Aug NRHS MeetingIf you missed our July 2013 meeting you missed a great program by Tommy Johnson on the restoration of 3751.

Our next meeting will be Monday, August 19th, at the L&N Depot on West Arch Street in Madisonville, Ky

David Hayes will present a program on the IC Kentucky Division from the Derby to Banana Pudding.. with a special additional show Riding Pullman Journey down the Main Line of Mid America.

Bring something for Show and Tell and maybe even an item for the raffle. Please encourage one another to attend our monthly meetings, every “squealing flange” counts! Visitors are welcome and refreshments will be served.

Title Into the Allegheny Range Vol 3 Cumberland, Maryland, to Grafton, West Virginia
Producer Pentrex (Iron Horse America)
Format 2 DVDs
Playing Time 3 hrs. 30 min.
Purchased From TrainVideoDepot.com
Date Purchased 6/20/2013
Price Paid $14.95

This two DVD set created by Iron Horse America and distributed by Pentrex is a joy to watch. We are taken back to the early 1990s to follow the route of the old B & O main line through the Allegheny Mountains of Maryland and West Virginia. We see the familiar yellow-nosed blue and gray locomotives of the CSX in the power lash-ups along with a few bright blue Conrail units and an occasional Chessie badged locomotive.

Most of the scenes are dated from the winter months of 1993 and 1994 and there are a few snow scenes included. The image quality is very good considering that it was shot twenty years ago and there is some very nice scenery serving as a backdrop to the railroad action.

The eastern Continental Divide is crossed as we make our westward journey from Cumberland, MD, to Grafton, WV. There are four torturous grades of as much as 2.8% that must be overcome along the route, one of which is the famous “Cranberry Grade.” Helper units are routine on this sub, which is called “The Mountain Sub.” The area included in these DVDs is also referred to as “The West End.”

We see one train “doubled” during the course of the video. It is called “doubling” when a train stalls and must be brought up the grade in two parts. In this case one of the helpers lost power and that was enough to stall the train.

Good use of maps was made and the maps included charts to show elevation, which really helps the viewer understand how tough the railroading actually is over this sub.

Good scenery, good image quality, great train action, informative narration, and good use of maps combine to make me give this one an “A.” I recommend it for your collection. Too bad it was not shot in wide screen format.

By Rick Bivins, Chapter President

Hello everyone, it is already July and I must say it, “Christmas is less than six months away”! Did you really need to know that? June has come and gone and in so doing, our Chapter has been busy. Our first Friday Night Live was a good one with cooler temperatures compared to the last few years. Our booth was well patronized; kids and adults alike seemed to enjoy the trains and Wally’s steam engines. The new business cards which were much easier to hand out were well received. Everyone involved had a good time. The next one is July 12th, the Friday before our regular meeting. It would be nice if more members were in attendance. A report will be given on meeting night.

On Thursday June 27th several members attended Bill Thomas’ evening with friends at the Thomas home. Bill had a few gauge one trains going in the back yard on his nicely landscaped out door railroad. Bob McCracken ran a really neat Astor live steam two truck Shay. Yes, a live steam, gauge one Shay, what a hoot that was. We visited, talked and nibbled on snacks until after ten o’clock that evening. A fun time was had by all in attendance. A very special thanks goes out to Bill and Angela for having our motley group over for the evening.

On July 2nd I drove to Princeton Indiana for some rail fanning with my ole pal Phil Randall. After watching a CSX MP15 switcher shove a cut of cars across Hi-way 41 on Evansville’s north side (while eating a burger at Hardee’s) I headed further north to meet up with Phil. We drove around Princeton tracing the old traction line roadbed which was really neat. We took in some sights at the Princeton depot which is nicely restored as well as at the CSX/NS diamond. Our first train was a southbound NS empty auto-rack train with a single BNSF unit for power. A good time was had and I enjoyed seeing our old friend Phil.

Our meeting Monday July 15th will feature one Tom Johnson’s video’s “Santa Fe 3751 the Restoration”. Tom reviewed this video in a previous newsletter. I am sure it will be a treat. Donnie and Betty Knight are providing refreshments which will be a treat as well. Please make it a point to attend and bring a “show n tell” and a guest.