BOARD BRIEFS
At its March 12, meeting the board of directors convened at the San Diego Trust and Savings board room, with the following board members present; Willoughby, Pennick, Durkin, Kerr, and Sanders,
Among items of business discussed by the board were:
That PSRMA had been requested by a movie studio to appraise the value of old railroad equipment owned by them. Terry Durkin, reported that the equipment had been appraised at $177,000.
The question of whether the museum's equipment were taxable assets, was discussed.
It was suggested that a safe-deposit box be obtained to store important museum records.
The subject of membership was discussed, and it was recommended that a form letter be set up to acknowledge all new memberships and donations.
It was suggested, too, that the president, secretary and treasurer put together a set of proposed standing rules.
Discussed the setting up of rules, methods, proceedures and testing of the personnel who operate museum owned equipment.
Several of the Administrative posts were without applicants. The problems of obtaining persons to fill the positions were discussed and the assignment of post to applicants should be forthcoming soon.
Suggested that a trip to Puerto Penasco be operated this fall under contract with Wally Duthie.
Members discussed the possibilities of acquiring a 2-6-6-2T, locomotive and the submission of repair costs to the Southwest Portland Cement Company for consideration in connection of the Mojavo northern locomotive.
A general discussion of the museum acquiring a street car took place. It was approved that PSRMA offer RHS $500 for SF Muni 171 which is now at Perris.
CODE-A-PHONE
The museum has been offered services of "Code-a-phone," automatic answering service, for a short time. The service has been offered by Robert DiGiorgio to the museum. The service would inable callers to hear railroad sounds and information on the museum by dialing a certain number. It was hoped that the service could be used in the very near future.
SOUTHERN PACIFIC'S LARK NOW A MEMORY
The famous Los Angeles - San Francisco "Lark" made its last run on Saturday, April 7, 1968.
Dating back to the turn of the century, The Lark was the way to go in comfort between L.A. and San Francisco. Businessmen and others could leave in the evening, dine aboard, and get a good nights sleep en-route, and presto be all ready and rarin1 to go in the morning.
Like its counter part. The Owl on the valley run. The Lark was basically a through train, stopping only at Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Salinas, and San Jose. The passenger facilities were superb, the elegant shining wooden cars of the early years, complete with the observation platform. Wood soon gave way to steel and the heavy standard pullmans we all remember so well. Then came the gleaming stainless steel cars of the 1940's, all resplendent in their two-tone grey livery.
Motive power over the years changed too. At first the Pacifics and Atlantic types held the hotshot schedule. Then as the trains became longer and faster the Mountain types became the speedsters on the Lark. Then came the ultimate of the steam power, the 4000's. These were the flashy, streamlined red, yellow, and black beauties that were called the "Daylight" type. It is said that they were the most photographed locomotives in the world. They in turn were set aside in the mid-fifties for the more efficient diesels.
With the diesels the trains lost a part of their glamour, but even then the long decline had already begun to overtake the American passenger trains.
The length of the trains grew until the consist often ran up to seventeen
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