The Pacific Railroad Society has reached a turning point with our private car, the National Forum. Much like the 3751 group, Amtrak has raised the rent to store the National Forum in Los Angeles. We just can't afford it any longer. We are forced to find another home for the National Forum.

The PRS Board of Directors are contemplating several solutions to this problem. Among our options are:

Storing the car at New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society at Albuquerque NM. There are several advantages to this. Security, low rent and the possibility of running behind recently restored ATSF 2926. Though the NMSLRS is enthusiastic about the idea, there are several logistical problems storing the car out-of-state. None the least of which is paying the BNSF to ship the car back to Los Angeles for possible excursions. This is unlikely due to the razor thin profits of our LAX-SAN excursions.

Storing the car at the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris CA. The SCRM is generally in favor of this idea. They already have a National series UP sleeper and the addition of the Forum to their existing train set would make an attractive UP excursion or "movie" train. This would present another logistical problem for them and us. Metrolink or Southern California Regional Rail Authority, charges several thousand dollars to temporarily cut the mainline and provide rail access. Not as difficult as the Albuquerque, but still significant. Any future PRS excursions would have to include the cost of this.

Storing the car at the San Bernardino History and Railroad Museum in San Bernardino. The SBHRM is very enthusiastic and motivated to have us park the National Forum at their facility. Though the "application fee" (think security deposit) is significant, the monthly rent would be very reasonable. It would be accessible to the public instead of buried at Amtrak. The car would be located "in our own backyard" so to speak. The SBHRM is accessible by Metrolink. This option also has a logistical problem in that pulling the car in and out of SBHRM requires coordination with both Metrolink and BNSF.

While these are good options for us, they all require us raising upwards of $10,000! Some Board Members are in favor of outright donation of the National Forum to the SBHRM. It would cost us next to nothing. But it would forever terminate our National Forum private care operations. Let your PRS Officers and Board Members know how you feel. Email us at info@pacificrailroadsociety.org.