Following is a press release from the Railroad Museum of Long Island.
Railroad Museum begins $1 Million Fundraising Campaign –
Partners with Strasburg Rail Road Company to Restore and Operate LIRR G5s Locomotive #39
Friday, March 15, 2013
Greenport L.I. NY
On Thursday, March 14, 2013 - Mr. Linn Moedinger, President of the Strasburg Rail Road Company, Railroad Museum of Long Island President, Don Fisher and Vice President and Counsel Dennis DeAngelis, signed an agreement to restore and OPERATE the LIRR G5s Steam Locomotive #39!
RMLI’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 to partner with the Strasburg Rail Road Company. The agreement culminates five and one half months of talks and negotiations between the two principals.
Terms of the contract provide for the Railroad Museum of Long Island to raise $900,000.00 in FY 2013 and transport the G5s locomotive to the Strasburg property, the Strasburg Rail Road will add $1,086,861.00 to the project, complete restoration of the steam engine in three years and then operate the locomotive on their property for a period of forty-eight years.
Fisher stated that “this partnership is the best way to get the locomotive restored and into operation. After thirty three-years of trying, New Yorkers and others living in the Pennsylvania Railroad region may finally ride behind this historic steam engine. We need to complete this project with a grassroots effort. I believe the interest and support for restoring this locomotive will be there.”
The Railroad Museum of Long Island officially begins efforts to raise $1,000,000.00 for the move and restoration of the locomotive today. Tax-deductible donations may be made to “RMLI Engine 39” at P.O. Box 726, Greenport NY 11944-0726.
The Railroad Museum of Long Island (the Museum), was founded in 1990. The Museum is chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York, and is an IRS 501(c)3 non profit organization. The Museum is run by a Board of Trustees made up of members throughout Long Island. The goal of the Museum is to preserve and display Long Island’s railroad heritage. All of the work of the Museum is done by volunteers. The Museum operates two locations; Greenport, NY at 440 Fourth Street by the tracks and Riverhead, NY at 416 Griffing Avenue just north of the tracks.
www.rmli.org
Museum
440 – 4th Street, P.O. Box 726, Greenport, Long Island, New York 11944-0726
631-477-0439
Restoration Site & Visitor’s Center
416 Griffing Avenue, Riverhead, Long Island, New York
631-727-7920