During 2023 we have had many accomplishments – the further restoration of our Southern Pacific Pullman Car #109, the “Shasta”, a major expansion and renovation of our library, the re-construction of a historic train depot installation known as “Black Rock Station”, ongoing forest and creek restoration activities and the installation of a long-planned and anticipated wheelchair lift to provide access to our PFE Reefer library space and boxcar music stage. We hosted several successful gatherings and events, including Spring and Fall work parties, a June Railroad Days party, the second NML get-together, and a number of boxcar music shows. We partnered with Railway Workers United, Southern Oregon Historical Society, the Smithsonian Postal Museum and others in commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the Tunnel 13 train robbery attempt in the Siskiyou Mountains. We have also partnered with The Wheelhouse to facilitate music shows in Dunsmuir, including Hearts Gone South in October and Jason Dea West in December. We continue to provide support (information, communications, networking and more) to a national and international community of train-obsessed travelers for whom BBCRC has become an invaluable resource. This is all in addition to the ongoing maintenance and operational costs required just to keep things going day to day – as well as infrastructure improvements and amenities we are trying to provide to make living at BBCRC more sustainable for our resident caretakers.
Over the past four years, we received a series of Covid-19 relief and other general operating support grants through the California Arts Council and the State of California. These helped us maintain basic general operations at a time when many of our supporters had limited capacity to financially assist. However, those grants have now ended. Individual supporters have always been key to our financial viability, and now we need to ask supporters like you to step up and help us sustain our efforts and activities over the coming year. Please consider making a donation to help us strengthen and maintain our operations in 2024! You can donate online, via Venmo @bbcrc, or by sending a check made out to BBCRC to 800 Black Butte Road, Weed, CA 96094. Buying BBCRC merchandise is another way you can support the Center. Check out our revamped online merchandise store.
We have a fun series of events, activities and projects in the works. However, this can only happen with the support – financial and through volunteer engagement – of our friends and supporters. Thank you and we hope to see you at the Center sometime in 2024!