Progress To Date 3/12/2023

$13,858 Contributed to Date and

That is 34.65% of the Goal

So Far 65 NYCSHS Members Have Donated

We Still Have a Way to Go To Reach Cleveland

Contribute and Help Us Arrive on Schedule

Background – The NYCSHS has made a dedicated effort over the past almost 50 years to preserve the amount of archival material from the NYC railroad.  This preservation effort has consisted of collecting material, storing that material in climate-controlled environments, and digitizing all hard copy material. Today we have more material than we can easily store in the existing space, so a new storage system is needed.

Previous Funding Sources – Over the years much of the funding for this activity has come from gifts and grants from members and grant funding sources.  Much funding has come from the Society’s operating budget funded by membership and sales. We have had two previous fund-raising campaigns for the Headquarters and archive. The first of these was the Flight of the Century fund that raised $65,000 to fund the equipment and furnishings for the NYCSHS Headquarters in Middleburg Heights, OH. The second was the Empire State Express fund that raised funds for the continuing of the preservation of archive material, expanding the library, obtaining new NYCS material, and expanding the IT network. It added additional NYCS material in the Collinwood Shop, added scanners and computers to the network, provided cloud backup, and added online digital material for view and sale in the Collinwood & Digital Shops.

Current Situation – All of the funding from the two fund raising programs, and gifts and grants have been spent on preserving and digitizing the archive material.  New grants are being talked about, but many of the granting organizations favor projects that preserve hardware over paper and photo preservation. Therefore, we launched this Southwestern Limited program to raise the additional funds to add an archive shelving system and other upgrades to continue to expand our NYCSHS archives.

We need to utilize the space we have today more efficiently.  Therefore, we have opted to bring in an expandable high-density filing system.  When not in use, the mobile shelves slide together to compact the storage area.  When access is needed, a three spoke handle is used to roll the units apart. 

Now that the shelving is installed, it will just about double the storage space that we had in the archive.  That is achieved by eliminating empty aisle space and rolling the shelves together on rails. This system is now installed and storage will begin shortly.

Our specific tasks include:

1. Continue scanning photos, drawings, booklets, publications, etc.
2. Obtaining new material
3. Maintaining the IT network
4. Expanding library
5. Expanding help to members
6. Offering additional material for sale in store
7. Adding drawings and  maps to our digital website and store
8. Installing new SpaceSaver high-density storage system
9. Purchase an aperture card reader
10. Working with members, researchers, and authors
11. Working with other Societies archives to expand NYCS knowledge and resources

To accomplish these goals, we are planning to raise $40,000. Like the past campaigns we have set levels of giving for your contributions and are hoping the Society can reach the goal with your generous help.

The graphic at the top of the page includes a map of the route of the Southwestern Limited from St. Louis, MO, to Cleveland, OH, where our NYCSHS Headquarters archive resides. The map is used to chart the progress of the campaign as a visual representation of the Society’s progress toward the $40,000 goal. Weekly updates will continue to appear on our website and our MailChimp emails so you can track our progress. This was proven effective in previous fund-raising campaigns. As in past campaigns, a plaque with the names of all of the sponsors will be displayed in the NYCSHS Headquarters at the end of the campaign.

Levels of giving:

$2,500 and up                    ALCo PA/PB

$1,000 to $2,499                Baldwin RF-16A/B 

$500 to $999                      EMD E8A

$250 to $499                      ALCo RS3

$100 to $249                      EMD GP7

$50 to $99                          EMD F3A/B

$25 to $49                          ALCo FA/FB

$25                                      EMD SW1

Basic Gift is $25.00 but you can select any of the amounts above in the levels of giving.

To give online go to the Collinwood Shop at: https://www.nycshs.net/Contributions_c_185.html

To download a form to mail in your donation with a check to: https://nycshs.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/sourthwesternlimitedfundorderform.1.pdf

We appreciate those who have contributed so far, but still need more donations to pay for this needed upgrade.  Please consider donating to help us be able to continue to provide the kind of support that you have come to expect from the NYCSHS.

The Mission of the NYCSHS is to perpetuate the legacy of the New York Central System by acquiring and preserving its history, traditions, documents, and artifacts; and by disseminating accurate information and products consistent with good stewardship.

Thanks for your support to this very important upgrade to the NYCSHS archive program.

David Mackay

NYCSHS, President and the NYCSHS Board of Directors