December 2006 President’s Report

By Ira Pollack

In this month’s report I would like to wish you all a healthy, pleasant, and safe holiday season. By the time that you read this we will be fast approaching New Year’s Eve. We’ll be once again participating in the City of Danbury First Night Celebration, culminating with the fireworks display in the rail yard. Time certainly moves quickly at the DRM. It seems like we were just getting ready to celebrate the last New Year’s Eve fireworks display in the yard.

Overall we’ve had a successful year at the Museum with many great achievements both in the building and in the yard. Compared to previous years our membership numbers are up, along with our admissions at the front door. The birthday parties, too, have been successful, and bookings have increased to the point that we have parties almost every weekend. Attendance has increased at our Wednesday night slide and video presentations. We now have a group of members on Tuesday nights building the model train layouts and expanding our exhibits. The Library and archives have grown to the point of running out of room in the building. This necessitated opening a storage annex in one of our passenger cars in the yard. These are certainly successes. Our Gift Shop, too, has grown, with an ever-increasing variety of merchandise. There is something for everyone within its walls.

Outside in the yard we have many challenges to overcome, but they, too, are success stories. We have several major projects going on with the equipment, and there is constant progress with them. The wooden NYC caboose, the RPO, and the CN passenger car will be show pieces for the Museum – more examples of progress at the Museum.

I always like to look back and review some of these events and try to praise them and the people responsible for these successes. Of course, there is always so much going on it is hard to note them all and to acknowledge everyone involved. We are a dedicated group, a passionate group, with a commitment level to our cause that is truly unsurpassed. I honestly wish I could thank you all personally for what you have all done for the growth of the Museum on a daily basis, but of course that is almost impossible. I am sure that there are also people working behind the scenes who don’t get the acknowledgement for what they might do for our growth. They, of course, also are included in my gratitude.

In closing this month’s article, I wish you all well. And of course, thank you again for your commitment to our Museum’s growth during this last year. I am very proud of what you have all done, working together for this common goal.