The Annual Spring Membership meeting took place at the Greenport Museum this Saturday May 21st showing off the new exhibits for the 2011 Year. The 2011 exhibit, “Celebration of the Steam Locomotive,” featuring the builders’ photo collection of Mr. Alexander “Sandy” Bainbridge of East Hampton, NY will be on display along with models of many locomotives. The museum gift shop has also been remodeled for more efficient operation.
In Riverhead, paint continues to be applied to the Lionel Visitors Center building on the East and North Sides. The South and West sides of the building are finished with minor touch ups remaining on the remaining two sides. Across the parking lot the Office/Gift Shop building’s first floor is being scraped and readied for new paint so it matches the Lionel building. Ratsey Construction of Greenport NY will be reshingling the second floor of the RMLI Visitors’ Center and replacing the plate glass window on the south side of the building with a more historically accurate pair of double hung windows. This work is being completed with a NYS Governor’s Initiative grant of $7960.00. The Museum has also received a $5,000 grant to replace as much of the aging chain link fence around the property as possible. Engine 16 is also seeing progress on her running gear to prepare them for the installation under the engine. All these changes can not be done without the hard work of our volunteers and are very noticeable as you drive up Griffing Ave to the Museum Site.
The Long Island Garden Railroad Society also continues work on renovating the Freemen Garden Railroad. The wooden ties around the layout have been replaced with metal stakes to keep them in place. The broken track has been replaced, while the entire railroad has been soderd together with clips and new wire for a trouble free season. The landscape is also being renewed along with broken buildings.
The LIRR GP38 Cab Simulator has been cleaned out to date and available for photo opportunities while the computer is installed. A brake wheel and bell will soon be installed as well to give our younger visitors one more thing to play with.
The Riverhead site is open on Saturdays only through May 21. Beginning Memorial Day Weekend, 28-29 May, both Greenport and Riverhead will be open every Saturday and Sunday through October 9, Columbus Day Weekend. Riverhead hours are 10 AM to 4 PM and Greenport is open from 11 AM to 4 PM. The Museum is not open on holidays. After Columbus Day, Riverhead will remain open on Saturdays through November 19.
LIRR Train Service will also resume this weekend, and continue through Columbus day weekend, running between Riverhead and Greenport making it possible to visit both museums on the same trip.