This wouldn't even help.
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Oh, like Steamtown has fared so much better?
I loved how the change.org promoters gives all pros yet no cons.
I guess whoever set up the petion with change.org didn't learn the pitfalls from Steamtown.....
The government will NOT do a better job than what the museum has done do far. What's with the petition anyway? I's the museum in trouble of being insolvent?
This petition was started by a Michael H. From Gainesville, NY? Gainesville, NY is close to Buffalo so why does this dude set up a petition about the B&O museum in Baltimore? Is he an Expert on running museums or just a "foamer" gone ary cause he don't like da hood?
Is the B&O museum in trouble of closing?
Well, that would be a disaster! B&O has made amazing progress in the past two decades and assuming new management keeps it together, has great things to do in the coming years.
Wow. What a ridiculous joke. The reason the museum is there is that it is the site of the first train station and a pre civil war full roundhouse. This is clearly more Politically motivated “Baltimore is a scary place” clap trap from people who are afraid of their own reflection in a mirror.
Also a 100 signature petition with only 4 on it will not persuade ANYBODY. I would think that a full 100 signature petition would be a considerable factor in getting a speed bump placed on a suburban road.
Here's a much better suggestion...
Join and/or make a contribution to the B&O Railroad Museum like I just did. 
Ronald Regan is spinning in his grave....
W/o doubt a solution looking for a problem.....that's not there.
The B&O Museum is already a US National Historic Landmark and probably better off than most.
Personally I think it's a terrible idea. We here in St. Louis, Mo were lucky enough to get St. Louis County Government to disassociate itself from our Transportation Museum. From what the volunteers I know who work there told me, donations have started to flow back. While SLCG was involved, non of the money donated ever went for what it was ear marked for. Imagine on a Federal level.
Now, if the museums are sharing best practices with each other, great. Idea sharing with the Smithsonian, great. National Park Service: FORGETABOUTIT!
This discussion reminds me of an experience I had at Scranton's Steamtown at Railfest some years ago.
Although my friends and I had a great time all day, we finally got over to the big Union Pacific locomotive and got in line to see the cab. The park service lady cut my small group of 4 in half and said thats it, we close in 5 mins. Her tone was nasty and although it was just 2 more people to go up, she refused. 4pm!!! Really??? We drove from Ohio to go there. Still annoys me.
There are a lot of people who aren't happy with how the B&O Museum has been and is being managed. If you think the problem is management I can guarantee you with almost 100 percent certainty the government would manage it more terribly. The solution to this problem IS NOT the federal government taking over.
Baltimore is a very good experience for everyone. In addition to the railroad museum, there is probably one of the best aquariums east of the Mississippi. There is also the inner harbor development area. The community/extended community does a couple of bike rides each year, that I found exciting.
What a great idea to have the federal government spend more money. What a dumb a$& idea.
Dave
Say, trade that fireball WM unit for 1309.....!
The petition reads like it was written by a child....pass.
I had a great time at the museum. My avatar is me sitting in the cab of the Allegheny.
-Greg
Change.org is a weird thing, people write these impassioned pleas for things, and honestly I doubt very much they influence much of anything. I know the B&O Museum has had some rough sledding, when the roof collapsed several years ago, and they are also facing the perception that Baltimore is this scary place where you go there you will get shot; it is true Baltimore has problems with violent crimes, including homicide, but that doesn't mean someone visiting the museum or the city would be in much risk. NYC had a murder rate of 2500 in the late 80's, yet most of that was concentrated in areas few people would be likely to go to. I think any museum can use help from various government entities, better street lighting, repaving the roads around it, maybe grants for historic preservation (and for all I know these things already have happened with this museum), but takeover? Given the state of the national park service, that despite being very popular (they are getting record crowds) their budgets have been slashed and fees that were supposed to be used towards making the parks better have been diverted (the RV community is really angry about that one),so they likely wouldn't help.
I hear complains about Steamtown, but my answer to that is if the National Park Service hadn't created that, what would be in its place? I don't think the government is the answer to everything or they necessarily are the best people to run things, but at least with Steamtown there is something there to go visit that wouldn't be if they hadn't of done that. Personally, I would rather spend federal money on Steamtown and the National Parks service than on a lot of what it is in fact being spent on these days, but that is getting outside the realm of this discussion.
The nine most terrifying words in the English language are "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help." - Ronald Wilson Reagan
Whoever did this petition has no clue how museums work, how they are funded, nor how they have to schedule maintenance and restoration on the exhibits/rolling stock.
Beyond that, he's probably only been to one actual city before in his life, and that's probably Baltimore. He has no clue about cities and how all of them have rough looking areas. I've dealt with people like this before that live outside Philadelphia and have never gone into the city, because being in a city frightens them.
One more reason to reinforce he's clueless: one of his Pros - "A tourist attraction that will help place Baltimore on the map." Um, let's see:
Fort McHenry, Inner Harbor, Aquarium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Fell's Point, along with some nice museums including the B&O Museum. I think Baltimore is already on the map with some tourist attractions.
