More Thursday morning rail news:
Concert helps NC&StL No. 576 project reach matching-funds goal
The “Rhythm of the Rails” online concert featuring Marty Stuart, Harry Stinson, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Cristina Vale has been viewed more than 50,000 times and has put the fundraising effort for Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis No. 576 over its $300,000 goal to gain more than double that figure in matching funds. Nashville Steam, the organization working to restore the 4-8-4 to operating condition after many years on display in the city’s Centennial Park, says the show raised more than $10,000 beyond the amount needed to secure $350,000 in matching funds from the Candelaria Fund and Wick Moorman Foundation. For those who missed the show, it is still available here. Rich Tower of the Calendaria Fund and Wick Moorman have announced they will match another $25,000 in donations made by Dec. 31; those interested in making contributions can do so here.
LA Metro CEO to lead Biden transition review of Department of Transportation
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Philip Washington will be part of President-Elect Joe Biden’s transition team, leading the new administration’s team reviewing the Department of Transportation. Also part of that team are Therese McMillan, executive director of the Metroplitan Transportation Commission, which coordinates planning and financing for transit in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area; David Cameron, Teamsters Rail Conference assistant to the director; Brendan Danaher of the Transport Workers Union of America; and Brad Mins, president and CEO of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials. The complete list of transition team volunteers is available here.
Connecticut awards funds for Windsor Locks station project
The state of Connecticut has awarded more than $128,000 toward restoration of a historic train station in Windsor Locks, Conn., under the Small Town Economic Assistance Program. Patch.com reports the funds will be matched by $32,225 from the town. Ownership of the long-closed station, built by the New Haven in 1875, was transferred from Amtrak to the community in 2014, and restoration efforts continue. Currently, Amtrak serves a small shelter about a mile from the town center.
