MOORESTOWN, N.J. — The National Railway Historical Society has awarded almost $125,000 to 25 organizations as part of its 2023 Railway Heritage Preservation Grants, supporting preservation of railroad-related artifacts and media.
The awards total $124,950, and range from $2,500 to $10,000. The largest single grant this year, $10,000, was received by the Center for Railroad Photography & Art in Madison, Wis., to aid in cataloging and digitization of the Richard Steinheimer collection of 30,000 color slides, 4,200 prints, and 2,700 negatives.
“I am pleased that these grants will help enable 25 non-profit organizations to continue to preserve America’s rich railroad history,” NRHS President Tony White said in a press release, thanking “the generosity of multitudes of NRHS members and other donors.”
Said NRHS Heritage Grant chairman Charles Webb, “The impact of the NRHS Heritage Grant program cannot be overstated: Since 1991, NRHS has awarded 370 grants totaling $1,128,080. A surge in donations enabled NRHS to increase its award total 26% compared to last year. That’s good because this year’s applicant pool was one of the largest in NRHS history and one of the best in recent memory.”
Founded in 1935, the NHRS has over 100 local chapters, serving over 4,000 members. For more information, or to join or donate, visit the NHRS website.
Joining the Center for Railroad Photography & Art as 2023 recipients are:
Joint recipients
— Denver South Park & Pacific Historical Society, Denver, $5,000, and Galloping Goose Historical Society of Delores, Inc., Delores, Colo., $3,750, for acquiring and transporting rail for the recreation of the Como, Colo., railyard to the King Wye.
$7,500 recipient
— Old Dominion Chapter NRHS, Richmond, Va., to return the chapter’s 1943 Davenport locomotive to operation.
$5,800 recipient
— Midwest Railway Preservation Society, Cleveland, for exterior restoration of the 1924 Pullman 10-section solarium lounge car M. Baxter.
$5,000 recipients
— Arts Services Inc., Buffalo, N.Y., for PBS distribution of the documentary film “Trolley Park: Midway Memories.”
— City County Preservation Committee, Harlowton, Mont., for restoration of the roof of 1910 passenger car.
— East Troy Railroad Museum Inc., East Troy, Wis., to install ADA-compliant bathroom in car 107.
— Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, Pa., for lease of a large-format scanner to permit museum volunteers to digitize Vulcan Iron Works blueprints and drawings.
— Friends of the SP 4449, Portland, Ore., for exterior restoration and painting of GN-1 steam generator car.
— Gulf Wind Chapter NRHS, Tallahassee, Fla., to stabilize the southwest corner of the historic Lloyd, Fla., depot.
— High Plains Railroad Preservation Association, Cheyenne, Wyo., to restore Union Pacific 1870s-era caboose 2095 and move it to the Cheyenne Depot Museum.
— Kentucky Railway Museum Inc., for cocooning of historic L&N coach 665 to prevent deterioration until it can be fully restored and preserved.
— Llano River Railroad, Llano, Texas, to rust treat and prime 1950s-era Pullman-built passenger car.
— Mid Continent Railway Historical Society Inc., North Freedom, Wis., for 16 reproduction bottom and seat back cushions for East Jordan & Southern No. 2 combination car.
— Nashville Steam Preservation Society, to install 1,500 staybolts in the firebox of Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis J3 4-8-4 No. 576.
— National Museum of Transportation, St. Louis, to build a canopy over the Rock Island Aerotrain.
— New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society, Albuquerque, N.M., for installation and wiring of electrical equipment in baggage car NMSX 3939.
— North Carolina Railway Museum, Inc., New Hill , N.C., to repair floor and repair and re-install four side doors on 1916 Pullman F-9 Atlantic Coast Line baggage and express car 704.
— West Jersey Chapter NRHS, Palmyra, N.J., to create a National Historic Site of the Bordentown District of the Camden & Amboy Railroad.
$4,600 recipient
— Sumpter Valley Railroad Restoration, Inc., Baker City, Ore., for construction of a building to house an archive and book collection.
$4,200 recipient
— Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society, Clifton Forge, Va., for window seals, glass, and gaskets to eliminate water infiltration in Gadsby’s Tavern dining car.
$4,100 recipient
— The Goldfield Historical Society, Goldfield, Nev., for building, hanging, and painting of three sliding doors of two historically significant Tonopah & Goldfield freight cars.
$2,500 recipients
— Missouri Pacific Historical Society, St. Louis, to purchase additional archival shelving for collection.
— Baltimore Streetcar Museum, Inc., for a mural on the exterior of substation museum and landscaping improvements.
