The June meeting was a trip-meeting to the Phoenix Steel Plant in Claymont, DE to view their rail operations. This was an outstanding meeting, with over 20 members and guests attending this event which was also an exceptional turnout for a June meeting. All participants of this trip-meeting got to ride aboard a rare NW-5, of which only 13 were known to have been built. Highlight of the evening was a short trip over some of Phoenix Steel's trackage with the 20 members and guests riding on the NW-5 across the Philadelphia Pike (Route 13) railroad overpass. Of note too, this month was Chapter's treasury balance which had grown to $3,183.57.

June 1984 Chapter Trip to Phoenix Steel = one of only 13 NW-5's.

Plans are underway to raise an 18-car Newcastle coal train from the bottom of Lake Washington. The narrow gauge train went down when its sinking barge was cut loose from the tug pulling it during a windstorm 123 years ago. The fresh water 200 feet down stays in the low 30's which has kept the wood and iron from rotting. Some of the cars are upright and full of coal. The train was owned by the Seattle Coal and Transportation Company and the barge was being pulled by the tug Chehalis. [from Trainsheet via NRHS News via Potomac Chapter's Potomac Rail News]

The Baltimore Streetcar Museum hopes to relocate closer to the B&O Railroad Museum to become more of a tourist attraction. [from Railfan & Railroad via Potomac Chapter's Potomac Rail News]

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has authorized a $930 million contract for the design and construction of an 8.4-mile light rail system to NYC's Kennedy Airport. But, the project faces litigation from airlines and resistance from the City of New York. Last September, the Mayor of NYC and the Governor of NY reached agreement to pursue construction of light rail between NYC's LaGuardia Airport and the subway line to Manhattan. The Governor is now seeking formal commitment of funds from the Port Authority. [from Aviation Daily via Potomac Chapter's Potomac Rail News]

Pennsylvania Railroad's K-4 Pacific #1361 is proceeding at Steamtown in Scanton, PA. A new backhead is being built from specially cast pieces of steel. Boston & Maine Railroad's Pacific #3713 is also in the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western shop building gradually returning to operational condition. Former Canadian Pacific Railroad's Pacific #2317 is also undergoing its five-year rebuild including having its boiler tubes replaced. [from Lehigh Valley Chapter & Wyoming Valley Chapter via Potomac Chapter's Potomac Rail News]

Photographic film CAN be damaged by the new bomb detection machines being used at major airports worldwide. "If you are traveling with a camera and film, keep them with you, and do not check them," according to the Photographic and Imaging Manufacturers Association, which represents Kodak, Fuji, and 53 other makers. In color film tests, the CTX 5000 machine damaged all brands and speeds that were tested. [from USA Today via Potomac Chapter's Potomac Rail News]

The B&O Railroad Museum's "William Mason" has been moved to the Strasburg Railroad for rebuilding so that it can be used in a Barry Sonenfeld (Men in Black) movie based on the Wild, Wild West TV series. The rebuilding will be fully paid for by Warner Bros. resulting in a locomotive which should be operable for the next 15 years after its return to the museum. Built in 1855, it was used in the 1955 Disney movie "The Great Locomotive Chase", and last operated in 1962. The B&O Museum's "Laffayette" was used in Steven Spielberg's "Amistad". [from Western Maryland Chapter's The Automatic Block]

The Reading Railroad Museum hopes to move from its temporary station in Leesport. According to the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society Inc. newsletter, the museum committee is recommending a move to Cressona Light Yard in Schuylkill Haven, PA. The committee has been searching for a site for 14 years because the collection includes over 50 pieces of equipment, requiring a unique site. For comparison, the publicly funded state railroad museum in Strasburg has 65 pieces of equipment. The long, flat, 20-acre site has room for a restoration shop, a roundhouse-type display building utilizing the society's turntable, and other buildings.[from Lehigh Valley Chapter's Lehigh Lines]

Queen Elizabeth II will put the Royal Train with maroon cars, dining room, and servants' quarters up for hire, but only to "appropriate" people. In a report release June 30, the queen save over $1 million by cutting back use of the royal train; each Royal trip cost about $16,500. Prince Phillip and Princess Margaret recently used senior citizen tickets on regular trains. [from Wilmington, DE's The News Journal]

One of the two remaining stub-sill tank cars from Union Tank Company's original order in 1957 (UTLX 88008) has been added to the collection at the B&O Railroad Museum. They have also acquired a Fruit Growers Express reefer, plus flat cars and hoppers. [from B&O Railroad Museum's Roundhouse Review]

Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad's business car ONE is going to the former Broad Street Station to be displayed at the Science Museum of Virginia. Despite a political battle in 1998 to commandeer the car for the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke after it came under the ownership of the Virginia Retirement System in 1996, the 78-year-old Pullman green car, will still be loaned by the Science Museum to the Transportation Museum for at least 60 days per year. [from Richmond Times-Dispatch via Old Dominion Chapter's Highball]

Freight cars stenciled NYC & PRR: Conrail's car department in Buffalo and Selkirk, NY and Shire Oaks, PA are restenciling freight cars to be conveyed to either CSX or NS. Reporting marks are NYC (for CSX) and PRR (for NS). The new marks were selected because they are still valid AAR reporting marks for Conrail cars. NOTE: these marks have NOTHING to do with the actual heritage of the cars; for example many former PRR freight cars will get NYC reporting marks. The purpose is to create two distinct groups of Conrail equipment without violating the provisions of the Surf(ace Transportation) Board review process. [from Conrail Technical Society via Jersey Central News via Central Pennsylvania Chapter's Susquehannock]

Norfolk & Western Railway coaches #1721 & 1730 have been purchased from the Tidewater Chapter by the town of Hurlock, MD for use in annual Hurlock Fall Festivals. N&W coach #1723, still owned by Tidewater, will be used by the Delmarva Chapter. These cars were part of a large order of modern light-weight, deluxe, air-conditioned, reclining seat coaches ordered from Pullman in 1941 [from Delmarva Chapter's Delmarva Limited via Roanoke Chapter's Turntable Times]

Former Western Maryland Alco S6 diesel #151, built in 1956 is being fitted with roller bearings for movement from a power plant at Parkersburg, WV to Middletown, PA for the Middletown & Hummelstown RR [from Harrisburg Rail Review via Western Maryland Chapter's The Automatic Block]

Amtrak will lose $83 million more in 1998 than it did in 1997. Amtrak loses more than $100 for each passenger trip on 14 of its routes. Only the Metroliner service between Washington and Boston turns a profit. [from Washington Times via Potomac Chapter's Potomac Rail News]

CSX freight train number Q686 was struck by a tornado on April 14, 1998, which derailed 68 cars without any crew injuries. [from The Bull Sheet via Potomac Chapter's Potomac Rail News]

The Federal Railroad Administration has developed a legislation proposal in response to trespassing and vandalism increases; trespassing = fine not more than $100 and/or not more than 30 days in jail, train hopping = not more than $1000 and or 30 days, if vandalism results in injury or death = fines to $20,000 and up to 20 years. Willful acts would be subject to "enhanced penalties". [from NRHS News via Potomac Chapter's Potomac Rail News]

Engine #385, a 93-ton steam locomotive built in 1907 by Baldwin and kept in Harrison, would be designated the official New Jersey steam locomotive under a bill to honor students of steam and power engineering at Bergen County Technical High School. [from Bergen County New Jersey's The Record

]Engine #58, an 0-6-0 slope-back switcher built by Baldwin in 1907 for the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic Railroad, was transferred to their subsidiary the Atlanta, Birmingham and Coast Railroad as #27. The AB&C was acquired by the Atlantic Coast Line in 1926. The engine later became U.S. Army #6961, then Virginia Blue Ridge #4, and then Valley Forge Scenic Railroad #300 in the 1960's. In 1973 it was purchased by Brian Woodcock and stored at various times on the Wilmington & Western, the Octoraro Railway, and the Delaware Valley Railroad. It was moved from Avondale, PA to the W&W shops in January 1998 via the DVRR through the CSX yard in Elsmere, DE to the connection with the W&W. The #58, currently being restored, will hopefully operate later this year replacing #98 taken out of service by the W&W which requires a new firebox. [from an article by Dick Hall in the Historic Red Clay Valley's The Lantern]

National touring exhibit of O. Winston Link prints (70-75 B&W and 10 color) July 21 - September 20, 1998 Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, VA

CALL TO CONFIRM DATES !! October 20 - December 20, 1998 Huntington West Virginia Museum of Art - CALL TO CONFIRM DATES !!

April 13 - June 13, 1999 Cincinnati Ohio Art Museum CALL TO CONFIRM DATES !!

Thursday - Sunday, August 13-16, 1998 Railroad Circus Days @ Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Miniature models and exhibits presented by Circus Model Builders International, info 717-687-8628

Saturday, August 15, 1998 Semi-Official Quasi-Annual Chapter Picnic at Strasburg 10 AM meet at tower for 11 AM train. This is our annual do-it-yourself transport, meet at the railroad station, bring your own provisions, summer extravaganza!

Monday, August 17, 1998 Cass Railroad Special 10:30 AM on regular tourist route, then down the big cut, Shaver's Fork of the Cheat River to Milepost 83 call 1-800-CALL-WVA (you will be transferred to the Cass RR office)

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

Friday - Monday, September 4-7,1998 Rail Expo '98 Steamtown 9 AM - 5 PM, displays by AMTRAK and other railroads, special trips, double-headed steam, Steamtown National Historical Site, Scranton, PA

Saturday & Sunday, September 12-13, 1998 Railroad Festival '98 noon-5 PM, military equipment from WWII to Desert Storm, train rides on the hour, Whippany Railway Museum, for info 973-887-8177

Saturday, September 12-22,1998 Steamtown Excursions, Scranton, PA at noon & 3 PM

Saturday, September 19, 1998 West Chester Rail Excursion by Phila. Chapt. PRRT&HS 10 AM - noon, West Chester Market St Station-Glen Mills, fare $10, P.O. box 663, Wayne, PA 19087-0663 1 PM = PRR in Chester County historical program at Society Hqtrs. 225 North High St. West Chester

Saturday, September 19, 1998 Erie Streamliner Excursion 9 AM depart Hoboken, NJ, to Hackettstown, return 6 PM, fare $37, info (7:30-9 PM) 908-671-9644 Monday-Thursday, September 21-24, 1998 Cass Railroad Special 10:30 AM on regular tourist route, then down the big cut, Shaver's Fork of the Cheat River to Milepost 83 call 1-800-CALL-WVA (you will be transferred to the Cass RR office)

Friday - Sunday, September 25-27, 1998 250th Anniversary of City of Reading, PA 25th: AMTRAK Special from 30th St Philadelphia to Reading via ex-Reading Harrisburg Line (bus rtn) $99 26th: Reading to Penn Station, NYC via Allentown, round-trip $125. 27th: Reading to Wash., DC via Phila (bus rtn), $99; Hist Society of Berks County, 610-236-0488

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

Elementary School, Chadds Ford, PA Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998 Annual Transportation Day (was postponed due to area construction) will take place in conjunction with DuPont River Fest and our Chapter will have a booth 10 AM to 4 PM at the Wilmington Amtrak Station, locomotive and rolling stock displays, SEPTA rides

Sunday, September 27, 1998 Lehigh Valley Chapt. Railroadiana & Model RR Show 10 AM - 4 PM, Dieruff Senior High, Irving & Washington Sts, Allentown, PA, info 610-261-0133

Friday - Sunday, Oct. 2-4, 1998 Grand Canyon 3rd Annual Railfan Weekend Grand Canyon NRHS Chapter hosting special activities at Williams, AZ, info 1-800-843-8723

Fri, Sat, Sun, Holidays, Oct. 2-Nov. 1, 1998 Steamtown Excursions, Scranton, PA at noon & 3 PM Saturday & Sunday, October 10-11 + 17-18 + 31-Nov. 1, 1998 #614 Steam Excursions

Hoboken, NJ to Port Jarvis, NY, for info 888-324-0614 Saturday & Sunday, October 3-4, 1998 Great Scale Model Train Show, Timonium, MD. 9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds << NOTE DATE HAS CHANGED TO 3-4 !!!

Saturday & Sunday, October 24-25 + November 7-8, 1998 Steam on The Susquehanna North Bergen, NJ to Warwick, NY using NYS&W 2-8-2 #142, for info 1-887-872-4674

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

1999

Saturday & Sunday, January 30-31, 1999 Great Scale Model Train Show, Timonium, MD. 9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds

Saturday & Sunday, February 20-21, 1999 Brass Expo, Eisenhower Tower, Gettysburg, PA

Saturday & Sunday, April 17-18, 1999 Great Scale Model Train Show, Timonium, MD.

June 18-27, 1999 Central Coast Chapter's Railfair '99 w/ California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento

Saturday & Sunday, June 19-20, 1999 Great Scale Model Train Show, Timonium, MD.

June 21-26, 1999 NRHS National Convention in Sacramento, CA

Saturday & Sunday, August 7-8, 1999 Great Scale Model Train Show,Eisenhower Tower,Gettysburg,PA

Saturday & Sunday, October 3-4, 1999 Great Scale Model Train Show, Timonium, MD.

Saturday August 15, 1998 11 AM Chapter Outing Annual Picnic Semi-Official, Quasi-Annual Chapter Picnic at Strasburg Railraod 10 AM meet at tower for 11 AM train. This is our annual do-it-yourself transport, bring your own provisions, summer extravaganza!

Thursday August 20, 1998 7 PM Chapter Meeting NON-Commercial Videos Do- It- Yourself Program (local, personal vacations, GMA's "special", etc.)

Thursday Sept. 17, 1998 7 PM Chapter Meeting Program by Pete Cramer slide show and special 10? sale

Saturday Sept. 26, 1998 ? AM Chapter Event Annual Transportation Day w/ DuPont River Fest @ Wilmington Train Station

Thursday Oct. 15, 1998 7 PM Chapter Meeting Program by Greg Ajamian

Thursday Nov. 19, 1998 7 PM Chapter Meeting Program by Guest Speaker