(erielack) Historic artifacts (was: Sale of Erie Lackawanna Station Sign)

["Tupaczewski, Paul R (Paul)" <paul.tupaczewski_@_alcatel-lucent.com>]

> Does an historic artifact lose its value when removed from 
> it's original location?

I don't think so. Look at all the "historic artifacts" that are in museums today - are they worth less?


> Do we as "railfans" want to 
> encourage vandalism to say nothing of encouraging theft?

I'm not a fan of theft, but if stuff is going into the garbage, I'm all for taking it for the sake of preservation. Case in point: They were rebuilding a road bridge adjacent to the Boonton Line in my hometown when was in high school. To make room for the construction they tore down all the former DL&W line poles and piled them up to haul off to the dump. Of course, one of the crossarms has the ceramic "DANGER: High Voltage" that was ubiquitous on many DL&W line poles. So I relieve the cross arm of this neat piece - otherwise it would be under piles of rubble in some dump today.


> was a popular rumor during EL days that a railroad "boss" had 
> a fine collection of Erie Railroad clocks that had formerly 
> been in stations.  I was never in his house and never saw him 
> take a clock from a station, open or closed. If the clocks 
> were "liberated" doesn't that reduce their value?
 
Again, no. You're actually preserving or increasing their value (depending on how many are still in existence). Was the way they were obtained legal (or at least, morally acceptable?)  That you'll probable never know.


Let's face it - a good portion of the cool railroad artifacts floating around nowadays were NOT obtained legally. Whether it was an employee who set aside a couple of lanterns, or an overzealous (or greedy) antique collector ripping down a station sign, none of it is really "legal" - of course, is there an entity representing the EL who would fight the perpetrators today? Highly unlikely.

	- Paul

	The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
	http://EL-List.railfan.net/
	To Unsubscribe: http://Lists.Railfan.net/erielackunsub.html

------------------------------