Once every 15 years, steam locomotives must undergo an extensive set of inspections and repairs called the 1472 Service Day Inspection. Ventura County Railway No. 2, which has operated at the Southern California Railway Museum for 40 years, will undergo its 1472 Service Day Inspection beginning in 2021. Overhauling the locomotive will be a long and labor-intensive project that will take several years to complete. The overhaul will also be expensive—it will likely cost between $150,000 and $200,000. These money and labor requirements may seem high, but they are encountered by railroad museums across the country that undertake the hard work needed to keep steam locomotives alive. Completing the overhaul will allow Ventura County Railway no. 2, which was built in 1922, to begin its second century under steam. For this reason, the upcoming 1472 Service Day Inspection has been termed the Second Century Overhaul.
The museum has already raised about $60,000 towards the cost of the Second Century Overhaul. To raise the remaining funds, we are pleased to present the Second Century Overhaul Sponsorship Program. Through the sponsorship program, individuals, families, groups, and businesses can sponsor specific parts of the locomotive. Supporters can also give at the Friend of the Locomotive level, which is not associated with any particular part on the locomotive. The sponsorship of a particular part and the associated donation amount are symbolic, not literal. All donations received will be aggregated together and used wherever they are most needed for the Second Century Overhaul. Any funds not used for the overhaul will go to support steam locomotives at the museum. Donations of material items and professional services needed in the Second Century Overhaul are also gratefully accepted.
Each donor will be recognized in a roll of donors displayed next to the locomotive, in the donor roll on this website, and in the museum’s newsletter, the Gazette. Donations can also be anonymous. We are pleased to present some excellent thank you gifts and experiences corresponding to each level of sponsorship. Donors also have the option of forgoing their thank you gifts, so that more of their donation can benefit the locomotive.
The Southern California Railway Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.
To learn about the sponsorship levels, please click the link below:
