THE TRANSFER TABLE
The Wilmington Chapter NRHS Official Newsletter
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NOVEMBER MEETING NOTES      

    To start the November 2000 meeting, Secretary Walt Robbins read the minutes of the previous meeting for the last time before stepping down as Secretary. The Treasurer's report was read by Ralph Stevens. National Director Tom Posatko reported on the National Director's meeting in Dallas and the fact that the ALCO photo collection situation may be resolved. Ed Thornton reported that there will be two sessions at Rail Camp this year - both beginner level (no intermediate this year).

   The head of the Election Committee, Dan Frederick, reported that all of the current officers would run for another year in office with the exception of the post for Secretary. Dan eventually "volunteered" to run for that office. There being no other nominations, a motion was made and passed to cast a single ballot for the slate of unopposed nominees.

   It was reported that the Wilmington & Western's washed out bridges have been replaced and they hope to run the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

   Frank Ferguson provided the opening ten slides this evening with shots of the new Acela trains.
The program this evening was by Phil Snyder with scenes along the CSX tracks from Baltimore to Philadelphia. It started in Bayview Yard, then shots of the Canton Railroad (check the website for details on this one), Belcamp, the rail grinder near Aberdeen, and Wilsmere before and after the new tower at the GM plant. Paint schemes included B&O, C&O, Chessie, Seaboard Coast Line, Family Lines, RF&P, MARC, L&N, Conrail, NS, GATX, HLCX, UP, Cape Cod & Hyanis, LMS, LRCX, Susquehanna, D&H, PLM, CNW, FURX, Wisconsin Central, GT, EMD, KCS, SP, CN, and CP. We also saw the aftermath of the crash at Marsh Road Feb. 13, 1970, Chessie Steam #614, and the Reading Ramble.

From The Editor
...Our Treasurer saved as much postage as he could by handing out the membership dues notices for next year at the last Chapter Meeting. However you got yours, don't forget to send your check in soon.

   I decided for this issue to run a lot of local reference material. The file still has long articles from Henry Dickinson, Tom Smith, and two from Dick Hall waiting to go. But that's it! I look forward to receiving (especially via E-mail, but disk, typed, or written is OK) some short articles or items of interest from other members. Seasons Greetings & Best Wishes for a Happy New Year

 NEWS BITS

• November 16 was the Inaugural Run of the Acela on the Northeast Corridor. In order to ensure that the train would actually reach its destination with so many dignitaries and press on board and so many ceremonies planned, a number of "PROTECT ENGINES" were strategically placed along the line. This is what the "insurance" looked like on that day: [provided to this reporter by an extremely reliable source]

 • 'Star Wars" Test Impresses FRA Officials A test of Communications Based Train Management - also known as Star Wars - took place over the Augusta, Georgia-Spartanburg, South Carolina, corridor last week. That 125-mile single-track corridor uses Direct Traffic Control - verbal authorities from the Operations Center in Jacksonville granting access to each block, or segment, rather than wayside signals. The test was designed to demonstrate the system to top officials of the Federal Railroad Administration, other railroads, labor organizations and suppliers. "Star Wars" is what train crews on the Augusta-Spartanburg corridor call CBTM, which is a form of Positive Train Control that incorporates global positioning satellite technology. The locomotive engineer must respond to warnings or acknowledge prompts on a cab monitor concerning a range of safety issues - switches aligned properly, permission to proceed through track work zones and adherence to speed limits, for example. If the engineer doesn't take action to slow the train or acknowledge the prompts, the train is automatically brought to a safe stop... "This system has the capability of future applications and enhancements," said Tom Schmidt, vice president-engineering. "But more than that, it's another guarantee that our train crews will go home safely." Schmidt is leading the more than three-year-old effort to develop Star Wars along with Denise Lyle, director-advance train control projects, and a team from Wabtec Railway Electronics. The FRA's George Gavalla, associate administrator of safety, rode on a recent demonstration trip and congratulated CSXT. "We think that whole field of computer based train control technologies holds a lot of promise for the industry," Gavalla says. "It promises to dramatically improve safety and improve efficiency of operations. We applaud CSXT for taking the initiative to help develop computer based train control, and we want to work with you to make it the best system that it can be." . [from CSXT Midweek Report, October 19, 2000 via Allen Brougham's Bull Sheet http://www.bullsheet.com/news/current.html ]

• Amtrak Acela Express to Begin December 11 Amtrak has announced the introduction of revenue service of its long-awaited Acela Express for December 11. Tickets will go on sale November 29. There will be a ceremonial launching of the service on November 16 with day long activities running from Washington north to New York and Boston. Amtrak will use the interval between the ceremonial launch of service and the start of regularly scheduled service to run special preview trains and to run charter service for professional sports teams. The first revenue service will involve a single round trip serving 11 intermediate stops between Washington and Boston. Additional service will be offered as equipment becomes available, and the second revenue offering will include a "Super Express" running non-stop between Washington and New York. By the time all 20 trainsets are delivered next summer, Amtrak will be running 19 round trips daily between Washington and New York, and 10 round trips between New York and Boston. Each train will consist of a locomotive on each end with six passenger cars in between, including a first-class car, four business-class cars, and a cafe car. Seating capacity will be for 304 customers. [from Allen Brougham's Bull Sheet http://www.bullsheet.com/news/current.html ]

• On November 15, Norfolk Southern Corp. announced that it was going to lay off up to 385 next year at the freight car maintenance shop in west-central Pennsylvania in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Employees were told that Hollidaysburg Car Shops will close March 1 according to a spokesman for Norfolk, Va.-based Norfolk Southern. The employees will have the opportunity to take other jobs with Norfolk Southern if they are willing to move. Tom Lutten, president of a Transport Workers Union local that represents the Hollidaysburg employees, was at a conference in Washington, D.C., when the announcement was made. Maintenance work now performed in Hollidaysburg, is likely will be moved to shops in Illinois, Ohio and Tennessee. U.S. Rep. Bud Shuster, R-Pa., said he was disappointed by the announcement. Shuster assisted in talks in which Norfolk Southern and Richmond, Va.-based CSX Corp. divided up Philadelphia-based Conrail for $10.3 billion last year. One condition of receiving regulatory approval for the takeover was Norfolk Southern's promise to invest in the Hollidaysburg facility and add jobs, he said. Shuster said the shutdown and layoffs appear to violate that agreement. ``I have asked my committee counsel to investigate this matter thoroughly to determine if any course of action can be taken that might halt any potential job losses,'' Shuster said. ``In the next few days, I plan on meeting and talking with local labor leaders and officials from Norfolk Southern on what can be done to save jobs and keep work here.'' The NS announcement said that 1,100 employees of locomotive maintenance and repair shops in Blair County will not be affected. [from Associated Press report via http://www.pilotonline.com/business/bz1115nor.html]

SCHEDULE NOTES
Notices, announcements, schedules, etc. are provided here as a service to the members. The Chapter has no affiliation with any commercial operation, museum, or tourist line.

Sunday, December 3, 2000 Miniature R.R. Club of York 57th HO Scale Open House
1 - 5 PM, 381 Wheatfield St, York, PA (turn south at 940 E. Princess St.), info 717-225-5470

Sunday, December 10, 2000 NORDEL X-mas Train Show
10 AM - 3 PM, Cranston Heights Fire Co. Prices Corner, Kirkwood Highway (Rt. 2), Wilmington, DE

Sunday, December 10, 2000 Miniature R.R. Club of York 57th HO Scale Open House
1 - 5 PM, 381 Wheatfield St, York, PA (turn south at 940 E. Princess St.), info 717-225-5470

Saturday, December 16: Night Photo Trolley Special
over SEPTA's streetcar lines using a PCC car sponsored by the Wilmington Chapter NRHS. Several stops for open flash and ambient light night photography. Trip departs Elmwood car barn (near I-95) at 5 PM; returns approx. 10 PM. Capacity limited to 30 people. Fare: $35: Tickets: SSAE and check payable to Wilmington Chapter NRHS, c/o Steve Barry, 117 High St, Newton NJ 07860. Info: phone (973) 383-3355 (9am-5pm ET) or e-mail steve@daylightimages.com.

Sunday, December 17, 2000 Miniature R.R. Club of York 57th HO Scale Open House
1 - 5 PM, 381 Wheatfield St, York, PA (turn south at 940 E. Princess St.), info 717-225-5470

Sunday, December 31, 2000 Miniature R.R. Club of York 57th HO Scale Open House
1 - 5 PM, 381 Wheatfield St, York, PA (turn south at 940 E. Princess St.), info 717-225-5470

Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 6-7, 2001 GATSME Lines Open House
noon - 4 PM, New Horizons Montessori School, Prospect & Madison, Ft Washington, PA info=215-646-2033

Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 13-14, 2001 GATSME Lines Open House
noon - 4 PM, New Horizons Montessori School, Prospect & Madison, Ft Washington, PA info=215-646-2033

Saturday & Sunday, January 27-28, 2001 Great Scale Model Train Show
9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD.

Saturday, February 24, 2001 East Rail 2001
tickets $10 by mail, $12 at door
send SSAE to: EastRail 2001, c/o URHS, P.O. Box 711, Clark, NJ 07066-0711

Saturday & Sunday, February 24-25, 2001 Brass Expo
Baltimore & Ohio Museum, Baltimore, MD.

Sunday, March 4, 2001 Railroad Show & Collectors Market
9 - 3, Zembo Temple, 3rd & Division Sts, Harrisburg, PA

Sunday, March 18, 2001 NORDEL X-mas Train Show
10 AM - 3 PM, Cranston Heights Fire Co. Prices Corner, Kirkwood Highway (Rt. 2), Wilmington, DE

Saturday & Sunday, March 24-25, 2001 Cornell Railroad Historical Society 2001 Railfair
Tompkins County Armory, Hanshaw Road (past the airport), Ithaca, NY

Thursday-Sunday, March 29-April 1, 2001 NMRA Mid-East Region Convention
Sheraton Great Valley, US Route 30, Frazer (West Chester/Exton), PA, info at www.kj2001.com
or write to P.O. Box 378, Devon, PA 19333

Saturday & Sunday, April 7-8, 2001 Great Scale Model Train Show
9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD.

June 18-23, 2001 NRHS National Convention to be hosted by St. Louis Chapter

Saturday & Sunday, June 23-24, 2001 Great Scale Model Train Show
9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD.

Saturday & Sunday, October 6-7, 2001 Great Scale Model Train Show
9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD.

CHAPTER EVENTS  

Saturday Dec. 16, 2000 5 PM Chapter Trip Christmas Lights Trolley Trip
somewhere in Philadelphia

Sunday Dec. 17, 2000 5 PM Holiday Dinner in lieu of normal monthly meeting
5 PM cocktails, 6 PM dinner, $12 per person, program by Steve Barry

Thursday Jan. 18, 2001 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Ernie Barry
program not known at this time

Thursday Feb. 15, 2001 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Bruce Barry
program not known at this time

Thursday March 15, 2001 7 PM Chapter Meeting program not known at this time

The Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) meets at 7:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month [except August & December] in the Darley Room at the Claymont Community Center on Green Street in Claymont, Delaware.      Visitors are always welcome. Admission to regular meetings is free. Check out our  >>NEW Website <<<, thanks to Russ Fox at:   http://www.WilmingtonNRHS.com

The Transfer Table
   The Transfer Table is published six to ten times per year as the newsletter of the Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.  Items in this publication do not represent the official position of either Officers or Members of the Wilmington Chapter or the Editor of this publication.
    Permission to reprint articles and news items appearing herein is granted to NRHS Chapters and other newsletters provided appropriate credit is given.   Contributions are always welcome and should be sent to the editor at SD40GMA@aol.com or send to: P.O. Box 1136, Hockessin, DE 19707-5136. Deadline for entries is the 25th of the month.

    Chapter Officers
    President   Phil Snyder
    Vice President & Historian  Ron Cleaves
    Treasurer   Ralph Stevens, Jr.
    Secretary   Dan Frederick
    National Director   Tom Posatko
    Editor  Greg Ajamian
    Public Relations    Frank Ferguson, Jr.
    Event Photographer  Bruce Barry

>>> check out our NEW website >>>   http://www.WilmingtonNRHS.com

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