Gold Coast Railroad Museum Selling Equipment?

NS 3322 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2019 4:31 pm

Not sure what is going on, but it appears a lot of pieces from the Gold Coast Railroad Museum are for sale on Ozark Mountain Railcar. I am rather shocked that the #113 has been listed. Should we be concerned?

Includes:

Steam Locomotives:
Florida East Coast Steam Locomotive #113 for $225,000.00

Diesel Locomotives:
Florida East Coast Railroad E8 #1594 for $85,000.00
NASA Alco S-2 #1 for $29,500.00
RF&P Alco S-2 Slug for $10,000.00
Seaboard Air Line FP10 #4033 for $85,000.00

Passenger Cars:
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Baggage/Power Car for $15,000.00.
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy "Silver Vale" for $55,000.00 Reduced $45,000.00
Long Island Railroad Commuter Coach #2916 for $12,000.00.
Metra Bi-level Commuter Car #7667 for $35,000.00.
Metra Bi-Level Commuter Car #7670 for $10,000.00.
Metra Cab/Commuter Car #8723 for $18,000.00.
METRA Cab/Commuter Car #8726 for $48,000.00.
Seaboard Coast Line "Cameron Pass" for $9,000.00.
Seaboard Coastline "Vassar College" for $6,000.00.
Southern Pacific Sleeper "Walnut Grove"for $55,000.00.
Swarthmore College Passenger Car for $15,000.00.
Union Pacific Coach #1996 for $$27,000.00.

Freight Cars/Misc:
Belcher Oil Company Tank Cars for $9,000.00.
Burro Crane for $12,000.00.
Illinois Central Caboose #9863 for $5,000.00.

The museum's website states that they own over 40 historic railcars. If this is the total number of pieces in the collection, they are selling 52% of their collection.

CREEPING DEATH · **Joined:** Sun Oct 24, 2010 6:22 pm **Posts:** 275

I may be very incorrect, but I got the impression from a recent facebook post that CSXT is abandoning the tracks that services the museum, and they are frantic that somebody purchase the line intact to avoid becoming landlocked.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/8896110 ... 016577933/

CD

ebtrr · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2019 9:34 pm

CREEPING DEATH wrote:

I may be very incorrect, but I got the impression from a recent facebook post that CSXT is abandoning the tracks that services the museum, and they are frantic that somebody purchase the line intact to avoid becoming landlocked.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/8896110 ... 016577933/

CD

The museum is located on the Seaboard Air Line (Seaboard Cost Line/Seaboard System/CSX) branch from Miami to Homestead Florida, which is the southernmost extant rail line in the eastern US. Just a mile north of the museum is a 10 mile branch to a concrete block plant which appears to see decent traffic - doesn't seem to be much going on south of that. Can't find anything about immanent abandonment of the line.

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

I don’t know the condition of #113, but from an aesthetics POV that is one good looking locomotive. With all the work being done to #148 right now, one wonders if it isn’t the time for an FEC pacific revival?

Rob

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2019 10:05 pm

I helped expedite/deliver some equipment there--the four ex-C&NW galley cars listed as METRA bi-levels--around 2002.

At that time, I traced the line into Homestead specifically to say I hit that southernmost track in Florida (my understanding is that the end of track at Brownsville, Texas is about five to seven miles further south).

Even at that time, I was told that the GCRM was the effective "last customer" south of Miami. I've been told that since then the ten miles or so to Homestead has been plagued by rail theft and vandalism. I was told recently by Miami railfans that I should be surprised CSX is even running anything south of Miami International Airport.

Considering the vulnerability of the location (to storms and track abandonment), its scattershot collection policy (one of the inspirations for the "McRailroad Museum" essay?), and real estate prices, this may well be a doomed museum unless it retreats, relocates, and re-strategizes.

Rainier Rails · **Posted:** Thu Apr 11, 2019 12:57 am

NS 3322 wrote:

Seaboard Coast Line "Cameron Pass" for $9,000.00.
Seaboard Coastline "Vassar College" for $6,000.00.

These 2 heavyweight sleepers had been previously ID'ed as survivors in the Pullman thread specifically as line items #273 and #274 respectively.

NS 3322 wrote:

Swarthmore College Passenger Car for $15,000.00.

This car had not yet been ID'ed by former Pullman name, just as a 3rd car from ACL/SCL/SBD MofW service that had been acquired from CSX at the same time as the above 2 (circa 1987), and used as a "pie car" for parties/events, line item #442.

NS 3322 wrote:

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy "Silver Vale" for $55,000.00 Reduced $45,000.00

CB&Q 10RM-6DB sleeper #490 Silver Vale (Budd, Lot #9660-169, Plan #9538, 1956, Denver Zephyr), 1970 to BN #1431 (not applied), 1971 to AMTK #2675, 1980's planned for conversion to HEP as #2876 (cancelled), stored until sold in 1991 to GCRM. As 1 of the 10-6 sleepers built for the 3rd equipment iteration of the Denver Zephyr, the bedrooms are located in the center of the car (a somewhat rare case among 10-6 cars, 1 other example being those ordered by the C&O from P-S). Another car from this order, #493 Silver Ridge, is at the Illinois RY Museum.

NS 3322 wrote:

Southern Pacific Sleeper "Walnut Grove"for $55,000.00.

SP 10RM-6DB sleeper #9001 (Budd, Lot #9660-040, Plan #9522, 1950, Sunset Limited), 1971 to AMTK #2681, converted in 1980 to HEP as #2443, sold in 1995 to GCRM. The 10-6 sleepers built for the Sunset Limited originally did not have names; Amtrak applied Grove-series names to those which were converted in 1980-1981 to HEP.

NS 3322 wrote:

Union Pacific Coach #1996 for $2,700.00.

This isn't "UP" #1996, but "FEC" #1996. However, it wasn't built for the FEC either, instead built by AC&F in 1950 in Lot #3130 for the WAB as a 48 seat chair (series #1427-#1430), to N&W (#1834-#1837), sold to Auto Train Corp. in 1973, with only the WAB #1430/N&W #1837 being placed into service as 52-seat buffet lounge #570, the other 3 (planned as #572, #574, and #576) were instead sold in circa 1975 to FEC for MofW service, not sure which 1 of the 3 went to GCRM. (#570 meanwhile was sold at the 12/81 bankruptcy auction to NYS&W, and it was used as an office at Binghamton; it was scrapped in 2/2011.) This car is likely ID'ed as "UP" as those 4 cars were painted in Armour Yellow when delivered for service in the UP-WAB City of St. Louis.

TVRM98 · **Joined:** Wed Nov 07, 2018 8:57 pm **Posts:** 2

I find this interesting 113 has been listed as I was told a while back, it could be heresay, that US Sugar was interested in 153 since it was mechanically a duplicate to 148 and had offered them to restore it, 113 being older was not mechanically similar. It seems if they are desperately in need of money that calling to see if that offer was still available for 153 would be a quick move. Maybe they did, and it was turned down? Just pure conjecture and hypothesising, but I am very surprised to see 113 go for sale.

-Jacob

Dave · **Posted:** Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:35 am

153 had a lot of federal recovery dollars invested in her after the hurricane several years back. 113 is free and clear, when I was working in Savannah we looked her over. Gold Coast has had a long history of its own, having returned to the place in which it started after having relocated to Fort Lauderdale for a couple decades or so when its former blimp base was engulfed by encroaching development and a new zoo to replace Crandon Park, which had a little steam outline train ride and wooden caboose - great place to visit for a kid in the late 1950s-early 1960s. 113 pulled the train from South Campus (blimp base) to Fort Lauderdale without help - not a bad load or trip for a light pacific - and I'd expect she's certainly in restorable condition today having looked her over just 12 or 13 years ago. The old Phosphate quarry tank engine is now in the Gramling's possession and probably will enjoy a good future as a result. My guess is they are trying to "right size" their collection to better reflect their mission and ability to concentrate on it with what resources are available to them.

ParlourcarII · **Joined:** Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:07 am **Posts:** 35

Union Pacific Coach #1996 for $2,700.00., it is actually $27,000

NS 3322 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 12, 2019 2:47 pm

Trains Magazine published an article on the situation. I have quoted interesting parts of the article. It is nice to finally know the whole story and not rely on rumors.

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/20 ... ition-plan

Trains Newswire wrote:

Museum Board President Jeff Brown says in an interview with Trains Newswire that the sale of the equipment is part of the museum’s transition to a mixed-use events venue for weddings, gatherings, motion picture productions, and other activities. He said the transition is a way to keep the museum open and operating.

“We decided that the best thing to do would be to, in future, to start marketing our property,” Brown said. “We have decided that we’re going to become a special events area. We’re going to maintain the collection — the prime items that we have — and we’re going to sell the excess equipment."

Why am I thinking Fillmore and Western of the South East?

Trains Newswire wrote:

Not for sale is another FEC Pacific, No. 153, which makes it unnecessary for the museum to keep sister No. 113. The two locomotives are not operational. “We don’t need another steam engine that’s identical to that one (No. 153),” he said. “And there’s a little key to that one (No. 113) being sold: It will only be sold to somebody that can prove they have the funds to restore this engine and operate it, or we’re not going to sell it. It’s not going to go sit in somebody else’s back yard. We want it to run.” Brown said the museum has two parties interested in the locomotive.

Trains Newswire wrote:

He said the condition of the cars was a factor in the museum losing the licensing to conduct Polar Express events. “We just have too much junk,” he said. “People complain about the junk … that’s never good PR when the newspaper comes out to do an article on us and they make a remark about all the rusted junk. It just gives us a bad reputation, so we’re trying to clean that up, as well.”

Brown said the is struggling to cover $30,000 in monthly operating expenses. He said the museum also saw a drastic decline in revenue with its 2018 Polar Express event from the year before. One reason Brown cited for losing the event license was the condition of some of the equipment at the museum.

Brown said by transitioning to an era of marketing the museum property, the museum will be better able to cover the monthly expenses. “We’re not going out of business. We just have to clean this place up a little bit,” he said. “We have to sell the equipment to get the new equipment, that’s just the bind we’re in right now, because there’s just no money in the bank.”

I applaud their efforts to improve the look of their museum site!

Trains Newswire wrote:

Brown added that rumors that CSX planned to sell or abandon the rail line adjoining to the museum are not true, and he denied any connection between the sale and that rumor. A CSX official also confirmed that the railroad has no plans to sell or abandon the line, which is the Homestead Spur off the Miami Subdivision.

Great news!

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1247

I don't know about the rest of the equipment but the Burro crane seems way over price at $12,000. Its highest value is as #1 unprepared scrap based on others that have tried to sell old cranes. Here is what I have on it:

Burro C/N 15-108 1943 Model 15 5 tons Diesel
http://www.rgusrail.com/album/flgcrm/burro_15_01.jpg

DavidKaplan · **Posted:** Sat Apr 13, 2019 12:31 pm

Here's a pic of 113 I took back in 2013. Sometimes it helps to have a somewhat recent visual.

C. Edwards · **Joined:** Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:56 am **Posts:** 55

She looked a little better when I saw her in 2017

Alan Walker · **Posted:** Tue Apr 16, 2019 3:02 pm

I would also expect that this move is being done to backstop any decrease in donations due to the new tax law. I suspect that the new tax law will pretty much kill off small tax deductible donations. Maybe it won't significantly impact some museums, but there are those that might be affected.

10stewi · **Posted:** Tue Apr 16, 2019 6:58 pm

The fox type trucks under her tender are quite interesting to see! Any other steamers of the "piston valve era" with fox trucks? I think I can remember a B&M steamer that has them, but not much else.

Gold Coast Railroad Museum Selling Equipment?

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