Iron/steel rail collection
From: "Chris Graves" caliron@cwnet.com
A decision has been reached at this place to sell the iron and steel rail collection that has been a large part of this home for many many years. Some 75 pieces in all, it includes original construction rail, steel rail and various items from the old CPRR and SPRR grades. Also included are early pear rail specimens from other early California railroads.
Should anyone wish to see the entire list, kindly contact me directly, I would be pleased to forward that list to you.
Shipment could be a challenge, weight could be an issue.
G J Chris Graves
NewCastle, AltaCal'a
Winter's Summer Garden
posted from CPRR Discussion Group at 7:45 AM
8 Comments:
From: "Edson T. Strobridge" etstrobridge@fix.net
... I would love to have a copy of the list what you have managed to put together. At the very least I would make a grand talking piece. My claim to fame would be that I knew the guy that did it, and probably the last time such a collection has or even possible to be put together.
Frankly I cannot believe that the CSRM or the NPS at Promontory would let it get away from them. Your collection belongs in a national collection, or at the very least in the Calif. State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.
—Ed Strobridge
From: "Randy Hees" hees@astound.net
As Ed has mentioned, is this collection appropriate for CSRM or Nevada (or for Golden Spike)?
Chris, if appropriate, how much is it worth as a complete collection? Is this something we can collectivly work to get to an appropriate institution?
—Randy
From: "Bill Anderson" bill@fedshra.org
Thought maybe the Big Guy might donate some of the local stuff to the Folsom Railroad Museum. You know, Sacramento Valley Railroad, First in the West and all.
—Bill Anderson
The rail appears to have found a new home, either at the Nevada State RR Museum, or failing in that, it goes to the CSRM.
Thank you for your interest, I will now follow the lead of Friend
Strobridge and will chase research, not iron.
From: "Chris Graves" caliron@cwnet.com
The Nevada State RR Museum has found the funding to purchase all on the list ... Thank you all for your interest.
So glad to hear that your wonderful collection has found a good permanent home.
Have heard that the California State Railroad museum has a new policy of refusing donations unless accompanied by a full provenance documented in writing including permission letters from the landowner where each artifact was found and each subsequent owner. To the detriment of the public in California, it is hard to imagine that any potential private donor in the future would have sufficiently adequate documentation to satisfy such a restrictive policy. Don't know of any museum that could meet such a burden with its existing collection.
From: "Rus Stolling" r.stolling@sbcglobal.net
In response to some of the information on the Graves collection of CA rail:
Dozens of full 30-foot lengths of 60-lb rail border the parking lot above Friant Dam (Friant, CA, 25 miles NE of Fresno). Many are marked A & R & S Co., Troy Steel, 1882-8; and Cammal Toughened Steel 61 1/2 LBS P I C 1887 P. – the same as those pictured in the CA Rail pages.
These rails may have been acquired as used or surplus rail from Southern Pacific by the San Joaquin Valley Railroad during its construction in 1891. SP acquired the SJVRR at a bankruptcy auction in 1893, and eventually re-tracked to accomodate their heavier engines (Moguls) that hauled the freight for the building of the Friant Dam, completed in 1942.
Rus Stolling
Clovis, CA
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