Interurban cars need new home
Orc
(forwarded from the RAILROAD list)
From malo...@juno.com Thu Aug 15 11:30:28 PDT 1996
Date: Sat, 10 Aug 1996 09:24:15 EDT
From: Myron G Malone <malo...@juno.com>
Comments: To: Rail...@railnet.nshore.org, rail...@ms1.nwla.com
Reprinted from the Dallas Morning News without permission
Saturday, August 10, 1996
by Tony Hartzel
Metro North Bureau of the Dallas Morning News
PLANO, TX -- Hidden away in a couple of barns in the northern part of
town are three old wooden rail cars that are about to become victims of
progress - again.
Survivors of the dismantled Texas Electric Railway, better known as the
"Interurban", the rail cars were moved in the early 1950's to what was
then a remote farm where they served as grain containers and storage
sheds for tools.
But the farm is about to become a subdivision of 37 homes, and the rail
cars will become history in the next few weeks IF SOMEONE DOES NOT SAVE
THEM.
"We tried to find a home for them when we realized the sale of our land
was going to go through" said Carolyn Kaufman, whose father, Dr. Jerry
Thompson, acquired the cars. "I'm really afraid they're going to tear
those sheds down".
Each car was moved from Dallas when the Interurban closed in the early to
mid 1950's, and Dr. Thompson built metal sheds around them. With the
sale of their farm expected through next week, the sheds and the cars
must go to make room for the homes.
"THAT IS ANOTHER REASON THEY'RE SO INTERESTING, BECAUSE THEY'RE SO
WELL-PRESERVED" Mrs Kaufman said. "They've been around for so many
years. You'd hate to see something like that destroyed because they are
in such good shape."
The rail cars' availability piqued the interest of Balir Lavell, a shop
superintendent for the 25-mile Texas State Railroad in Rusk in East
Texas. But his budget is too tight to pay the estimated $3,500 moving
cost for each of the TWO FREIGHT CARS AND ONE MOTOR CAR.
So he spent part of this week trying to reach people who he thinks might
have an interest in the cars, each with the rounded roofs and corners
that make them distinctive. The motor car still has its windows on both
ends, but wooden planks on its inside keep its contents and history
concealed.
"I'd hate to see that one go," Mr. Lavell said. "These are as rare as
hens' teeth"
<snip> Two of Dr. Thompson's five original cars were sold to the Texas
State Railroad in the early 1980's when the physician sold a portion of
his original 433-acre farm.
"There is a lot of good stuff on them if someone wants to restore one,"
Mr. Lavell said.
Jim Wills, vice president of the housing development firm of HMS Devco
Ltd. and the development group The Miller Companies said he wasn't even
aware of the rail cars when it bought the property from Mrs. Kaufman.
A CONTRACT TO CLEAR AND LEVEL THE LAND SHOULD BE AWARDED SOON, AND WORK
COULD BEGIN IN THREE WEEKS. ONCE THAT STARTS, THE DEVELOPERS WOULD SOON
HAVE TO DEMOLISH THE BARNS AND THE RAIL CARS IF NO ONE WANTS THEM, he
said.
"What we would like someone to do is to pay to have them moved and
demolish the barns," said Mr. Wills, who added that THE CARS ARE FREE TO
SERIOUS TAKERS. "We don't know how much they're worth. But our primary
concern is to get them removed and the barns demolished to start
development."
<snip>
Anyone interested in the cars should call Dr. Thompson (214) 419-4000.
>I hope someone can find the money and the time to save these pieces of
historic equipment. I have not seen them myself, only read the story
this morning. If anyone succeeds, pleas let the list know.<
Myron Malone | Malo...@juno.com (home)
Greenville, Texas | Malo...@gvl.esys.com (work; M-F 7:00am-4:00pm)
Pete Charlton
Isn't this something that DART in Dallas and the "T" in Fort Worth should
get into? They have the room and the tradition to make a start on a great
museum.
>
> by Tony Hartzel
> Metro North Bureau of the Dallas Morning News
>
> PLANO, TX -- Hidden away in a couple of barns in the northern part of
> town are three old wooden rail cars that are about to become victims of
> progress - again.
>
> Survivors of the dismantled Texas Electric Railway, better known as the
> "Interurban", the rail cars were moved in the early 1950's to what was
> then a remote farm where they served as grain containers and storage
> sheds for tools.
>
>