No.7

[NW Mailing List]

On Thu, Aug 18, 2016. at 8:52 AM, Bill answered:

On 8/18/2016, 7:33 AM, Jimmy wrote:
>


> So, you take off the originals and replace them with reproductions. What
>> then happens to the originals? Do you store them in some obscure box never
>> to be seen again or gets thrown away by some unsuspecting custodian or sell
>> it and let the new owners worry about its protection?
>>
>
> Perhaps the Society could be of help by working up an agreement with the
> city to provide substitutes and properly store the actual components in the
> archives.


This is a good first step, to store the items in the archives to protect
them for the future. But rather than "stuff and mount" them, they should be
as much a part of any other interpretation of the materials held by the
society. The whistle could be hooked up to a proper source of air (or
steam) under pressure to record the various signals that it was used to
provide. Post the sound files where they can be listened to by anyone
interested. Have a display at the VMT with pushbuttons to "play" the
various signals and interpret their meaning. On a regular basis, arrange a
"whistle blow" (in Roanoke, Bluefield, at conventions, wherever) so people
can hear it in person. Same goes for the bell. Take a good photo of the
backhead with gauges in place, then blow it up for a display with the
gauges mounted in their appropriate location and information about what
each gauge was for.

Bruce in Blacksburg
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