Dedicated volunteers and board members from the Friends of the Stewartstown Railroad, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, received great news this past week. For more than 3 years, they have been working hard to restore Former Reading Company Coach #1158 back into its near-original appearance to serve as a demonstration commuter-car showcasing inter-urban passenger service in the 1920’s. Coach restorations, especially of this size, require a lot of time, money, skill, materials, and some luck! President and Project Manager Dave Watson states: “When I was informed that we were selected to receive a $5,000 match grant from the 2021 NRHS Railway Heritage Grant program, I was absolutely ecstatic! We are so close to being able to complete the outside portion of the coach restoration. Receiving these funds will help us reach this important milestone!” The funds from this grant will be used to finish remaining body work, prepare surfaces, prime, and paint the outside of the coach.
The Friends of the Stewartstown Railroad, Inc. would like to thank the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) for awarding a $5,000 Railway Heritage Grant to our organization. Additionally, we would like to extend our appreciation to the Baltimore Chapter of the NRHS for writing a letter of support to accompany our grant application.
Donations toward this project are always welcomed and appreciated. If you would like to send in a donation toward the Coach 1158 restoration project, please click here to donate using PayPal. Or checks can be mailed to: Friends of the Stewartstown Railroad, Inc., C/O Coach 1158 Restoration Fund, PO Box 456, Stewartstown, PA 17363. Please be sure to notate Coach 1158 Restoration on your check. We sincerely say thank you to all our members, friends, and supporters that have helped make this project a reality.