This collection contains reports, research notes and other documentation, including photographs, compiled by Stephen E. Drew in the preparation of various railroad equipment restoration reports and feasibility studies.

Stephen E. Drew, a nationally recognized railroad equipment restoration and preservation specialist, was born in Oakland, California on February 6, 1949. He received his A.B. in American History and Music from the University of California, Berkeley in 1973. While attending college, Mr. Drew joined the staff of The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley. During this period, he prepared several reports for the Nevada State Park System, including "Brief Histories of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad Equipment Owned by the State of Nevada" (1974) and "Virginia & Truckee Railroad Equipment Restoration Feasibility Investigation" (1975). In the mid-1970s the California Department of Parks and Recreation hired Mr. Drew to prepare a series of restoration feasibility investigations relating to railroad equipment being considered for restoration and display at the proposed California State Railroad Museum. Working with Short Line Enterprises President William A. Oden, he researched the construction, operation and of several historic locomotives and cars, prepared restoration feasibilty reports, and supervised the actual restoration of several locomotives and cars. In 1976 Stephen Drew joined the Department of Parks and Recreation to supervise the construction of the Museum of Railroad History and assist in restoration and interpretation. After the opening of the California State Railroad Museum in 1979 he was appointed Museum Curator, and was responsible for all aspects of interpretation, exhibit construction , collections management, public relations and fund development. In August of 1990 he was promoted to Senior Curator and assumed additional responsibilities for the operation of the Sacramento Southern Railroad and at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park. Mr. Drew was promoted to Chief Curator in May 2002 and retired in June of 2009. He has continued to consult in the field of railroad preservation, lending his expertise to restoration projects for the Nevada State Railroad Museum. He has also served as a consultant for the Kansas State Historical Society, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and the City of Westwego, Louisiana. Mr. Drew has been an expert witness, performed authentications and appraisals, served as faculty and moderator at various symposia and written feature articles in publications such as Trains, Railroad Magazine, and Pacific News. Mr. Drew has served as an on-screen historian for PBS and History Channel documentaries.

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Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Capital District Collections Manager. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the CSRM as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

This collection is open for research at our off-site storage facility with one week's notice. Contact Library & Archives staff to arrange for access.