The Mahoning Valley Railroad Heritage Association now offers better access to some of its exhibits thanks to an Eagle Scout project.
Steven Vasko of Troop 60 of Boardman built four new stairs and platforms with the help of some volunteer that he recruited.
The stairs will provide better access to museum’s locomotives and cabooses.
The Youngstown Steel Heritage Foundation will benefit from a plan by Athearn Trains and two hobby shops to donate to the group part of the proceeds of the sale of an HO scale SDP45 locomotive.
The donations will be used to help the Youngstown group preserve an Erie Lackawanna SDP45 that it is acquiring from the Virginia Museum of Transportation. The ex-EL unit is now wearing a Conrail livery.
Athearn, the Maine Model Works of Yarmouth, Maine, and Hobby Express in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, will make a donation for every scale model of EL No. 3639 or Conrail No. 6670 that they sell.
The Youngstown group has raised more than $10,000 toward its $20,000 goal to purchase the locomotive.
It also has purchased new doors and windows for the locomotive, which it plans to move to the Marter Yard Railroad Museum operated by the Mahoning Valley Railroad Heritage Association, in Youngstown.
EMD built No. 3639 in 1969 and it is one of two six-axle EL EMD units that have been preserved. The other is No. 3607 at the National Museum of Transportation near St. Louis.
The sound of various locomotive whistles will fill the air in Youngstown on Saturday, Nov. 30 during the annual whist blow event sponsored by the Mahoning Valley Heritage Association.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad passenger station at 530 Mahoning Ave.
Steam will be supplied by Youngstown Thermal while the whistle manifold will be supplied by: Eagle Mechanical LLC.
There is a $20 donation for the whistle hookup fee if bringing a whistle. Those just listening to the whistles are asked to make a $1 donation.
For information call: 330-550-8165 or 330-559-3659 or visit: www.MVRHA.org
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