The John Emery Rail Heritage Trust has announced the award of 19 grants totaling $250,000 for rail preservation projects as part of its annual award program, after considering some 29 applications seeking a total of almost $875,000 in funding.
The Emery Rail Heritage Trust was founded by longtime Chicago resident John Emery, an avid rail enthusiast who wanted to preserve rail equipment and infrastructure to allow future generations to experience what he considered the golden age of rail travel, from 1920 to 1960. It is the largest trust in the U.S. that makes 100% of its awards solely for railroad restorating purposes.
Receiving grants in 2023 are:
— Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad Association: $15,000 to help refurbish its Chicago & North Western passenger car.
— Danbury Railway Museum: $ 12,000 to aid in rebuilding the engines of a 1953 New Haven Budd Rail Diesel Car.
— East Troy Railroad Museum: $10,000 for work on Chicago South Shore & South Bend car No. 107.
— Friends of SP 4449: $10,000.00 for repair and restoration of Southern Pacific Shasta Daylight coach No. 2396.
— Illinois Railway Museum: $10,000 for electrical and air brake work on Milwaukee coach 649.
— Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation (also known as the Steam Railroading Institute): $1,000 to help start work on C&NW steam locomotive No. 175, an Alco 4-6-0 built in 1908.
— Mid-Continent Railway Museum: $10,000 for continued work on the Duluth South Shore & Atlantic Railway sleeping car Duluth.
— Nashville Steam Preservation Society: $15,000.00 to help refurbish the crossheads, guides, and one wrist pin on Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis 4-8-4 locomotive No. 576.
— National Railroad Museum: $8,500 to update ex-Reading passenger car Josephine.
— Pacific Locomotive Association: $ 31,000 for purchasing staybolts for use on Southern Pacific steam engine No. 1744, a Baldwin 2-6-0.
— Pacific Railroad Preservation Association: $10,500 for replacement of three blowdowns for Spokane, Portland & Seattle 4-8-4 steam locomotive No. 700.
— Railroaders Memorial Museum: $11,000 for work on the Pennsylvania Railroad observation car Mountain View, once used on the Broadway Limited.
— Railroading Heritage of Midwest America: $25,000 for a head-end power generator for Union Pacific coaches now at Silvis, Ill.
— Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum: $11,500 for structural repairs to Erie Stillwell coach No. 2103.
— Southern Michigan Railroad Society: $10,000 for work on heavyweight Pullman Emerald Vale.
— Sumpter Valley Railroad: $15,000 toward restoration of Sumpter Valley Railway 2-8-2 steam locomotive No. 19.
— Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum: $20,000 for work on dining car No. 899, Silver Lake, built for Grand Trunk Western.
— United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey: $14,500 toward replacing the generator on former 20th Century Limited observation car Hickory Creek.
— Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society and Museum: $10,000.00 for truck repair on ex-Clinchfield Railroad office car No. 100.
First Option Bank, Trustee of the Emery Rail Heritage Trust, continues to provide ongoing support during the application and selection process; due to its 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 trustee directly at 913-294-9222.
Applications for the next round of grants will be due not later than Feb. 1, 2024.
It’s nice to see more than just locomotives being awarded. More people had physical contact with passenger cars than with locomotives.