by Cowford
While visiting Portland over the holiday weekend, I had to stick my head into the MGN museum for a few. I had heard rumors as to its mismanagement. If my experience is typical, the rumors are true. We entered the museum around 230p and apparently they planned to shut at 3p to prepare for the Polar Express. We were greeted by a young female employee lambasting a poor woman with her young child. She said when offered the admission fee (and I am not exaggerating), "I've already closed the register. I suppose I'll have to hold the money for tomorrow." (grunt, groan) and, when asked if they could hang out for a while and play with the toy train... "So you expect me to wait around here just for you?" (More grunts and groans). She then looked at us annoyingly and, in so many words said in equal tone, "what do you want?" I told her that we'd only be 15-20 mins and I handed her $4 before she could say anything. We were absolutely appalled at her rudeness. And she later treated a telephone inquiry the same way.
Housekeeping is also not on the list of priorities. The old converted inspection vehicle and railbus were covered, inside and out, with sawdust, apparently from a restoration project with an open-air car. And regarding the displays... with a little more thought and not much more money, the place could provide a much better experience.
What a dump: close the place and transfer the rolling stock to the WW&F Railway Museum. By all accounts, they "get it."
Housekeeping is also not on the list of priorities. The old converted inspection vehicle and railbus were covered, inside and out, with sawdust, apparently from a restoration project with an open-air car. And regarding the displays... with a little more thought and not much more money, the place could provide a much better experience.
What a dump: close the place and transfer the rolling stock to the WW&F Railway Museum. By all accounts, they "get it."