Railroad Museum President Is Baffled By City Hall's Rush to Get Trains Out of Fair Park

By Robert Wilonsky Thu., Jan. 28 2010 at 2:18 PM

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I just spoke with Museum of the American Railroad president and CEO Bob LaPrelle about the city's lawsuit that demands the train museum get out of Fair Park by no later than August 1. Despite the museum's April 2008 announcement that it was moving to Frisco, LaPrelle says the city's being unreasonable: "There's too much planning and engineering work [required] in Frisco, and we have 4,500 tons of trains to move. And we're a nonprofit, and it's tough to raise funds in this economy."

LaPrelle says he's always been "very clear" with the city about how much time he needs to move -- till at least the end of 2010, he says, if not well into 2011. But, he says, the city set an August 1, 2010, deadline, and that is simply "unrealistic."

"Dallas has not been very happy since our decision to move to Frisco," he says, "and it's been tough sledding since then. We've got folks unhappy with our decision, but we're still trying to sort it all out. We're trying to work through all this and see what we can do." He says the museum's in the process of hiring an attorney so it can respond to the application for an injunction.

But here's the real mystery: Why in the world is the city so dead-set on forcing one of its few year-round attractions out of Fair Park? After all, it's hoping to fill the Band Shell and Grand Place with rent-free deals with a concert promoter and a car museum, respectively. Shouldn't the city want to keep the train museum on the property -- in more or less an out-of-the-way parking lot off Perry Avenue -- as long as possible? I asked LaPrelle why he thinks the city's in such a hurry.

"We don't know," he says. "That's a good question. There's a certain councilman behind this. We don' t get it either. The whole thing is really bizarre."

And, yes, LaPrelle named the council member. I've called the council member, who's in a meeting. When this council member responds, I will name this council member. Till then, then.

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The Museum has the same deal as all of the museums in fair park. The City has paid utilities for the museums since well before 1980. Unlike the other museums, MAR does not require additional support from City funds. The Museum has fulfilled their obligations in the mutual agreements between the City and the Museum and the City wants to reneg.
The buildings are not permanently attached to the land, Alfredo.
MR. Natinsky, do you have any use for the citizens of Dallas? Or is your ego so big you can only through fits?
Goodbye to a sleazy outfit that never held up their end of any deal with the city. The City DID NOT force their hand! They simply tried to get MAR to live up to their agreements. It's been 2 and a half years. Time for this sleazy group to move. And the women of Frisco better watch out. The "president" or CEO, whatever he's calling himself this week, likes to hit on co-workers bigtime. He can't get a date outside of where he works, so he uses his position at the museum to hit on girls there. Wonder how Frisco will feel when they get sued over his actions
Let's see if I understand this correctly: the museum has no signed lease, pays no rent, pays no utilities (free water and electric from the Fair Board),and announced some 2 & half years ago they were going to move. They have "signed" an agreement in Frisco and have a promised $1+M grant, Mr. Buffett's Railroad has offered to help them move, and they say they have been fundraising ( but not enough money yet). I believe the City has a perfect right and an obliation, to either get a revenue paying lease,or evict the tenant. Museum has had a free ride for 45+ years,they have been very lucky. Now they need to "get some steam up", and do what they said they were going to do..move! Maybe a threat of a City possession by eviction scrap iron auction, will motivate Mr. LaPrelle and his "Fair Park Engineers" to put action where his mouth was 2 half years ago !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think Alfredo is incorrect. Way to plug the DFWU forum, haretip!!
Haretip: The MAR doesn't own the land and last time I checked buildings permanently attached to the land are the property of the landlord. Historic Dallas buildings are not moving to Frisco.
The MAR has title to the buildings, and to my understanding, all of the equipment. Kiss 'em goodbye. Neither of the historic structures are in their original location. I sure don't understand why everyone is in such a huff about the MAR moving to Frisco because nobody seemed to care when they were still committed to developing their facilities at Fair Park. For disclosure, I have been a member of the museum in the past and I provided some technical assitance on the design of the proposed expansion at Fair Park. It would have been grand. I don't think I still have a copy of the site plan, but it would have put a really nice face on the east side of Fair Park. Oh well. Too late now. http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showthread.php?t=5629&highlight=museum+american+railroad
In Dallas' history there was no navigable river or topography like a mountain pass to make it a stop on a trade route. Even Fort Worth was the closest military outpost when this area was settled. There is no reason for Dallas to have started and prospered here except for when the railroads were built, and it became a hub. The history of the railroads in Dallas is very underappreciated but is probably the main reason for its existence. This is just par for the course. I hope the Railroad Museum is replaced by a new Mcmansion Museum or a bank branch.
The museum also thinks they are going to move the buildings to Frisco, there is a depot and tower both of which I think are historic structures so unless Dallas doesn't care about historic buildings moving to Frisco they are in for another legal fight
Just an update: Still no call from the council member in question. But a real journalist is now on the story: James Tiberius Schutze. And he's found out some pretty, pretty interesting things. Like what, you ask. Forthcoming.
If the museum cared about visitors, they'd have put bathrooms in years ago. Don't you suppose a grant for bathrooms could've been wrangled from somewhere by now (48 years)? The proposed move to Frisco is for "someone else's" benefit, not the museum. Bigger pond and all that...and it's not like they dreamed it up yesterday. Follow the money (or lack thereof). Dallas is calling their bluff...as they should.
I live in Fair Park. I have the opportunity to move to Frisco. Hmmm, let me think that one over!
Yeah, Screw the city of Dallas. I have absolutely no respect for any city that turns its back.... Oh, sorry Ron, I thought you were talking about the city's treatment of the Museum of the American Railroad. The City of Dallas forced their hand. Plain and simple. Now they're acting like the d-bags they are.
Screw `em. I'm not shedding any tears for this disloyal outfit. Let Frisco help `em out if they need money for the move. I'm completely serious. As a longtime Dallasite, I have no use for people, companies, or nonprofits who turn their back on us.
I have always loved the Trains, yet hated the location. Ford has many cars and trains in its museum, horse buggys too. Wish we could do that.
<i>Unless someone's itching to move in, why not leave it there.</i> Would you sign a lease for property that has a bunch of trains on it that neither party can promise when or how they are going to be moved off the property and in what condition the property is going handed over in because it had a bunch of trains on it? Utilization, construction or even bidding on construction can not start until the trains are gone. I can't imagine anyone would even consider signing a lease agreement with the city until the trains are gone, their presence just provides to many unknowns.
Why not just up and move the State Fair to Frisco? They have the land for a permanent display of hot tubs, sham-wow sellers, and the like. Then we can bulldoze Fair Park and have a large Dart Green Line Park and Go lot.
Quick question.... How many visitors does the Museum attract? I thought one of the reasons they wanted to move to Frisco was to increase attendance.
Interesting headline. While some have accused Bob of acting like the owner, it is a non-profit and he is not. The city has treated the museum like a red-headed step child for the longest time. There have been many attempts to reconfigure the site to provide a world class railroad museum at Fair Park, but the powers that be are more interested in parking space and hot-tub displays than world class museums. Heck, they don't even have a bathroom at the site which is pretty darn pathetic for an attraction that draws as many visitors as they do. The city is acting malicious IMHO.
All good points, John, but the city has no plans, far as I know, for that space. Unless someone's itching to move in, why not leave it there. Per the city's injunction: "The City desires to utilize the Property as a part of the State Fair grounds prior to the 2010 State Fair of Texas." The museum's been there through many State Fairs. And, no, Warden. More likely, 'round 3:30 ish.
Has it been then yet?
I don't understand why the cities action is so shocking, the announcement of their move was a public blow to the city of Dallas and Fair Park and apparently they don't have the funds to move. If my tenant told me they they were moving out and almost two years later they haven't and they don't know when they can, I want a new lease or for them to get out so I can lease to someone else.