THE
TRANSFER TABLE
The Wilmington Chapter NRHS Official
Newsletter
Internet Edition
| VOLUME 25 NO. 2 | FEBRUARY 2003 |
Back To Wilmington Chapter Web Site
ANNUAL OFFICER'S MEETING NOTES
The annual Chapter Officer's meeting was held on
January 2 to plan for events and eventualities in the
upcoming year. Key items discussed were: monthly
meeting topics, multiple trip plans, and actions and
activities to try to increase membership. It was
decided that Chapter dues would have to be raised NEXT
year (2004) to cover increased costs (primarily the
newsletter) and reduced revenues (dues & trip
tickets). For 2004, Chapter dues are expected to be
$12 for the year plus $20 for National dues. The
Special Category for the annual photo contest in May
was chosen to be "A view of the inside of a piece
of railroad equipment or the inside of a
railroad structure." Also the annual Holiday
Dinner will probably be at Maximillian's again.
JANUARY, 2003 MEETING NOTES
Ace Reporter and Chapter Historian Ron Cleaves phoned in this report on the January 2003 Chapter Meeting: President Phil Snyder called the meeting to order at 7 PM. Vice President Ron Cleaves read the "minutes" from the January newsletter. National Director Tom Posatko reported that there will be a National Director's meeting in Richmond in April and the convention in Baltimore in July. He also reported there is an effort getting underway to preserve the New Castle Industrial Track. A motion was passed to have the Chapter represented by members Richard Hall, John Iwasyk, and Joe Reed when the effort becomes "official." Trip Director Bruce Barry indicated that ticket sales for Super Saturday were going well. Kermit Geary donated a copy of Sperry Rail Service's "Rail Defect Manual" to the Chapter archives. Walt Robbins reported that the x-PRR Octararo Branch Passenger Station at Lincoln (University), PA is now for sale after being vacant for 8 years. Joe Reed reported on Amtrak's current buy-one-get-one-free offer. The 18 members present then saw Frank Ferguson's 10 slides on China Steam = a prelude to February's program. Phil Snyder then presented Part 2 of his Cross-Country program showing the NRHS Convention in Williams, AZ, station stops, views out windows while en route, Verde Canyon RR, the Grand Canyon RR, and the canyon itself.
$$ DUES ARE DUE $$
If you have not already done so, please send your
2003 membership dues to Ralph Stevens, 8
Colony Blvd., Apartment #315 Wilmington, DE
19802-1459.
! ! ! UN-PRIVACY
NOTIFICATION ! ! !
I would like to print an updated Chapter
Membership list in an upcoming newsletter with
Name, Address, Telephone, and E-mail Address. If for any reason you do NOT want your
information published, please send me a note,
post card, or E-mail by Feb. 24, 2003
(address in Chapter Officers box below). If there is anything on your address label
that should be corrected, let me know. To ensure that your E-mail address gets
included, please send me a short note.
REMINDER
If you have not already done so, you should register for the annual convention in Baltimore in July to ensure you get the latest information sent to you as soon as possible.
NOTICE: IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER
If our normal "THIRD THURSDAY" NRHS meeting is canceled due to inclement weather, it will be postponed and held on the FOURTH THURSDAY. If it must again be canceled, it will NOT be rescheduled. We will simply wait for the next month's normal "third Thursday" meeting. If the weather looks bad or is predicted to be bad, you may telephone the Claymont Community Center to see if it will be open that evening for our meeting.
Trolley Conductor Bill Monaghan E-sent this photo entitled Route 34A taken January 25 on the Wilmington Chapters Super Saturday Streetcar Special X Trip.
NEWS BITS
Russia completed the electrification of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The last 109-mile section of the 5,758-mile line was finished in December allowing electricity to power the entire line for the first time after 74 years. [from AP reports via Wilmington News Journal 12-26-2002]
Dec 17, 2002 - from the
Lancaster (PA) New Era - You may be able to hop aboard an Amtrak train in
Paradise as early as the summer of 2004. Plans for a new $2.6 million Paradise
railroad station along Route 30, west of Belmont Road, seem to be roaring down
the tracks.
Many residents strongly opposed the project a few years ago when it
was originally planned along Pequea Lane, north of Route 30. They said it would
be a huge cost to taxpayers and would attract unwanted buses and development to
their small town. The project is now slotted for a 6-acre tract at Stock
Building Supply, just south of Lincoln Highway East, a mile east of the former
site.
"This will help transportation in the county by providing more access to
the Amtrak system,'' said Neumann, the deputy director of transportation
planning. "The largest gap between stations along the line is between Lancaster
County and Parkesburg (in Chester County). This station would be almost midway
between them.'' The environmental assessment says the Paradise Rail Station will
cut vehicle miles of travel in the county by as much as 3,400 miles daily. The
county planning commission estimates the station would have 102 daily boardings.
Twenty-nine of those would take the place of highway trips to Philadelphia or
Harrisburg. Another 20 boardings would be by Strasburg Rail Road patrons. But
nearly half of all the boardings would be by Amtrak passengers who usually board
at Lancaster or Parkesburg. The station would allow passengers to link directly
with the Strasburg Rail Road. Neumann said future improvements could include
shuttle buses transferring passengers from the state railroad museum to tourist
attractions along routes 896 and 30. The overall aim is to transport more
tourists by rail to relieve the sometimes-snarled automobile traffic in the
area.
Freight Trains To Use Shellpot
Bridge Again By SEAN O'SULLIVAN Staff reporter Wilmington News Journal
12/29/2002 - After an eight-year absence, trains will return to the Shellpot
bridge over the Christina River in Wilmington late in 2003 or early in 2004. The
Delaware Department of Transportation this month announced a $13.5 million
renovation of the bridge, which will begin in January. The parent company of the
Norfolk Southern freight railroad will be rehabilitating the bridge. Under the
terms of the agreement, the company is expected to fully repay the state for the
renovation costs over the next 20 years by paying a fee for each Norfolk
Southern rail car that crosses the span, according to DelDOT. The rail line over
the bridge serves the Port of Wilmington, and restoring the bridge will allow
freight trains to bypass Wilmington's Amtrak station.
DelDOT Secretary Nathan
Hayward III said the restoration of the Shellpot bridge is "vitally important"
for the economic growth of the port and to freight service on the Delmarva
Peninsula.The restoration of the bridge will give freight trains a new way into
Delaware and allow the port greater flexibility in scheduling carriers,
according to DelDOT. By avoiding Amtrak's Northeast Corridor tracks, freight
trains will no longer be limited by Amtrak rules that allow freight trains to
use the tracks during off hours for passenger trains. State officials said the
bridge also will aid state efforts to upgrade and restore the Wilmington train
station by reducing congestion at the passenger rail terminal. The swing-style
Shellpot bridge dates to 1888. Its timber piers were replaced by a concrete
foundation in 1951, according to DelDOT. Service over the bridge was
discontinued in 1994, when the foundation could no longer support heavy freight
trains. Since the 725-foot-long bridge was closed, trains have used Amtrak's
Northeast Corridor to get to the port, accessing the area through the two tracks
that cross at Perryville, Md. DelDOT spokeswoman Michele Ackles said reopening
the bridge will also allow the trains to avoid a troublesome sharp curve on the
Amtrak route to the port.
Ron Edwards, manager of customer service at Amtrak's
Wilmington station, said he applauds the change. Reopening the bridge and
rerouting freight trains will free up tracks around the station and reduce wear
and tear on the facility. "A freight train is hard on this building compared to
a passenger train," he said. It also could allow increased passenger rail
service at the station, though no increase currently is planned, Edwards and DelDOT say.
http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2002/12/29freighttrainsto.html
Largest Shipment in Railroad
History Departs Superior The longest, heaviest shipment ever to move on North
American railroads departed from Superior, Wisconsin on Wednesday, November 20th
bound for Canada. "The train has 64 cars and is 4,000 feet long," said Lisa
Marciniak, promotion manager for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. "It's
scheduled to leave from Superior's 28th Street rail yard about dawn," she said.
The train, loaded with Italian-made equipment that will separate sand from oil,
is destined for Fort McMurray, Alberta, where Syncrude UE-1 has a Canadian oil
project. The train will run along Burlington Northern Santa Fe Co. tracks to
Noyes in the northwestern corner of Minnesota. From there, it will travel to
Edmonton and on to Fort McMurray.
The shipment of heavy equipment arrived into
Duluth by ship on November 8th, and includes seven 520-ton pieces, requiring 14
12-axle rail cars, and two 200-ton pieces on two eight-axle rail cars. The
largest pieces will measure about 80 feet long and 14 feet, 7 inches wide. There
are only 28 12-axle rail cars in all of North America. Not every rail car will
carry a piece of equipment. The train is expected to arrive in Fort McMurray on
Dec. 1st. from http://www.railfanclub.org/archives/newsletters/December02/Jumbo.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.
Feb. 8, 2003 Ambassadors of Service B&O Railroad Museum. Step aboard classic dining & sleeper car, hear retired African-American porters, waiters, chefs recount experiences, stories about working on the railroad. Ask your own questions during the question-and-answer period that follows.
Feb. 15-17, 2003 Pennsylvania Garden Railway Society & PA live Steamers 6th Annual Winter Meet 9 AM - 5 PM at Electric City Trolley Museum, Scranton, PA, reg. fee, call 570-735-5570 or wrunloco@aol.com
Feb. 27-March 2, 2003 50 Years on Track B&O Railroad Museum. Celebrate 50 years of preserving and presenting the wonders of American Railroading. Learn about B&O firsts & celebrate landmark anniversary of world-class collection - oldest & most comprehensive in the Western Hemisphere.
March 15, 2003 Women at Work on the Railroad B&O Railroad Museum. Discover history and hear what it was like to be a woman working for and riding on the rails yesterday and today. Learn about women's roles as railroad workers and passengers from the early 19th century to present day.
March 19 - 22, 2003 International Railroad Preservation Symposium B&O Railroad Museum. Conference will be open to the public by subscription, in Mt. Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore. Details TBA. Hosted by The B&O Railroad Museum, 901 W. Pratt St. Baltimore, MD 21223
April 5-6, 2003 Great Scale Model Train Show - Timonium, 9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD. www.gsmts.com
April 12, 2003 EastRail Warren Hills High School, Washington, NJ
April 26-27, 2003 Cornell NRHS Chapter's 20th Annual Finger Lakes Railfair, 10 AM-5 PM, Field Comm Recreation Center, State Rt. 34 Ithica (near Lansing), NY, call 607-533-4120
June 21-22, 2003 Great Scale Model Train Show - Timonium, 9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD. www.gsmts.com
June 27 - July 6, 2003 The Fair of the Iron Horse 175 years of American Railroad B&O Railroad Museum. 10-day extravaganza, historic locomotives, pavilions of model trains and railroad history and technology. Daily parade of historic locomotives from America and world tells saga of American railroading from the beginning to present day.
July 1-6, 2003 2003 NRHS Convention - STAR
SPANGLED RAILS
The National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) and the Railway and Locomotive
Historical Society, Inc. (R&LHS) will hold a joint convention, named Star
Spangled Rails, in Baltimore, Maryland July 1 - 6, 2003. Hosted by the
Washington, DC Chapter of the NRHS and the R&LHS, the convention will offer
exciting mainline excursion trains, other informative, fun rail oriented trips,
educational seminars and the annual banquet. There will also be non-rail
excursions to see the history and culture of Maryland.
Star Spangled Rails will coincide with the 175th Anniversary of Railroading in
the United States and will occur at the height of the B&O Railroad Museum's
America on Track Celebration. The highlight of the Museum's celebration will be
a recreation of the 1927 "Fair of the Iron Horse". The fair will include special
exhibits at the museum and Baltimore's Carroll Park. Railroad equipment of all
kinds and vintages will be on display, something special no one will want to
miss. Besides all of the exciting public events of the Fair, special private
events for Star Spangled Rails attendees only are being planned in conjunction
with the museum. For more information, check the official convention website at
www.starspangledrails.org. Pre-registration NOW!
August 16-17, 2003 Great Scale Model Train Show - Gettsyburg, 9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Gettsyburg College, Gettsyburg, PA
October 11-12, 2003 Great Scale Model Train Show - Timonium, 9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD. www.gsmts.com
October 19, 2003 Susquehanna Valley NRHS Chapter's 10th Annual Train Show Southern Tier Railfest, 10 AM-4 PM, Heritage Country Club, Binghamton, NY call 607-775-1267
CHAPTER EVENTS
Thursday Feb. 20, 2003 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Frank Ferguson, Jr.
Thursday March 20 , 2003 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Greg Ajamian.
Thursday April 17, 2003 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Mike Burkhart.
Thursday May 15, 2003 7 PM Chapter Meeting Annual Doug Weaver Memorial Photo Contest 2003 special category: 2003 special category: "Inside view of a piece of railroad equipment or the inside of a railroad structure."
Saturday May 17, 2003 7 PM Chapter Trip Circle Trip to "Yet-To-Be-Determined" Do-It Yourself - probably Philadelphia - Camden - Trenton
Saturday June 7, 2003 11 AM Chapter Picnic location not available at this time.
Thursday June 19, 2003 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Richard Hall.
Thursday July 17, 2003 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Bruce Barry.
Thursday Aug. 21, 2003 7 PM Chapter Trip Circle Trip to "Yet-To-Be-Determined" Instead of normal monthly meeting - maybe northern NJ
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 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
Education Fund: Ed Thornton
Public Relations: Frank Ferguson, Jr.
Trip Director & Event Photographer: Bruce Barry