ALCO locomotives museum headed for Schenectady
John Purcell 06/24/11
Taking a look at locomotives of the past will be easy with a new museum on track for Schenectady.
The ALCO Historical & Technical Society announced on Thursday, June 16, plans for the American Locomotive Company Heritage Museum to be located in Schenectady at 1910 Maxon Road. The building is slated to start off featuring two electric locomotives built by ALCO and General Electric in Schenectady during the early 20th century and a steam locomotive built by ALCO in 1946. Artifacts began entering the 18,000-square-foot museum on June 1.
The property sits on a 3.3-acre site, but Museum Director James Cesare said expansion is being eyed. The nearby railway will also allow for an easy method to get the trains off the tracks and into the museum.
“Our long term goals down the road are to acquire the whole site,” said Cesare. “We came back to this site and the landlord was very amendable to help us out.”
Inside the museum will be interactive and operational exhibits with an area devoted to educating children in the field of science. An operational model railroad layout of 14 feet by 40 feet dimensions will be installed too. An outdoor covered display will also be located near the mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
“We are trying to make it a fun and entertaining place for children,” said Cesare. “We don’t want to be an old boring museum. We want to be fun.”
In addition to locomotives, some World War II and Korean War era Army tanks are planned to be displayed.
“We hoping to obtain a tank that ALCO manufactured during WWII,” said Cesare. “During the war they did produce locomotives too, but they did produce tanks and engines for PT boats.”
The first year visitor goal for the museum is 15,000 people, he said, with school groups hoped to make trips to it. Initially it will only be open from April to October, because installation needs to be installed in the building. Total renovations are expected to be completed in five to six years, he said, with a low cost estimate at $500,000. The project started off with a $50,000 donation from one donor.
The S/L/A/M Collaborative is providing the architectural design for the project. A grand opening is planned for spring 2012. For information on the museum and to make a donation visit its website at
http://www.ahts.org 
Logged
A site for more shovel ready Obama! More taxpayer money that can be buried in a black hole. Just what Schenectady needs when no one goes to either the Schenectady Museum or the Edison? 
