Re: (erielack) Re: ELHS archives

[Charles_Walsh_@_Berlex.com]

Don,

Perhaps you could describe the conditions under which the collections up at
Syracuse University are stored .  I've never been there.

Chuck



                                                                           
             "Donald                                                       
             Barnickel"                                                    
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Dear Chuck,

You raise a good point.  When I visited the Syracuse collection many years
ago (when they would allow one to actually walk through their warehouse), I
was impressed with the size of the railroad photograph and record archives.
Literally there were thousands of glass and film negatives, ledger books,
equipment books, stock reports, claims files, official letters from the
Presidents -- and it wasn't just of Erie and DL&W.  There were several
railroads represented in the collection.   ( I even found a floor plan and
elevation drawing for an NYO&W station.)

As impressive as this collection was, however, it represented only a small
fraction of the total archives of the University.  Clearly, Syracuse has a
mission to preserve all its archives, not just the ones related to
railroads.  Hence, their efforts are spread across collections.  I would
think this would be true of most organizations or universities with more
than one type of collection.  By comparison, Steamtown's preservation
efforts are almost exclusively devoted to railroads, with a particular
emphasis on the railroads dearest to the members on this list.  Thanks for
pointing that out; I missed it in my initial consideration of the issue.

Don Barnickel

- ----- Original Message -----
From: <Charles_Walsh_@_Berlex.com>
To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
Cc: <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2007 4:31 PM
Subject: Re: (erielack) ELHS archives


> Before we talk about ending this discussion, let me point out that anyone
> who is familiar with the DL&W glass plate collection of negatives at
> Syracuse University is well-versed in the neglect that can be visited
upon
> a collection that whose nature or theme is not consistent with the
mission
> of its host.  When the DL&W donated the collection to Syracuse University
> it probably made sense, particularly since there probably wasn't any
other
> public or private entity that might have been able to handle such a
> collection.  In the modern era, we're much more fortunate.  No doubt if
the
> glass plate collection were being donated today it would go to Steamtown,
> not only because Scranton was on the Lackawanna (Syracuse, of course, was
> also) but because Steamtown's primary mission is to preserve railroad
> history.  This is perhaps what I find most puzzling about this entire
> discussion.  As far as I know, this organization has spent a great deal
of
> money on securing a curator for its archives.  It's not clear what the
> organization has gotten in return other than cancelled checks and a
threat
> that the present location in Akron may no longer be available in less
than
> three months time.
>
> Those are the facts.  Now whether the BOD has done a good job with
regards
> to the dozens of other issues that face this organization I'm not
> disputing.  However, if the board is doing an otherwise perfect job does
> not in any way preclude me from criticizing its handling of THIS issue.
> Granted, I have been a vocal opponent of Steamtown's inability to run a
> steam program and I think it has squandered numerous opportunities to
> increase the visibility of its facilities and to augment its patronage.
> Having said that, I am truly impressed by the progress that Steamtown is
> making in archival preservation, which is in no small part due to the
> presence of Pat McKnight.
>
> In the end, the board will do whatever it darn well pleases.  But I still
> want to hear from the board as to why they would choose a facility whose
> primary mission is something other than railroad preservation.  That is
> Steamtown's mission.  It is NOT the mission of the other sites under
> consideration.  Just keep that in mind...and also keep in mind what has
> happened at Syracuse.  Of course, if Steamtown were located in, say,
> Hornell or Port Jervis would we be having this discussion?  I don't know.
> Food for thought.


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