By Railfan & Railroad Staff
CHICAGO — The John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust awarded nearly $325,000 in grants to 22 projects across the country this week, the trust announced.
Emery was a Chicago-native and lifelong railroad enthusiast who created the trust to fund projects that preserve the “Golden Age” of passenger railroading, specifically the years between 1920 and 1960. The trust is particularly interested in projects that allow the public to ride historically significant pieces of equipment. Groups are able to submit grant proposals up until Feb. 1, each year and then a three-person committee reviews the proposals. This year, the group received 41 applications and it was able to fulfill more than half of them.
Organizations that were awarded funds included:
Austin Steam Train: $10,000 for mechanical and electrical restoration of their ALCo RSD15.
EBT Foundation: $15,000 for restoration work on their M-1 Gas Electric car.
Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites: $12,000 for repair and upgrade work on two of their coaches.
Friends of SP 4449: $22,000 for repair and restoration of their passenger car fleet.
Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum: $12,000 to continue the restoration of their L&N tavern lounge car.
Kentucky Railway Museum: $12,000 for repair and refurbishment of coach 884.
Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation: $15,000 for continued work on C&O 2-8-4 2716.
Lake Superior Railroad Museum: $15,000 for a steam-powered air compressor for their DM&IR 2-8-0 332.
Midwest Railway Preservation Society: $15,000 for mechanical and cosmetic restoration of their Pullman Mt. Baxter.
Nashville Steam Preservation Society: $40,000 for rebuilding the cross-compound air compressor for the NC&StL locomotive 576.
New York, Susquehanna & Western Technical & Historical Society: $12,000 for maintenance of passenger coach 531.
New York Museum of Transportation: $5,000 to restore car body heaters in former P&W interurban car 161.
Pacific Southwest Railway Museum: $10,000 for work on their RSX-4 ALCo and their GP-9 locomotive.
Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum: $10,000 for asbestos abatement on their Erie Stillwell coach.
NRHS, Washington, D.C. Chapter: $12,000 for the ten-year inspection on the Dover Harbor, which is their sleeper-buffet-lounge car Pullman.
Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society & Museum: $10,000 for installation of an air-conditioning unit for Clinchfield 100, which is being configured as a lounge car.
West Chester Railroad Heritage Association: $10,000 for interior and exterior coach work.
Oregon Rail Heritage Center: $1,000 towards the installation of their turntable.
East Troy Electric Museum: $1,000 towards overhead wire replacement.
Smoky Hill Railway & Historical Society: $1,000 for track work.
Two earlier grants were made as part of the 2021 cycle, including Pacific Railroad Preservation Association and Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. The next awards will be made in 2022. For more information visit the John H. Emery Railroad Heritage Trust website.
