The John Emery Rail Heritage Trust has selected 18 applicants to receive a total of $250,000 in awards for its 2024 grants. The awards were selected from 31 applications requestion almost $850,000.
They come from the trust created by Emery, a long-time Chicago resident and rail enthusiast who wanted to help preserve rail equipment and infrastructure to allow future generations to share his experiences during what he considered the Golden Age of railway travel, 1920-1960.
The Emery Trust is the largest trust in the U.S. that makes 100% of its awards solely for rail restoration purposes. Grants approved for 2024 go to:
— Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad Association: $5,000 to refurbish ex-Missouri-Kansas-Texas passenger coach Enterprise.
— Adirondack Railway Preservation Society: $10,000 to help repair and restore coach No. 5320 Old Forge to a parlor car configuration.
— Austin Steam Train Association: $11,000 for traction motor rebuild and restoration of Alco RSD15 locomotive No. 442.
— The B&O Railroad Museum: $10,000 to replace windows in the coaches and observation car that run on its Mile One Express train.
— Branford Electric Railway Association: $6,000 for the re-upholstery of Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee car No. 709.
— Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust: $15,000 for the roof restoration of ex-Wabash Pullman parlor-observation car Diplomat.
— Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society: $15,000 to help with the restoration of its ex-New York Central Railroad Empire State Express cars.
— Friends of SP 4449: $15,000 for help with the repair of the roof, ventilation, and windows of dining car No. 1349.
— Gulf Coast Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society: $21,000 to assist in providing head-end electrical power to ex-Missouri-Kansas-Texas chair car New Braunfels.
— Illinois Railway Museum: $25,000 for electrical and air brake work on Milwaukee Road long-distance coach No. 649.
— Iron Mountain Railway: $14,500 for roof replacement for two ex-Illinois Central coaches, Nos. 1345 and 1365.
— Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp.: $23,000 to help with the oil-burning conversion for ex-Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 “Kanawha” steam locomotive No. 2716.
— Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation: $15,000 to help with the overhaul and seat re-upholstery of coach No. 5447.
— Midwest Railway Preservation Society: $15,000.00 to help with the repair of ex-Nickel Plate Road coach No. 90.
— Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation: $1,000 to help in the initial stages restoration of Oregon Railroad & Navigation Co. 4-6-2 No. 197 (aka Union Pacific Railroad No. 3203).
— Railroad Museum of New England: $18,500 for help with restoration of ex-New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Alco RS3 No. 529.
— San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society: $15,000 to help provide positive train control for ex-Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 3751.
— United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey: $15,000 toward restoration of ex-New York Central Railroad “Great Steel Fleet” tavern-lounge car No. 37.
First Option Bank, Trustee of the Emery Rail Heritage Trust, continues to provide ongoing support during the application/selection process and due to their investment management the Advisory Committee is able to continually increase the effect this Trust has on the preservation of rail passenger travel. If you would like more information about how to set up a Foundation or are interested in donating to the Emery Rail Heritage Trust, please contact the bank directly at 913-294-9222.
Applications for the next round of grants will be due not later than Feb. 1, 2025. More information on applications is available at the Emery Trust website.
From what I have read part of the reason for converting from coal to oil is the difficulties of sourcing the correct grade of coal in quantities (small in the eyes of coal companies) and then getting it delivered and into the locomotive tenders. It does seem weird for that to be a problem in coal country.
What is the continued fascination with conversion of steam engines from coal firing to oil? I understand it’s easier to deal with, but when you’re located in coal country, i.e. KSHC, why wouldn’t you want to keep the engine as a coal burner.
There is growing interference with anything involving coal such as coal storage and ash disposal. Think of it as framing mischief by decree.
Magnificent news. Congratulations to the grantees!
Speaking parochially, I’m especially happy to see support for equipping ATSF 3751 for PTC, so it can get out and show off here in California.