THE TRANSFER TABLE
The Wilmington Chapter NRHS Official Newsletter
Internet Edition

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MEETING NOTES
The 21 members and 2 guests at the March meeting heard the minutes read and accepted as corrected and the Treasurer's report as read. National Director Ed Thornton reminded members to register for the National Convention as it will be the last one that is close to home for some time. He also reported that CSX is being very cooperative with passenger railroads (at least until the Conrail sale is complete). Eastern Region Vice President Bill Mathews was at "#1 of at least two visits to each Chapter" as he had promised during his campaign. He gave us an update on "Railroad Camp" for high school sophomores-seniors to be held this summer at Steamtown. John Iwasyk reported on efforts to restore Yorklyn Station and on finding references to a "Landenburg Special" which ran in 1949. President Phil Snyder said he recently learned that member Dick Hall was recovering at home after being in the hospital. Phil also reported that emergency stabilization to prevent further water damage is underway at the old B&O Water Street Station in Wilmington adjacent to the (former Pennsylvania) present Amtrak Station. Trip Director Bruce Barry reported on the proposed Chapter Trip to Far Rockaway (see Schedule Notes and Chapter Events lists).  Our newest member, Dennis Smith, Jr. who works at City Steel, reported on their SW1200 locomotive built in 1972 for Fairless Works and sold to the Norfolk Belt Line before coming to City Steel. Ken Berg's slide program began in Winnona, MN in 1994 with views of CNW, DME, and SOO. We saw Lacross Yard, Grand Crossing, and the Union Illinois Railroad Museum. There was New Freedom, WS, a C415 Alco center-cab switcher and views of Blue Island in Chicago. We also saw 1996 views of the British Columbia Railroad, RDC's to Lillawet 175 miles north of Vancouver, the Mount Rainier and Mount Hood Railroads. The "bridge within a bridge" at Voltage, WA has a builder's plate reading "Bethlehem Steel, Wilmington, DE"! We also found out that the southern terminus of the Alaska Railroad is a ferry dock and rail yard in Seattle, WA! 

A LOOK BACK by Historian Ron Cleaves

April 1988: The April 21, 1998 meeting proved to be a very enjoyable and historic evening for the Wilmington Chapter. It was the night one of the "founding fathers" of the Chapter, Henry Dickinson, was awarded his gold pin for 50 years of continuous membership in the NRHS. A substantial buffet and cake in honor of Henry was provided this evening by Vice President Phil Snyder along with an emergency ice cream run provided by Pete Cramer. Highlight too, this evening which was attended by 38 members and 3 guests including Eastern Region Vice President Larry Eastwood, was an assemblage of several of the Chapter's charter members who posed for a group photo for the evening's photographer Doug Weaver. Also in attendance at this affair was NRHS Chairman Emeritus Lewis Pardee. An enjoyable evening was had by all.

The Wilmington & Western needs your help to locate photos of the ticket agent's office in order to faithfully reconstruct the one at Greenbank Station and furniture to redecorate the Yorklyn Station Contact John Iwasyk at 302-994-3623 Also, Chapter Members who would like to show off their railroadianna, photos, and artifacts related to railroading are urged to contact John about displaying them at the Greenbank Station Saturdays and Sundays, May through July, noon to 2:30 PM. for W&W riders to view and discuss while waiting for trains.

The National Railway Historical Society's Wilmington Chapter's  Annual Doug Weaver Memorial Photo Contest  will be held at the regular Chapter meeting on Thursday, May 21st.

Here are the guidelines for entering images in this year's contest:

As usual, there will be two separate contests; one for prints and one for slides. Each contest will have the same SEVEN categories. Prizes will be awarded for winners in each category (that is fourteen winners in all), plus additional awards for the best print and the best slide in the show.

Each member can have up to three entries per category (that's 42 total photos if you are really ambitious: up to 21 total slides and 21 total prints!).

Photos for the five normal, standard, REGULAR CATEGORIES #1-#5, as always in the past, must have been taken within the LAST FIVE (5) YEARS (anywhere on this planet).

For the VINTAGE CATEGORY #6 ONLY, the photos can be of any railroad related subject but must have been taken 15 OR MORE YEARS AGO, that is before May 1, 1983. This category was added last year, and by desire of the membership, as voted on at the January 1998 meeting, the timeframe was changed from "more than 25 years old" to "more than 15 years old".

For SPECIAL CATEGORY #7 ONLY, designed to get people out there to take new pictures, photos must have been taken in the LAST TWO (2) YEARS; that is, between May 1, 1996 and May 21, 1998 and must include CONRAIL MOTIVE POWER IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE in the image.

CATEGORIES

1) STEAM - Photos with a steam locomotive as the primary subject.

2) DIESEL - Photos with a diesel locomotive as the primary subject. This category also includes gas-electrics, Doodlebugs, RDCs, and FL9s north of Harmon, and the like.

3) HEAVY ELECTRIC - Electric power on big railroads. This category includes AEM7s, X2000,Silverliners, FL9s south of Harmon, and the like.

4) TRACTION - Trolleys and light rail including streetcars, PATCO, Metro, all subways, etc. 

5) GENERAL - Any photo that does NOT include one of the above as the primary subject. Passenger and freight cars, stations, signals, railfans, and the like go here.

6) VINTAGE - Any railroad-related subject photographed 15 or more years ago.

7) SPECIAL CATEGORY for 1998 = CONRAIL MOTIVE POWER IN DELAWARE Photos must have been taken within the last 2 years.

The Wilmington & Western is calling for volunteers for Wednesday Night Work Sessions on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday of each month. No special skills required although current paid W&W membership is required. Restoration is now underway on steam locomotive #58. For info call Project Manager Curtis Cox at (302) 322-4319 or the main office at (302) 998-1930

NEWS BITS

A new engine house is being constructed at Sunnyside Yard in New York for running repairs and inspections. The facility will include lubrication, washing, and fueling stations as well as inspection pits. Able to hold four locomotives (double the previous capacity), there will be six storage tracks (previously none). The old engine house was demolished last year. [from Amtrak Northeast Corridor's On Track]

The Smithsonian Institution recently chartered the Wilmington & Western's Doodlebug for a trip up the Red Clay Valley on April 25, 1998. The fare from Washington, DC, for Resident Associates was $79, General Admission $124. [from The Smithsonian Associate]

For those interested, we recently received a newsletter from the Philadelphia Trolley Coalition, at 616 Carpenter Street, Philadelphia PA 19147. In addition to memberships and regular meetings, they have a book, The Trolley Car - A Philadelphia Story available for $29 including shipping & handling.  [from Schroders/AAR via Railway Age]

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. 12 through May 1, 1998 Art for the Chessies 12 works commissioned by the C&O in the 1940's, B&O Railroad Museum, Baltimore, info 410-752-2490

Saturday & Sunday, April 4-5, 1998 Great Scale Model Train Show, Timonium, MD. 9-4

Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds 

Saturday & Sunday, April 25-26, 1998 All Aboard Days: Live Steam Weekend B&O Museum 10 AM - 5 PM, ride Tom Thumb, steam films in theater, Chesapeake & Alleghany Live Steamers display work and give rides, living history focus on Civil War era, B&O Railroad Museum, Baltimore, info 410-752-2388

Sunday, April 26, 1998 Lancaster/ Strasburg Train and Toy Sale 9 AM-2 PM, Historic Strasburg Inn, Rt. 896, Strasburg, PA 

Sunday, April 26, 1998 Bethel Township Hose Co. #1 Train Meet 9 AM-3 PM, Rt. 261 (Foulk Rd) near Naamans Rd., Bethel Fire Co, Boothwyn PA info=610-494-0899 Ext. 8

Saturday, May 2, 1998 Chapter Trip to Far Rockaway, NY 9:30 AM leave Trenton, NJ station for NYC, Jamaica, Valley Stream, & Far Rockaway, this is a do-it-yourself, pay-as-you-go trip led by Chapter Trip Dir. Bruce Barry, evening return dinner-dependent

Saturday, May 2, 1998 The Delmarva Special Rare (440) mileage excursion hosted by Washington, DC Chapter leaving Union Station (DC) to Salisbury (Dogwood Festival) & Pocomoke City, MD, via Newark, DE Coach $84, first class $189 with some intermediate destination fares. Contact the Washington, DC Chapter at 703-273-8440.

Sunday, May 3, 1998 Great Winslow Junction Scale Train & Railroadiana Meet 10 AM - 3 PM, Winslow Fire Hall, Hall & Hay Sts., Winslow, NJ, info 609-728-1327

Saturday & Sunday, May 9-10, 1998 Carl Franz Cass Scenic Railroad Spring Photo Specials Friday buffet, 3 train race, double-header, multiple runbys, adults $65, Cass, W.VA, info 301-942-6197

Saturday, May 16, 1998 Lancaster County "Trains Are Us" Spring Fling Train Meet 9 AM-3 PM, Paradise Fire Co., Rt 30 & Leacock Rd., Paradise, PA

Friday, May 22, 1998 Steamtown Excursion, Scranton, PA at 2 PM only 

Saturday, May 23, 1998 Spring Pocono Train and Collectable Show 9 AM - 2 PM, Pocono Mts. Chapter NRHS, Stroudsburg Area High School (I-80, Exit #48), Stroudsburg, PA 

Saturday, Sunday, & Monday, May 23-May 25, Steamtown Excursions, Scranton, PA at noon & 3 PM 

Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays, May 29-June 28, Steamtown Excursions, Scranton, PA at 2 PM only

Saturday & Sunday, June 20-21, 1998 Great Scale Model Train Show, Timonium, MD. 9-4

Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds

Sunday, June 21, 1998 The Old & New Train Show 8 AM - 3 PM, Tamaqua's Heritage Day, Senior Citizens Center, Tamaqua Anthracite Model RR Club

Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, Holidays, July 2-Sept 7, Steamtown Excursions, Scranton, PA at noon & 3 PM 

July 8-12, 1998 NRHS National Convention, Syracuse, NY

Saturday, July 23, 1998 Annual Rail to the Fair Departs Philadelphia 9 AM, Claymont 9:21, Wilmington 9:45, Newark 10:01; Harrington 12:37, returns Claymont 8:30 PM, prices $22.50-67.50 includes admission to the fair.

Saturday, August 15, 1998 Semi-Official Quasi-Annual Chapter Picnic at Strasburg do-it-yourself  transport, meet at the railroad station, bring your own provisions, 10 AM photo line at Gap,PA

Sunday, August 23, 1998 23rd Annual Train Meet 9 AM - 3 PM, South Gate Plaza, Rt. 405, Milton, PA, Central PA NRHS, info 717-286-1915

Saturdays & Sundays, September 12-22, Steamtown Excursions, Scranton, PA at noon & 3 PM 

Saturday, September 26, 1998 Hillendale Train Meet 9-2 Saturday, Hillendale Rd. (1.5 miles north of Mendenhall Inn) Elementary School, Chadds Ford, PA

Fri, Sat, Sun, Holidays, Oct. 2-Nov. 1, Steamtown Excursions, Scranton, PA at noon & 3 PM 

Saturday, October ?, 1998 Annual Transportation Day (postponed due to area construction) 10 AM to 4 PM at the Wilmington Amtrak Station, locomotive and rolling stock displays, SEPTA rides

Saturday & Sunday, October 17-18, 1998 Great Scale Model Train Show, Timonium, MD. 9-4

Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds

Sunday, November 22, 1998 Prime-Mover Train Show 9 AM - 2 PM, Aetna Hall, Newark, DE for info call Tom @ 610-255-4785

CHAPTER EVENTS

Thursday April 16, 1998 7 PM Chapter Meeting Program by John Iwasyk program unknown at this time

Saturday May 2, 1998 9:30 AM Chapter Outing Trip to Far Rockaway, NY do-it-yourself, pay-as-you-go trip leaves Trenton, NJ at 9:30 AM with layovers at Manhattan, Jamaica, Valley Stream, & Far Rockaway

Thursday May 21, 1998 7 PM Chapter Meeting Annual Doug Weaver Memorial Photo Contest

Thursday June 18, 1998 7 PM Chapter Meeting Program by Dan Frederick program unknown at this time

Thursday July 16, 1998 7 PM Chapter Meeting Program by Paul Fortin

Saturday August 15, 1998 noonish Chapter Outing Annual Picnic @ Strasburg RR

Saturday Oct. ?, 1998 ? AM Chapter Event Annual Transportation Day (maybe) Wilmington Train Station

The Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) meets at 7:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month [except 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.foxcity.com/nrhs/wilm/wilm.htm

Chapter Officers
President Phil Snyder
Vice President & Historian Ron Cleaves
Treasurer Ralph Stevens, Jr.
Secretary Walt Robbins
National Director Ed Thornton
Editor Greg Ajamian
Public Relations Ken Berg
Event Photographer Bruce Barry

Back To Wilmington Chapter Web Site

This material may be reprinted without permission as long as it appears as shown above and is not changed in any way. Credit must be given to the Wilmington Chapter NRHS and it's Internet Web Site at: http://foxcity.com/nrhs/wilm/wilm.htm.
Mail: Wilmington Chapter - NRHS, P.O. Box 1261, Wilmington, DE 19899-1261, USA
E-mail: edthorn@bellatlantic.net
Webmaster: fis@foxcity.com
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