Most of its blue and white paint is chipped or rusted, and one side of the car has been tagged with graffiti.
Although the locomotive’s current home is the Museum of the American Railroad, it has seen more than Frisco. Six months after it was built in 1942, it was requisitioned by the U.S. Army to transport military supply trains to Stalingrad, Russia, in World War II.
In addition to this vehicle, the museum has 64 other pieces, and each one has a story behind it. But before they can be restored, the museum needs help on a $1.4 million capital campaign.
The campaign began in November 2020 and was jump-started by a foundation in Dallas that has supported previous phases of construction at the museum. At the beginning of this year, the museum began matching funds through a $700,000 challenge grant issued by the foundation. Every donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $700,000 through the end of 2021, per a museum news release.
To garner support, the museum has also launched its Get On Board campaign, which museum CEO and President Bob LaPrelle said is meant to “put us over the top” on the $1.4 million capital campaign.
Donors to the Get on Board campaign will receive different gifts depending on their contribution. A $100 donor will be rewarded with four tickets to the museum. Donors who give $500 will receive an annual pass for up to four people.
As of mid-November, the museum was about $60,000 short of reaching its goal, LaPrelle said. The funds will go toward infrastructure such as train tracks, storm drainage and concrete paving. Once infrastructure is completed, funds will go toward upkeep of the 21 locomotives, 41 rail cars and three historic pieces on-site.
Work is being done as funds are raised to keep the nonprofit debt-free.
Tracks 3, 4 and 5 are under construction as well as a restoration building that will serve as a train maintenance shop. At the end of the project, the museum will have 10 tracks in total. The restoration building is expected to be completed by Christmas, LaPrelle said. It will be named after the late Richard H. Wainscott, who served as chief mechanical officer of the museum for 40 years.
The building will be instrumental in taking care of the trains, LaPrelle said, because painting and doing other work on them is difficult in the elements.
“Communities should always support their museums and cultural facilities,” LaPrelle said. “Museums have a responsibility to provide cultural entertainment and cultural education to a community.”
The museum launched its ethnic studies program for high school students in November, which will continue for the rest of the year. The program will include a presentation that provides supplemental information for Frisco ISD’s African-American studies program.
In addition to ethnic studies, the museum has other educational programs and can be booked for field trips.
LaPrelle said that the museum “enriches the lives” of children, which is valuable because one of Frisco’s main attractions is the school district.
“This is one of the best collections of railroad history in the U.S., right here in Frisco,” LaPrelle said. “And if for no other reason, you need to take care of that because it’s part of the city. Some people look at this and go, ‘It looks like a bunch of junk to me.’ But if you delve into it and you hear the stories, you’ll want to take care of it and support it.”
Museum of the American Railroad
8004 N. Dallas Parkway, Ste. 400, Frisco
214-428-0101
www.historictrains.org
Hours: Wed.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 1-5 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday
