Last of the private steam locomotive collections? Even had a Big Boy... the Blount collection

looks like a Big Boy http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/12/big-boy-used-coal-so-fast-that-shovels.html

In the late 50's a seafood company founder began collecting steam locomotives... can a guy collect anything bigger? Has anyone? I doubt it.

Anyway, he made a small tourist attraction and called it Steamtown, moved it a couple times but didn't get very close to any major cities... he stuck it in Vermont.

Anyway, he died in 1967, at the age of 47 and without setting up a modicum of management to keep the trains in good condition, so they were sold off, neglected, and falling apart. The company that ran the collection moved from Vermont to Scranton, PA in 1984 after about 20 years of barely surviving, and went bankrupt in 1986

Congress was quick to make it a national park, and the park service now runs the train attraction as a learning center about 1850 to 1950 steam locomotives.

Read a bit more about it from the souce of my info: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6160936&postcount=20825

Sultan of Brunei collection

Aston Martin One-77 supercars, limited to just 77 examples, for $1.7 million apiece were just bought by an anonymous purchaser.

Now educated insiders are speculating that the Sultan of Brunei bought the cars to add to his multi-billion-dollar, 7,000-strong car collection, the world’s most expensive auto hoard.

According to Guinness World Records the Sultan’s collection includes over
600 Rolls-Royces,
more than 450 Ferraris,
570 Mercedes-Benzes,
380 Bentleys,
170 Porsches,
dozens of Koenigseggs,
and 20 Lamborghinis to name a few.

He owns several rare custom, one-off and concept cars, some worth tens of millions apiece, including a Ferrari Mythos, a Jaguar XJ220 by Pininfarina, a Bentley Java, a Bentley Dominator SUV, bespoke Rolls-Royce and Ferrari station wagons, a Porsche Carma and a Koenigsegg Agera.

In the '90s the royal family accounted for nearly 50-percent of all Rolls-Royces sold. The Sultan owns the racecars driven by each F1 world champion since the 1980 season.

Known for buying multiple models of supercars in order to have one in every color, he owns several McLaren F1s, six Ferrari FXXs, four Ferrari F40s and three Ferrari F50s. The Sultan, who’s worth an estimated $20 billion, stores the collection in five heavily-guarded airplane hangars and employs a team of mechanics and specialists to keep the cars in perfect working condition.
info from http://ultimate-luxury-community.com/

See a gallery of some of the cars at http://jalopnik.com/379855/a-garage-fit-for-a-king-the-best-of-the-sultan-of-bruneis-amazing-car-collection

LeMay museum finally had it's groundbreaking (2 years since I posted that it would happen)

http://hagertyblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/lemay-museum-groundbreaking-june-2010.html for the story and photo gallery. My first post didn't say much, just informative that it's supposed to become the largest in the world
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/03/if-you-live-near-seattle-you-might-want.html

The Mullin museum is finally open, but only two days a month, on a reservation basis

The above is one of two made, the other is unrestored. A commisioned painting of it by Nicola Wood is posted here: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/10/marvelous-paintings-of-nicola-wood.html

Above images from http://motomania.tumblr.com/

Here's one amazing car from the Mullins collection, a Hispano-Suiza woody!

http://karakullake.blogspot.com/2010/08/mullin-automotive-museum-review-part-1.html for a full write up and gallery

For hours and dates it's open: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/mullins-museum-info-its-not-open-often.html

Evans Garage... what a cool looking place (not open to the public)

Cmon, that is a cool way to dress up your mailbox!

New photo coverage of Jay Leno's collection

his motorcycle collection: http://big-diesel.blogspot.com/2009/08/harem-of-leno.html

his car collection: http://www.mensjournal.com/jay-lenos-time-machines

a couple new cars in his garage, http://www.moparmagazine.com/2008/sept-oct/another_mopar_for_lenos_collection and http://fuel-efficient-vehicles.org/energy-news/?p=892

The Peter Mullin auto museum, not open yet, but soon

Celebrating the art deco movement, the French Curves Collection exemplifies the zenith of the French automobile, including beautifully styled and amazingly engineered French-built cars covering several decades: Bugattis, Delages, Delahayes, Hispano Suizas, Talbot-Lagos and Voisins, many have won awards at concours d'elegance, and a number of the race cars have been past winners of historic races, such as the Grand Prix de Pau and Le Mans.

1421 Emerson Avenue

Oxnard, CA 93033

Previously the Otis Chandler museum, The museum is reopening as the Vintage Museum of Transportation, displaying the Peter Mullin Collection, including 12 Bugattis from the former Schlumpf collection ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandler_Vintage_Museum_of_Transportation_and_Wildlife

For dates and hours: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/mullins-museum-info-its-not-open-often.html

Something I bet the Shelby collectors have never heard of... the 33 1/3 rpm record of Carroll and a GT 500 racing around Riverside, in a model kit car

Deerpark Auto museum is open again! Closed for years while things got sorted out, it's $5 to tour a great collection!