVRR
Blair Reynolds has identified several important tasks for the Friends to resolve in the coming year. Priorities need to be set to tackle the many tasks of getting the Museum up and running. Some tasks are: museum interior planning and layout, themes and historical period covered, design of the museum displays, displays need to be constructed, technical writing of object labels, & staffing the museum. An inventory of objects available for display is urgently needed. A museum committee is needed. Although Treasurer Osborne is working on funding for the museum display design and construction, more help and funds are needed. The museum will need to be staffed and open all summer during the hours Pioneer Park is open. Non-train crew FTVRR members are needed for these and other tasks facing the FTVRR. A membership drive is needed. Additionally Blair has discovered that the By-laws and the amendments to them need collating into one document. This provides an opportunity to also update the By-laws to reflect the current needs of the FTVRR and he is working with a committee with that objective in mind.
Novel Railroad Story released, Blair is an author,
Engine #1 Lead Character
Little known by most of the Friends, Blair Reynolds is the co-author of an e-book that is a book that you do not buy in a store or find in a library shelf, but instead download over the web. What a contrast, steam power engines and electronic publishing.
“Hot Rail!” written by our Dr. Blair Reynolds and Shellie Hurrle was released this June. The story is about an imaginary steam railroad in contemporary Fairbanks, it is available at Books Unbound, for those so inclined just Goggle for it, and maybe someone will review it for us in a future edition.
Fires Stop Operations
Ride Donations Down
Summer operations of Engine #1 were curtailed this year due to the large wild fires. At the request of Fire and Park Officials, FTVRR ceased operations of engine #1 this summer. It was feared that Engine #1 could easily start a fire due to the extreme dry conditions in the Interior. Since all the local fire departments were stretched very thin due to the wild fires any additional problems would be difficult to handle. Due to the curtailed operations FTVRR is facing a serious short fall of funds.
Each year we normally collect enough donations to pay the high cost of the Borough required insurance. However, this year due to the wild fires we have collected only a small fraction of the insurance costs. This puts FTVRR in a difficult position, each year we must pay a non-refundable amount for insurance, for a full year, in advance. This financial loss eliminates our total savings. It was so smoky in Fairbanks, train crews might not have noticed a fire until it was well established. The smoke also kept Park visitors to a minimum even on the holidays.
Passenger Loading side of Engine House