Trolley Museum hopes to replace lost historyDate: 5/7/2012 May 7, 2012
By Matt Murphy
mmurphy@thereminder.com
EAST WINDSOR, Conn. — The remains of a lost era in the community's history have been destroyed.
Earlier this year, the Connecticut Trolley Museum was broken into, leaving irreplaceable artifacts damaged and stolen. Museum volunteers are hosting a beer and wine tasting fund-raiser to finance the restoration of the damaged trolley cars and an increase in security.
"The worst thing about this break-in is the feeling that we all had when we walked into the barn and found parts on the floor of the building that should not be on the floor. We are all volunteers that pour our heart and soul into the museum ... These cars were saved from being scrapped in the 1940s and 1950s, now only to be piecemeal scrapped," Tim Lesniak, corporate secretary for the museum, said.
With 70 pieces of authentic rail equipment, the museum is the nation's oldest incorporated organization dedicated to the preservation of the trolley era.
According to its website, "[The museum's] mission is to provide a historically accurate educational experience of the trolley era, through the interpretation, preservation, restoration, and operation of an electric railway."
When the thieves broke into the museum they caused as much harm to the equipment that they didn't steal as to that they did. In the process of removing brass pieces off the ceilings, windows, and exterior of three of the cars, much of the metal siding and woodwork was damaged. Wiring was cut and some of the control gears stripped from the cars.
Lesniak explained, "[All of the cars] have the potential to be restored, however, they will never be the same because we will have to replicate parts, as opposed to having the original parts that were in the car as it ran.
"We do not yet have the costs of replicating the stolen parts," he continued. "With the repairs to the cars that will need to be made, a reasonable figure would be about $20,000. This, however, does not include the volunteer labor that will be required to make the repairs nor take into consideration any damage that may have been done to the motors."
The fund-raiser will take place at the museum, at 58 North Road, on May 11 from 5 to 8 p.m., and is restricted to adults age 21 and older. There will be food, music, raffles, and trolley rides, and the beer and wine will be provided by Joe's Fine Wine & Spirits of East Windsor. Tickets can be bought at the museum for $25.
The volunteers at the Connecticut Trolley Museum hope to raise $10,000 from the fundraiser, in order to keep a part of the community and the community's history alive and running.
Lesniak said, "The museum is an important part of the community for quite a few reasons: commerce the museum is an attraction that families enjoy. People come to the museum and when they leave, they may go to restaurants in the community or other stores or attractions. Education: as with any museum, our primary goal is to educate our visitors. Affordability: the museum is very affordable for families."
|
