Does anybody know if CSRM still sponsors the annual National Railway Preservation Symposium? Our institution used to co-sponsor the eastern version of it until we got too busy to host it in the years preceding our building extension project. It seems like the railway preservation field has had a declining number of professional publications, meetings and gatherings in recent years--hopefully not a trend for the future.

K.R. Bell
RR Museum of PA

> Does anybody know if CSRM still sponsors the
> annual National Railway Preservation
> Symposium? Our institution used to
> co-sponsor the eastern version of it until
> we got too busy to host it in the years
> preceding our building extension project. It
> seems like the railway preservation field
> has had a declining number of professional
> publications, meetings and gatherings in
> recent years--hopefully not a trend for the
> future.

I miss the CSRM syposiums. They were a great way to hear a variety of speakers from different preservation fields. It seemed that we from Orange Empire often made up the largest group attending.

Originally, the symposiums were co-sponsored with the Pacific Coast Chapter of R&LHS. Along the way the two groups separated and CSRM carried on alone

When the syposiums were stopped in Sacramento it was the year they were going to be involved with doing an expo for the state's 150th anniversary. At that time, I recall staff saying maybe the next year they would start up again. This has not been the case. I think it is a matter of human resources to plan the event.

In more recent years CSRM has been willing to provide a site for a regional ARM meeting in alternate years. This is because all they have had to do is supply a site and maybe a small amount of "ground support." Most of the planning for the ARM regional meeting being done by others.

Brian Norden
board member, Orange Empire Ry Museum
board member, Association of Ry Museums

bnorden49@earthlink.net

B&O Museum had planned to host a preservation symposium as part of the FOIH run-up, but they have postponed it. From their Web site:

"International Railroad Preservation Symposium
Being Rescheduled....please check back for rescheduled date.
This conference will be open to the public by subscription and will take place at the B&O Railroad Museum, 901 W. Pratt St. Baltimore, MD 21223. Details TBA."

L-H switchers
eledbetter@rypn.org