-----Original Message-----
From Shawn Beckert,

I've heard it said that at places like the Huntington Library in San
Marino, California and the DeGolyer Library in Dallas, Texas you
almost need divine intervention to gain access to materials, never
mind the fees.

Uh, well, I'll stick up for the DeGolyer. Several years ago when I was collecting drawings for the
ERIE 0-6-0 drawings I did (published in the ELHS magazine, The Diamond) I had collected a large
number of drawings of parts and bits, much of it from CSRRM. But I was missing the tender tank. One
night, the email address to the curator of the drawings there appeared in clickable form in an
email. "What the hell?" I thought, and sent in a request, a very specific request, giving number
series, railroad, etc., etc.

No email reply. I thought, "Well, THAT didn't work." But about a week later, a snail mail reply
showed up, and they indeed had what I wanted. Price was reasonable, and quick enough, the check was
written and sent.

I did think it a tad odd that the reply came by USPS, when I'd sent in an email, but I'm not here to
judge.

I do second the recommendation that California State RR Museum is a great institution.

SGL