From the CEO

Museum Update: COVID-19...Six Months In

Here we are in August, and by now, most of us are a little weary of our all-too-familiar surroundings. I truly hope that you are keeping well during this unprecedented time. I wanted to provide an update on the Museum and ask for your financial support as we navigate the effects of COVID-19.

Though there are many challenges in our world right now, we are meeting them head-on at the Museum of the American Railroad. There are actually a lot of good things happening at the Museum even as we are weathering the economic “draught” caused by the pandemic. Of course, closing the Museum on March 18 shut down our revenue stream from operations, including admissions from guided tours, TrainTopia, and retail sales. As big as that was, by far the biggest financial hit was the need to cancel our annual (after 19 years) Day Out with Thomas event in Grapevine back in April.

Obviously, funding for the Museum’s immediate future – funding which we have always taken great pride in achieving through self-sufficiency – is more precarious than in normal years. With the loss of Day out with Thomas, we are already down six figures for 2020. Thank goodness for the Paycheck Protection Program which covered our staff for a period. We are also very grateful to the Summerlee Foundation for their recent gift, but now we are running on limited operating reserves. The truth is, all non-profits that provide cultural programming (including ours) rely on outside support to exist. The dividend of this support is a community rich in cultural offerings and diversity, which enriches us beyond the everyday, predictable things that tend to fill our lives.

Building the New Museum

Amazingly, during this time we have been able to take advantage of favorable bids, and we continue to move forward with site construction projects at a slow but steady pace using previously donated funds restricted to that purpose. Foundations and individuals who have a keen interest in seeing the Museum advance it’s construction project in Frisco donated the funds for these capital projects. We are proud of our history as good stewards of our resources, both earned and gifted, and we count ourselves fortunate to have talented trustees in the financial field currently serving on our board.

Ongoing Operations

Operationally, we are as busy as ever! With a small staff and dedicated volunteers, we have remained focused on the mission. We are revamping our online presence and are developing digital content for distance learning. This affords us the opportunity to incorporate much more in the way of imaging and storytelling. It also allows us to market these programs to a much broader online audience. The challenge is how we will successfully monetize this investment to support educational programming.

In early June we resumed outdoor guided tours to general visitors. Response has been modest, but our guests have been very grateful for the experience and have sent a number of favorable messages to us. "Our family had a great time...highly recommended. We'll come back again," said MarySue, a recent Museum guest.

We are also looking at our messaging and interpretation of the collection altogether in light of recent events throughout the nation. Museums have a responsibility to excite the mind, inspire creativity, raise questions, and contribute to our discussion as a nation. Railroads transformed our society, and we take our role in telling that story very seriously. We have an opportunity to make a positive impact on the national conversation.

Ongoing restoration and maintenance to the rolling stock collection continues. The Museum’s “Ranger Era” tank car just received its final coat of black paint to the exterior thanks to a generous grant from Atmos Energy. Our operational locomotives are receiving much-needed preventative maintenance and exterior work. TrainTopia is about to be completely automated with state-of-the-art computer controlled systems thanks to our dedicated team of volunteers.

It Boils Down to Money

All these developments, along with our potential for doing even greater things, require funding. Right now, our operating income is nil. We want to avoid getting down the road in another six months and then having to look at drastic measures to stay in business. The results of a recent American Alliance of Museums (AAM) survey predicted that one-third of all museums are not likely to survive beyond 16 months without additional funding, and 16% are in significant danger of closing permanently as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Particularly vulnerable are small to medium sized museums presenting history subjects. Even the large, traditional institutions are looking at staff cuts, reductions in programming, and curtailed educational services. Our nation’s cultural assets are at stake, along with many talented and experienced staff.

You Can Help!

This is where YOU come in. You are receiving this because you have generously supported us in the past. That makes you a stakeholder! If you like what we are doing here at the Museum of the American Railroad and you share our vision and enthusiasm for what we plan to build in the not-too-distant future, please consider donating to the cause with a financial gift that fits your budget. Especially helpful are monthly recurring gifts. If you wish to make a major gift or have questions about how to support the Museum, feel free to contact me personally at blaprelle@historictrains.org Our goal is to raise $120,000 this summer, which will offset projected losses in operations for 2020.

Click the “DONATE” button below. Many modest donations together make a big difference. Let's assure the Museum’s future and defy the odds! Your support will help us wrap up our 58th year in good financial health during this challenging period (and I will sleep better at night).

Bob LaPrelle

President & CEO

Join Us in Making History! Donate Today

Our Passion is Education & Preservation

We now offer virtual educational programming, also known as distance learning. We are delighted to accommodate your specific needs. So, we invite you and your students, children, or daycare to "visit" us beginning this autumn. Email us at kmurphy@historictrains.org or phone 214-428-0101 to reserve your program.