INTERPRETATION AND RESTORATION - MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE BENEFITED BY THE INTERPRETATION OF THE ORGANIZATIONS HISTORIC PROPERTY. THIS IS DONE THROUGH THE NEWSLETTER TO LIBRARIES AND MEMBERS, AND THROUGH WALKING TOURS GUIDING VISITORS THROUGH THE RAILYARD. RESTORATION BENEFITS THE HISTORIC MUSEUM COLLECTION AND IT IS ESTIMATED THAT CLOSE TO 100,000 PEOPLE VISIT THE RAILYARD PROPERTIES EACH YEAR. THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE EXPENSES WERE FOR VARIOUS MATERIALS TO PRESERVE AND RESTORE THE HISTORIC EQUIPMENT AND PROPERTIES. THE FRIENDS HAVE APPROXIMATELY 400 VOLUNTEERS FROM A MEMBERSHIP BASE OF OVER 2,400 WORLDWIDE THAT CONTRIBUTE APPROXIMATELY 40,000 HOURS ANNUALLY IN VOLUNTEER TIME. THESE VOLUNTEERS WORK ON THE RAILROAD'S HISTORICAL ASSETS, SERVE AS DOCENTS ONBOARD THE TRAINS, HELP FUNDRAISE, AND WORK IN THE ORGANIZATION'S PHOTO COLLECTION, ARCHIVES, AND LIBRARY. THE HOURS WORKED BY OUR VOLUNTEERS WOULD TRANSLATE INTO APPROXIMATELY 1.2 MILLION ANNUALLY IN LABOR IF THE FRIENDS HAD TO PAY FOR THESE SERVICES.