How about a little info on RR Hall of Fame?

Down to Business

Sunday, October 28, 2007

It's my first day back from vacation as I write this. I'm glad I like cool weather, otherwise leaving Orlando's 85-90 degrees would be a shock.

I grabbed every brochure about trains, railroads and railroad museums I could lay my hands on at the various state welcome centers. I'm curious as to what other cities are doing. When it comes to tourism, I think Galesburg can do more to spread the word of its railroad heritage to a larger area.

I liked hearing a DJ on a Chattanooga, Tenn., radio station say "it's 73 degrees in the Choo-Choo City." Motorists on the interstates hear that. Why not put up billboards on I-74 and U.S. 34 inviting people to visit "Galesburg: The Rail Capital of the World?" In smaller letters, list the railroad attractions. How about a painting of the 3006 steam engine in the background? This isn't one of my wild-and-crazy ideas - branding makes sense.

Speaking of trains, I've changed my mind about the National Railroad Hall of Fame's stance of not giving the community updates because, well just because, I guess. Galesburg received this designation from Congress. A couple of weeks ago, I said we should be patient. Upon further review, maybe that's not such a good idea.

The Hall of Fame board has said it plans to ask for $100,000 from Knox County and an additional $2 million from the city of Galesburg - public money. The city is asking for an extension of the east side tax increment financing district to raise the funds. That means the city, School District 205, Carl Sandburg College, Knox County and the Galesburg Sanitary District will give up tax money in the short run for the long-term benefit.

Let me be clear (at last, you say. Ha!) - I think the National Railroad Hall of Fame will be the best thing to come to Galesburg since The Reindeer, our first train rolled into town more than 150 years ago. The Hall can put Galesburg on the map, generate construction near the I-74/East Main Street interchange. Maybe someone who owns a company will visit, like the city, and bring higher-paying jobs here. The potential is unlimited.

Fundraising is different. I understand, but the CIA has told me as much (nothing) in the past six months as the Hall of Fame people have. We have been told hometown support is a must. Great, make us part of the process. I have received a number of phone calls asking why there are never updates about the project in The Register-Mail. Inquiring minds want to know.

Hey, I'm Mr. Positive when it comes to Galesburg's potential. The Galesburg in my mind (a scary place, to be sure - my mind, not Galesburg) has commuter rail service to Peoria, a logistics park full of warehouse/distribution firms, new businesses, high-paying jobs, a great Railroad Hall of Fame ... and traffic problems. (People moving to town will be a good problem. How about a monorail to downtown to ... OK, probably not.) I want this project to succeed. I believe it will, reaching attendance figures far beyond what most believe.

Springfield Mayor Timothy J. Davlin spoke here in October 2006. He outlined what the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library has meant to the capital city. He told organizers to keep everyone involved. We're not asking to see the fundraising balance sheet, but after my last effort to obtain an update was met with a promise there would be no update until after the first of the year, my patience disappeared, like the California Zephyr heading into the night.

I'm positive of one more thing - if the Illinois Zephyr arrives eight hours late, most riders are going to find another way to get to Chicago. I am as enthusiastic as anyone about the National Railroad Hall of Fame. There are people eager to make plans to open businesses near the Hall of Fame. It's not fair to make them feel like they've been switched to a rail siding and forgotten. We don't need the main course, but a few crumbs of information off the information table in the railroad dining car will satisfy everyone's hunger for now.

With apologies to Chattanooga (cue the music), "Pardon me boy, is there news about the Hall? Just a tiny scrap, please include as all."