Re: PC: Fw: [rrdiana] Re: Where do "artifacts" come from?

["Bill K." <pontiac@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've done this myself....

As late as last year I was finding 70's Lehigh Valley paperwork in what was
left of the 1967 Ithaca Yard Office...   I hear it's torn down now.  Some
of the papers I could only hang onto long enough to make a photocopy, but
at least there's something.   Stuff like that is around, if you know where
to look, the only risky things are if some bum is living in the place or if
a cop should happen to show up and wonder why you are in whatever
building...  

Bill K.

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> From: ebulman -AT- caregroup.harvard.edu
> To: penn-central -AT- smellycat.com
> Subject: Re: PC: Fw: [rrdiana] Re: Where do "artifacts" come from?
> Date: Friday, January 08, 1999 11:48 AM
> 
> Mea culpa. Back in March 1976, I went out exploring at rail sites around
> Boston. I saw an old NH baggage car stored alongside the roadway in
> Readville. Inside were old NH paper items, switching papers from 1962-63,
> oversize load and repair placards, etc. Although most of the items were
> soaked in old motor oil, I bagged a bunch of them and brought them home.
I
> wound up throwing a lot of stuff out as it was a real fire hazard, but
I'm
> glad I kept what I kept. Someday, I'll sort through it all. On the same
> day, I picked up a bunch of old tie date nails in Braintree.
> 
> Do I feel bad about doing this? No, not really. It is not the case that
if
> I didn't help myself to these things, someone else would have. However,
if
> I didn't seize the opportunity back then, very likely this stuff would
have
> been lost forever. This subtlely differentiates what I did from someone
who
> steals builders plates off of active rail equipment or walks off with
other
> things that they shouldn't be taking. I think that a great deal of items
> obtained this way quickly find their way to sales tables at flea markets
> and train meets.  None of the items I took are of extreme historic
> significance, but they are interesting to look at.
> 
> As a kid in 1971-72, I used to take the destination placards off of
> delivered box cars. I still have them all. I look back on those days with
> good feelings and no guilt.
> 
> Ed
> 
> 
>