Alas I fear with few exceptions, drawings are destroyed rather than incur the cost of even transmittal.
About 2002 my electric utility was in the pangs of conversion to a "wires utility." I didn't realize it at the time, but my transfer to the Construction Division was to use my engineering talent to "upgrade" the generation facilities before their final sell-off to Independent Power Producers. I in essence was kept on to "buff the chrome" and "wax the finish" of the power plants before sale. Like a used car dealer a selling utility CAN be held responsible for safety and other "issues" that come with the sale of assets. And my utility was all about "giving fair measure" for the sale - and minimizing legal exposure, of course. I was part of that measure.
But in all the traveling and construction food and pressure, I had a heart attack and was "sidelined" for a period during my recuperation.
The Cardiologist said it: You are now "employment fire proof" Joe - there is nothing you can do short of theft which will get you fired because no company wants to be accused of "hiring discrimination" and sever a person with a developed limitation possibly caused by the work. I was fortunate in my heart attack as there has been no long term effect (said now 25 years after - knock on wood.)
I was transferred to the "records department" where I continued "buffing and waxing" of the recorded record: drawings, specifications, invoices, bills of lading, and design calculations required to build a power plant. Going back to the 1890s for the various company generation properties including Lawrence, MA, Lowell, smaller local utilities "absorbed" by New England Power in the 1930s or before. All this material had to be cataloged, boxed, and transmitted formally to the new owners. I had a staff of two clerks to assist in this.
I am absolutely certain the utility rationalized this as "it needs to be done and he won't be able to hurt himself here." Still a little sour on this I am because I am an engineer who wants to do things - not simply "occupy employment space." One of the two clerks could have done the decision work himself. And I was bored and under-challenged, and away from home still - which is its own stress.
MANY drawing from the early part of the 20th century passed through my hands, including the original Narragansett Electric Company power plants at South Street and Blackstone Street Station in Providence. One of those plants (Blackstone Street IIRC) was originally a reciprocating vertical steam engine plant much similar to what you can find on the Internet on Manhattan Transit plant
The FULL set of drawings were there. All done on linen with ink, and various parts of the drawings "color tinted" to set off for easier viewing. One in particular showed a cross section of the plant - I made a copy of that one myself on the drawing size copy xerox in the office. Another showed the "heat balance" of that 1902 plant done in exquisite detail to show all the steam consumers, electrical output, coal input, and thermal output both at the condenser and released to the air as vapor. I kept a copy of that one too.
I was very tempted to "borrow" both of these and "make them mine." The clerks seeing my interest in these suggested as much. But my continuing honesty is one of my secrets to getting a good night sleep which I value more. As it is I have a copy of the drawings which are not tinted, but still gives a good, albeit LARGE appearance should I frame it for my shop wall.
So South and Blackstone Street plant documents get boxed up and "sit" waiting for the truck from the Power Generation Buyer.
And I at least made the inquiry to a company vice-president. "Is not the Buyer interested in donating these HISTORICAL drawings to the New England Wireless & Steam Museum in East Greenwich, RI." It is right up their alley, historical, steam and technology, and local to their area. AND they have the capability to preserve the drawings, the space to do it right, and possibly even volunteer interest to take it on.
The answer I got back from our company was "Not now, but it is under consideration."
So I fired up my official capacity as "transmitter" of the drawings, and wrote the "receiver" of the drawings (whose name I knew) and sent her a letter to the same query pointing out their historical significance, their value to others, and a warning that drawings may "disappear" to those who value their night's sleep less, but ownership more.
I never got an answer back.
Last word I have from New England Wireless & Steam Museum is they've not been dropped there.
And thus is today's view of "historical significance." "it is under consideration."
All the way into the dumpster.
Don't get me going on the GE Pittsfield (MA) Facility which I have described elsewhere on this forum. The Smithsonian said they could not take on original lab materials from Stanley, Steinmetz, and Tesla. And my acquaintance DID rescue a good portion of one dumpster - but there were at least two more that "disappeared" to the incinerators not examined.
"Those who forget the past..."
The Brits have this ball played MUCH better.
Joe in NH